Leader Of The (Mid) Pack

Thanks a million for all the good wishes! Feels great being back in the game, although the DOMS hit big time Sunday and Monday :eek:

tang1 wrote: »

Bit of HTFU over the first half of the race and you had it, taking over 30 secs off your PB coming off marathon training is great going, be proud of yourself, well done.

Cheers! Getting used to racing at that speed again took some adjusting. Now I know I have the time in me, I can go after the next one with more confidence. More speedwork with the club should help.

Annie get your Run wrote: »

There's a very flat 5K in the PP on New Years day, can't remember the name of it, Tommy Byrne something? Tang?? Anyway, massive well done on your PB, the sub 20 is there for the taking especially with some speed work in the legs. Great to catch up with you yesterday too

Thanks, congrats on the PB yourself! I have that race on my radar all right. I'm still hoping to get sub 20 this year rather than next, but if that's what happens I'll still celebrate it just the same

Murph_D wrote: »

Nice going J - some similarities in my race. Sounds like I started a bit behind you, had HA in sight for a good while, and like you was trying to keep in range. I was passed by a Samsung shirt on upper Glen, possibly same guy. Tough luck on the straight, maybe he's a xc guy though, a legitimate block! You'll get it soon enough, matter of time!

Good to know, D! I've plenty of XC on the cards in the New Year. I reckon I'll run at least five or six of those races between now and March; club as well as BHAA. Think I need to get the old GAA shoulder charges working again!

denis b wrote: »

Absolutely no doubt that the sub 20 can be done this year on the right course. Might be worth checking out a favourable Parkrun course. Do report.

Thanks Denis, I might have mentioned before (maybe not on this log though) that for a period in 2015 I'd run all the Dublin parkruns. As far as chasing a time goes, I haven't run Father Collins yet, so that might be one to try in this regard.

Kennyg71 wrote: »

Great run today pity about them few sec, but great improvement. Well done on pb.

Yeah I'm feeling more relaxed and less diva-esque about the whole episode now; these things happen, it's great that we're able to do them. Nice couple of runs yourself lately.

Ososlo wrote: »

Excellent pb! You're almost there! I'd highly recommend Clonliffe's Xmas Cracker for your next stab at it. It's a lovely course and if the weather plays ball, you'd have a great chance of getting your sub 20 and there'd be loads of good runners around your time. Well done yesterday!

Yes indeed, great shout on that one! I haven't run it before, but it's become a definite possibility. Minding myself for the couple of days beforehand might not be so easy though still, it's on the list for now.

HelenAnne wrote: »

Well done, Murph d and WW; I had no idea I was so many people's marker / pacer! 😀ðŸ႒🻠14 sec PB for me - delighted. My first uncontroversial sub-20 (19.48) (and I know it's practically all downhill so I hope it still counts!)

I loved it. I didn't know how I'd feel as I've had a cough for a few weeks, but I just thought I'd give it a lash and take each kilometre as it came, rather than worrying about the ones ahead. It was perfect weather and a perfect course, so I felt if I didn't break 20 there I just wasn't ready to. My previous pb's were 20.03 in Rathfarnham in 2015 and 20.02 in Malahide parkrun earlier this year; I'd say if you pick the right race you'll get from 20.03 to sub 20 much quicker than I did.

I did the Reindeer Run 10k in Marlay today and felt wrecked! The drags at the top of the park felt like Everest!

Thanks H, I was certain when we were lining up that you'd run sub-20 already; I'd forgotten that it was in the GT5k. Well done on cracking it for sure this time, and fair play on completing the back to back!

Singer wrote: »

I did Clonliffe's Xmas Cracker a good bit faster than Jingle Bells last year (though the weather conditions were atrocious at Jingle Bells), it's a reasonably fast 5k alright. I'm sure you'll nudge over pretty soon anyway!

Getting there B, so close! I still haven't made it onto the 10 round numbers table, still got a chance though!

jake1970 wrote: »

Well done WW, congrats on the PB.

No worries, the PB I set in May bettered one that had stood for nearly two years (20:46, Malahide pr, June 2014) so when you view it like that, it's a lot more positive!

Sun 11/12 - 4 miles @7:42 p/m

For a long time, it looked like this would be another non-running day. Two more Christmas parties left me feeling very delicate, to say the least. However, I finally got it together shortly after 6:30. I don't normally run after dinner, but tonight it was a necessary evil. I kept up a nice pace here, all things considered. Typing this now I feel much better, partially cleansed after putting away so much alcohol and junk food the last few days. Next week will be better, I promise

Tue 13/12 - Rest.

Wed 14/12 - Rest. I had considered going Wednesday & Thursday, but with a back to back planned for the weekend, maybe the right decision was made?

