Leader Of The (Mid) Pack

Immortality Beckons! Week 2 of 16

With a goal race on the cards, one of the main things for this week is to manage myself in such a way that I'll be ready to go all guns blazing on Sunday morning. Hammer feels fine, but I'll have to get back into the habit of applying Vaseline to the right areas before my LSRs again :rolleyes:

Mon 17/7 - Rest

Tue 18/7

Plan: 4m of 1m jog, then 12 x 200m at mile/5k speed (approx. 45-50secs) with 200m (or 1 min) jog recoveries, then 1m jog

Actual: As above 5m steady

You didn't *really* think I was going to try the 200s, this week of all weeks? That said, part of me still wants to give that session a try some time. Maybe the next marathon cycle I'll be able to fit it in. I decided I'd go to the club session on Wednesday instead; two hard sessions in a week would have been crazy.

Instead, I decided to head around a 5 mile(ish) loop which took me into Blanchardstown, past the Roselawn shops, past Blanch SC and over the railway bridge before turning back towards home.

Plan said steady 8:30 pace, but I didn't bother with the watch and ran at a "comfortable" steady pace. Shocked when I got home and discovered I'd been running closer to HMP overall (7:26) I did stop for 2-3 minutes, while waiting for a train to pass.

Maybe I'm actually getting a bit faster after all these years :pac: although in future, I might have to heed some of the advice I've been giving to the Novices across the way, and slow down a bit on these runs Very sweaty going, with temps in the low 20s throughout my stint. I can only imagine how the 200 reps would have turned out :eek:

Wed 19/7 - Club session, Porterstown Park

This was done in monsoon conditions on the grass. In spite of the weather, we'd a decent turnout and the mood was positive. 1 mile+ warmup and a few strides before the session itself. 4 x 4 minute runs around the grass track, with 3 min? recoveries. Never having done this particular one before, I kept it reasonably hard but didn't overdo it. However, on each of them I ended up isolated on the windy upslope on the far side. Covered 940m or so first time, then up to around 970. I was determined to get 1000 the next time, and I *barely* managed it! Last one was tough, but even though I was heaving a bit, I surpassed my previous effort by a yard or two Overall, happy enough given the conditions. 1 mile+ cooldown and stretches to finish off.

Thu 20/7 - 4ish miles in 33:27

Just an easy two laps around the neighbourhood loop.

At the moment I'm in two minds about whether to get out early for some handy miles on Saturday morning. I'm Porterstown RD again though, so my time will be limited Come along, check it out! You're all more than welcome.

Fri 21/7 - Rest

Sat 22/7

"Work expands to fill the time available" - Parkinson's Law

Following a monster impromptu Friday evening post work feed of chicken wings, pizza and beer, the decision was made to get out for a few easy miles before my RD stint. Just up to Porterstown for two very easy laps (10:05, 9:15). Job done.

We had a decent turnout of 70 on a sunny morning, including a very special guest all the way from Cabinteely PR :pac: Great run from AGYR, sprint finish and all

Results weren't as straightforward. I had to ring parkrun support for the licence key, and even then I didn't have the necessary rights to update our DB. So between all that and collecting my wife from work, as well as a hurling match, it wasn't until 9:15 last night that between myself and another RD we got it all done :rolleyes: Next time it will surely be easier

Sun 23/7 - Fingal 10k - The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

Where to start with this? Major mixed feelings to say the least. I suppose I'll try go through it in the actual order of events.

Pre Race
Following on from my sub-20 5k in the Docklands, I had high hopes of taking a massive chunk off my 43:32 PB, set in this event last year. I was thinking 41s, knowing that a clubmate of similar standard got 41 and shrapnel in Clonee.

Got parked nice and early, plenty of time to meet lots of friends from my various lines of work. I got out on the Main Street in the drizzle, for an easy run out from the finish to Bristol Myers Squibb, before turning around and finding my spot at the start.