Thu 15/12 - 5 miles @8:04 p/m

Similar 5 miler to the previous late night ones in recent weeks. Much quicker than previous attempts, without feeling under too much pressure. I even threw 5 100m strides in for good measure.

Fri 16/12 - No running

I've been fighting a head cold most of the day and night. So frustrating. I had planned a parkrun sub 20 attempt to start off the weekend, but now I could be struggling to be fit enough for the 6 mile XC on Sunday :mad:

Bungy Girl wrote: »

Hope you're feeling a bit better today ? You know yourself you're better off letting a cold run its course and getting rid of it and wait until you're fully fit to race.

Where's the XC on Sunday ? 6 miles sounds tough!

Thanks G, yes the fog is clearing, slowly but surely! Briefly this morning I had the mad idea of getting up and heading over "Sure I can just shuffle around. No pressure to put in a time or anything!" Then I turned over, and when I woke up again it was 9:30

I remember a few years ago insisting (against my wife's wishes) that I was able to do the Fat Turkey Run. This was in spite of me coughing and spluttering constantly for 2-3 days previous, and all the way across in the car. It's a tough enough course as it is, even in the whole of your health. Not an experience I ever want to repeat.

XC tomorrow is in Porterstown Park. It's an annual event which my club (MSB) stages usually the Sunday before Christmas. I've never run a XC race as long as this before, but thankfully it's a handicap race. Should be a bit of craic anyway

Kennyg71 wrote: »

Well done, never ran XC always sounds tough and have idea I would struggle
around.

Cheers, no hassle! I highly recommend that you at least give XC a try. You never know, you might even find it more enjoyable than road races, parkruns and what not. The Dublin Masters is on January 8 in St Anne's Park. If you're of that vintage, no better time to get involved. BHAA also have a few decent XC races in the New Year.

Do it now,
Discover how,
Do it now

Annie get your Run wrote: »

Good of him to come out and race given it's his busiest time of year n all (I'll get my coat...)

Well done! glad to see you've a few more XC lined up for the new year, they are tough physically and mentally but IMO you can not beat a XC race, the team work, the camaraderie and ultimately the physical benefits far outweigh how hard they can be

As an aside I still haven't made it to porterstown PR and won't now until next year but it's high on the 2017 to do list..

Thanks AM, I've kind of missed the old XC scene. I've four on the list (two Masters, two BHAA) in the first few weekends of 2017. You're welcome to Porterstown any time!

Mon 19/12 - 3 miles+ in 8:59 p/m

I can't help thinking I undersold myself yesterday, as the legs certainly don't feel like they went through a 6 mile XC race. I suppose it's difficult to judge how hard to push when (a) you haven't run that far in XC before, and (b) just over an illness.

Anyway, I went back to Porterstown this morning, for a couple of laps of the tarmac path this time. Half mile plus jog from the house to the start of my first lap in 5:08. Lap 1 in a gentle 8:44. I decided to pick up the pace a bit for the second one, and 8:21 was the result. A little bit quicker going home too (4:46).

I'm not quite ready to put away the runners for 2016. I'm still chasing a sub 20 5k in 2016 (fingers crossed!) this time in the Porterstown parkrun on Christmas Eve. If I get this, I'll probably take on the Fat Turkey Run on the 28th (unfinished business there!) If not, it'll be a shot at the Clonliffe Christmas Cracker 5k on the 27th.

Quick update.....

Tue 20/12 - Rest.

Work today and college tonight. It was the last night of the semester, although the next batch of assignments will occupy a fair chunk of my time over the holidays. Didn't get home till about 8:45, so no running.

Wed 21/12 - 4 miles @7:36 p/m

Partly a guilt run, but I'm delighted with how it turned out. With the week that's in it, there's been an unreal amount of sweets, chocolates, cake etc etc going around in work. Do you think I managed to steer clear of the carnage? All self inflicted, I admit!

Anyway, to the run itself. This was two laps of a loop around the estates beside home. I got up to a pretty decent tempo on the second lap, and in fact I reckon it's the fastest I've ever run that loop. Not always easy with walkers, road crossings and so forth, but encouraging if I decide to go full tilt in the parkrun on Christmas Eve. Forecast is poor, and in all probability I'll have a few after work socials on Friday. So we'll see

"It's the most wonderful time of the year"

Thu 22/12 - 5 miles@8:18 p/m

Happy with the performance here, even though I felt very heavy after working my way through more goodies during the day. I threw in a couple of strides, although not as many as intended; every time I intended to pick it up, it seemed someone appeared on the path ahead. Even so, I felt good at the end; a bit tired, but no niggles.