Kms 1-3 - The Good

I kept it fairly steady going up the hill, resisting the temptation to go after runners who were obviously either going way too fast or who should have been starting further up the line. Getting onto the dualler was nice, with some decent downhill stretches where I was making up plenty of places and feeling fairly comfortable. Passed an old classmate around 2.5k and went on; I was feeling in great shape and more than confident of 41s, or if things kept as they were for the next while, maybe even better?

Kms 4-6 - The Bad

Just before we left the dualler, the sun came out and the road began to rise a little, before we swung left into the country to the first water station. Did I ever mention how hard I find running in warm weather? Well even at this early stage I felt the need to stop while I got my water on board. Of course this meant having to pass a whole load of runners a second time. Not doing too bad in this respect, until before the 5k mark I had to pull in behind a garden wall for a call of nature. More time lost! Doubts were setting in more and more as we turned right and up the drag just after half way. Mercifully, the downhill started almost straight away after turning left and heading towards the church. I just wasn't feeling the love any more though; legs were fine, but nothing else was right.

Kms 7-9 - The Ugly

Nothing felt like it was getting any better. I could see people up ahead who I'd passed at least twice already, and yet I didn't seem to be gaining on any of them, with one or two exceptions. I can't remember whether it was before or after 7k, but I finally caved into all the doubts and stopped to walk along the side of the road with the aim of finding a marshal to get me a lift back. Couldn't see one, so I decided I might as well try and finish it anyway, and keep my 0% DNF rate intact. Another water station where I stopped to walk again, and another geansai load of runners streamed past.

On emerging from the roadside, I spotted Murph_D out the corner of my eye, as well as a Cru girl who I know to see from the BHAA races and who's also around my standard. I thought that if I could keep those two behind me, I might have a chance of a PB in spite of everything. Km 9 wasn't really up to a whole pile though. Anyone I passed was due to them slowing up rather than me tearing up the road. Well that's how I remember it anyway.

Km 10 - There's No Easy Games Any More Bill

Up and over the little bridge, before turning left onto the hill. D and Cru girl were still behind me; I didn't dare look back to check how far. I got a shout from a stewarding clubmate on the lower slopes. With only half a mile left, it was time to push a bit more. Now passing people here was definitely due to me going faster. I knew we were near the top when the newer looking white houses were in sight. Round and down the hill, I don't think I even sprinted down most of this until I saw the clock was just gone into the 43s. Bit of uphill to finish. So what. I could still salvage something here. In a sprint with a young lad from Ashbourne; we'd passed each other several times over the 10k. I think he got me.

Clock said 43:32. Chip time 43:19 - a 13 second PB. D was a few seconds behind, and I caught up with him and Singer once I'd got my breath back.


Analysis

Hard to believe I got a PB in one of my worst ever races. Between water breaks, calls of nature, and general lack of HTFU, I would say I left about 2 minutes behind today.

Was I too complacent going into this one? I certainly didn't feel that sense of desperation that I felt in the 5k. Even so, the fact that I allowed everything to go south so quickly, is something that I'll have to address for future races. If I don't, I might never get even close to what I should be able to eventually achieve.

Next

Rock 'N' Roll HM on August 13, which will almost certainly be my last flat out race before DCM. I'm also entered in the Race Series Half, but I'm planning to treat that one as a session. Thanks for reading!
J.

Wed 26/7

Plan: 6M steady (8:30 min/mile)
Actual: Club session, Porterstown Park

Lovely warm day stuck in work, but then the skies opened as I arrived at Porterstown. With the wind picking up as well, it was going to be tricky enough on the grass track. Following a mile plus warmup and some strides, it was time to get going.

The session itself was to be 3 x 5 mins with 3 mins recovery. I just found what I thought would be a comfortably hard pace which would keep me going for the duration. Disappointed not to get the 3 laps in at the first attempt (1190 :rolleyes:), even though it was tough going into the wind and rain on the upslope.

The idea was to go a bit further each time. Way into a fourth lap next time, around 1270 metres. Delighted with that, but not so happy with the last one, as one of the lads pushed past me in the final minute and I couldn't go with him, even though I'd been well ahead of him in the previous two. 1240 metres this time. Warmdown and stretches, followed by a very easy paced jog home, brought it to about 5 1/2 miles for the night.

Thu 27/7

Plan: 6M progression run - starting at 9:00 min/mile, last two miles sub-8
Actual: As above. Sort of.

Now, this type of session I normally like the look of. Certainly compared to 200 reps :eek: My concern here was whether the club session would knock me sufficiently off kilter.

Anyway, back up to Porterstown, tarmac this time, apart from the many occasions where I had to go on to the grass to avoid people and/or their kids/dogs. Probably did a bit too much clock watching here, in the early laps especially, as opposed to just doing it by feel. I've done so many laps of Porterstown the last few years that you would imagine that part of it to be easy. Times were grand though. 8:39/8:27/8:13/8:03/7:39/7:02. Slightly under your 8 minutes so. I'll take that one to the bank

Immortality Beckons! Week 4 of 16

As we leave July behind and move into August, in my own head it's starting to get real. Even though of course I've been through the whole DCM training cycle before, preparation this time is going to reach a level above. Plus, unlike last year, I'll only be actually racing once more between now and the marathon. Bit of adjustment involved, considering all the racing I did earlier in the year :pac: That said, I suppose it's part of following a more aggressive path than 2016.

Mon 31/7 - Rest

Tue 1/8

Plan: 1M jog, then 5 x 1000m at 10k speed (approx. 4:15) with 200m jog recoveries, then 1M jog
Actual: 1.5M jog + w/u, rest of session as above

Looking at this earlier today, I couldn't help thinking that Sunday's unplanned rest day might yet be a blessing in disguise. The recoveries for this session would be a lot shorter than what I'm used to, something which could seriously impact on the rep times.

So off I went around the grass track in Porterstown, a bit nervous about how this might turn out. No clockwatching as I progressed. Felt like I was pushing it a bit too much, and a time of 4:01 proved it. I did my best to get air into my lungs during the 200m recovery. Plan said 1:30 for this; in practice it took me 1:35-1:40 between reps. Second rep I had to dodge around a dog which decided to have a s**t almost directly in my line as I approached. Even allowing for going too fast on the first rep, this cost me another few seconds with 4:15 being the result. Third rep there was a whole gang of them (owners and about 6 dogs) on the corner of the track. Are you having a laugh? More time lost, a hopeless 4:18, and I was wondering if I was going to be able to finish this out.

But I then decided I had to at least try it, to see if I could make it work. Having rustled up this new found determination, I managed to claw back the deficit with a 4:14 in rep 4. For the final rep, I gave it a bit more gas for the last 250/300, and ended up very happy with 4:09. Pleased to have it in the bag

Rest of the week is going to involve a bit more jiggerypokery. I'll probably do the club session tomorrow, which will mean moving the easy run to Thursday. In addition, with the Dubs playing Monaghan in Croke Park on Saturday evening, I've made what will in all likelihood turn out to be a sensible decision, and will be bringing my LSR forward again.

Murph_D wrote: »

Don't sweat a slow rep, it's all about the average.

Is this track marked out? If so the dog owners deserve at least the 'disappointed stare' treatment!

Nice work. Up the Dubs - relying on sky sports myself, unfortunately. The Monaghan encounter is kind of intriguing.

There's stakes at regularish intervals on the way around. Enough that you'd know there was a bit of activity going on. Of course, the owners are the problem here, not the dogs. Don't get me started on those 200 ft leads.

Looking forward to the match too. One of my favourite LSRs takes me via an extended route from the house to the 12th Lock, and from there along the canal past Croker to the North Strand, before turning around and running the same route in reverse. I'll probably hold it in reserve for a few more weeks however.