Fri 23/12 - Rest

Finished up with work for the holidays at lunchtime, and then I was out for a few friendly socials, coming home at a reasonable hour

Christmas Eve - Porterstown parkrun

At one stage, I had visions of chasing a sub-20 here. However, it was a very windy morning, and between that and Friday afternoon's beverages, I decided that it would be foolish to go after it today.

With this in mind, I started off somewhere in mid division, working my way past people when the gaps opened up; no point in trying to force my way through. I passed a guy on the hill passing Castleknock Celtic's clubhouse on the first lap, and that was more or less it really. With the next group over 100 metres ahead (probably 200-250 by the finish) I ran alone for the second and third laps. 22:11 and a 10th place finish, for what it's worth. I enjoyed the treats afterwards nonetheless, which today included mince pies and (non alcoholic) apple cider. Everyone was in great form, and there was an excellent turnout (76) for the day that was in it.

I've signed up for the Tom Brennan 5k on New Year's Day. In the meantime, I'm still undecided whether to run the Christmas Cracker 5k on Tuesday (chasing a sub-20) or the Fat Turkey Run on Wednesday (for the craic really) or neither. Sure those things will take care of themselves in time; it's Christmas

Thanks for all the help and advice and for reading my fledgling log. Hopefully it'll be more beneficial to me and others in 2017.

Nollaig Shona agus Athbhliain faoi mhaise oraibh. Go mbeirimid beo ag an am seo arís!

J.

Time to draw the curtain on my running year....

Fri 30/12 - Rest

New Year's Eve - Porterstown parkrun

As I'm down to run the Tom Brennan 5k next year tomorrow, I decided to start at the back for this one. Looking ahead, after I'd waddled along for a quarter of a mile, I could see it was a very weak lineup, so I decided I'd have a bit of fun. Great to just pass people for the fun of it while making little or no effort On the second lap I was up to fifth, and closing in rapidly on the two lads ahead (yellow top and orange top) much to the horror of today's RD, a clubmate of mine :eek:

Anyway, I could have pushed ahead and got third any time I wanted, but even with the handbrake on, I eased past yellow top. Orange top was practically stopping going up the hill on the last lap, but I just dropped my pace to match his. Keeping the main thing the main thing, and all that

Fourth place in a time of 22:24, after an exercise in discipline more than anything else.

Ag Féachaint Siar/Looking Back

Overall, I'd have to say 2016 was a very good year for me from a running point of view. Although I didn't reach any of my goals (as outlined on another thread), I got new PBs from 5k up to the marathon, and my first year of concentrating on running and being part of a club has been very productive.

My favourite race of the year has to be DCM. Finally having got to run a marathon in my home city for the first time was an incredible experience. I was (still am) so happy that I got over my injury problems to line up, as the challenge of the course and the support we got was absolutely amazing. Other highlights included running the Connemara Half through gale force winds and hailstones in freezing temperatures, but what a beautiful setting to do it! Also a mention for the BHAA track races in Trinity in June. Perfect weather, and a fantastic atmosphere for me to get one of my first modern day experiences of short distance, racing with lads my own standard. Wings For Life gets a mention for the novelty value; even if I was racing it I'd have found the heat and the hills really tough.

In total, I had 57 timed runs in 2016.

5k - 36, mostly Porterstown parkrun. Pb at start of the year was 20:46; this was beaten in my 50th parkrun in May (20:36). Jingle Bells brought another improvement to 20:03.

5 miles - Three attempts on the road and one XC, best was BHAA Dunboyne 35:24, no PB this year.

10k - Three of these. Fingal 10k brought a PB of 43:32, beating my 43:56 from the ARC Mini Marathon 10k going all the way back to 2013.

10 miles - New PB of 1:14:13 in the Brian Boru on Easter Monday. Frank Duffy was six seconds slower.

HM - Four of these, although Clontarf (summer) and Wings For Life were for the craic really. I got a new PB in the Race Series HM (1:37:30).

Marathon - 3:49:01 in DCM. What a day. PB by nearly half an hour.

Other - The aforementioned Trinity races (1000 yards and 2000 metres), plus a paced mile in ALSAA (6:11) and a few XCs.

Ag Dul Chun Cinn/Going Forward

2017 is a year where I'm looking to make a lot more improvements across the board, starting with my first sub 20 tomorrow in the Tom Brennan. XC will dominate between then and the end of January, when I hope to beat a long standing PB in the Raheny 5. I'm planning to run a half marathon in March, and after taking a break for exams in April, I hope to come back strong and train for DCM 2017, provided I stay fit and healthy and all the other supports are in place.

Thanks again for reading. Happy New Year!

J.