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Child Item

BQ or Bust!

Murph_D

It's time to ditch the old log, with its self-deprecating Plodder Alert title, for a faster, sleeker, better one as a new marathon training regime begins. In 18 weeks time, I hope to be lining up in the Tiergarten at the start of the Berlin Marathon. All going well, it will be my third marathon, having done DCM 2012 and 2013.

The aim this time is to qualify for Boston 2016 with a 3:40 which should be enough for a GFA entry (I could possibly qualify for 2015 but that would take 3:30 as I would still be in the M50 category. So just think of me as another old geezer trying to make up for lost time. :pac:

Having run 3:46 last year, 3:40 doesn't seem like too much of a stretch but I don't take anything for granted these days, as it's easy enough to be derailed with injury, as I've discovered twice in the past year or so. I've been very careful building up the mileage after the last injury, not long after DCM, which saw me unable to run for most of the winter. I was surprised how much I missed being able to run, especially when I had to cancel a couple of planned races.

Like last year, I'll be following a plan that menoscemo devised for a group DCM 2012 graduates for our 2013 effort. It's a flexible plan, based loosely on P&D, I think, combining one LSR and one session a week with three or four easy runs a week.

I try to run five times a week, incorporating a parkrun if I can, and taking in one club or race series type event a month during the training. This year I'll be incorporating the race series events into the plan (or trying to at least), with the half marathon making up part of the final LSR. Might try to find another HM to race sometime in August if it can be squeezed in.

So away we go. Any advice, encouragement and/or slagging will be appreciated.

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OOnegative

Great stuff D, very well done and nice early Crimbo pressie.

hot buttered scones

Well done, a nice target to break and a great way to round off the year.

chickey2

Great report and great run, well done! Merry Christmas!

Wubble Wubble

Brilliant report. Delighted for you. Happy Christmas!

Wubble Wubble

Brilliant report. Delighted for you. Happy Christmas!

Singer

Brilliant stuff. Fair play to the lads, though you still had to do the work. Some difference a week makes, I don't think it was fitness gained in that time!

hillsiderunner

Brilliant result! Congratulations and well done to the pacers too.

Mulberry

Very well done, delighted for you.

diego_b

Outstanding stuff there D, brilliant report too. Great turnaround in a week there, fairplay to the lads there for helping out like that.

mixer7

Well done, great report and unreal last k , enjoy the Christmas festivities, you deserve it !!

Murph_D

Thanks all. It was a genuine milestone, and I am very happy to have achieved it, and I am happy also for my pacing friends, for being right about timing the investment.

But of course the debt is mine, and I will return it to others, I hope.

Mon 25 Dec

parkrun with A.

We had an opportunity to abandon the kids and enjoy a wet and very cheery parkrun. Simply exceptional organisation by the Waterstown team. Many thanks.

Tue 26 Dec

13k easy/steady

DD was open to company so I joined, as did C, for a pacey enough jaunt around DNS. As good as it gets for this kind of run.

Wed 27 Dec

Fat Turkey 10k (44:51)

First time doing this now legendary race (although the legend is only in its eighth year, according to ye anciente website.)

Up the mountain, down again. Simply exhilarating. Took a scalp or two (even if only in my own mind). Delighted to see my clubmates, and age mates, Ferris and Olwyn take the senior prizes. Super Turkey PB run too from aquinn.

What a race this is. Unique.

WTD: 30k (18m)
MTD: 312 (31)
YTD: 3.027 (1,881)

Killerz

Great result D. Could see the level of effort you put in so fair play. Hope you rested on the laurels a bit over Christmas

nop98

Brilliant! What a great parkrun report, really enjoyed reading that. Nice run in the Fat Turkey, too!

racheljev

Well done on your super 5k result (and your 10k), congrats!

Murph_D

Wasn't going to bother with a report for this one, but now that I am fairly sure I'll run it again it's always good to have jotted down some notes for future reference.

Fat Turkey 10k (27 December)

I’d never done this Christmas race, which for those who don’t know is a climb and descent of Howth Head on the Sutton side. It’s a route I know well, having trained on it regularly over the years, especially during the 2015-2016 spring marathon cycle. I didn’t really fancy it as a race route, perhaps because I tend to overlook non-PB courses, but everyone who’s done this event seems to speak highly of it, so I signed up a couple of weeks in advance, thinking it would be a fun way to end a pretty decent year of racing.

Picked up Ferris on the way out and we parked at the Suttonians RFC clubhouse. The place was full of Raheny runners and a few of our own clubmates, including Marthastew and aquinn. After picking up our numbers we had a short warmup around the pitch, listened to the race briefing, then jogged over to the start at the Sutton seafront. I figured 24 up, 21 down for 45 mins would be a reasonable target, only because Bungy Girl had mentioned that number in a recent discussion of the course. After a bit of standing around in the 2-3 degree cold, I discarded my disposable layer and we were away.

The uphill bit

There was no plan really. I tried to forget about the time/watch thing and just push as hard up the hill as felt sustainable, knowing there was a bit of relief in the third and fourth kms with some relatively flat ground. Then roll home - couldn’t be easier, right?

The flat start along the seafront gave way to a gentle drag and then we hit the long hill up towards the cemetery. I was gasping fairly early with the cold air, but hit what felt like a decent enough stride. As the climb got steeper in the second km, however, I found myself being passed fairly comfortably by several runners, clear evidence of a lack of any hill work of any note this year. I was encouraged in the next km, with its bit of downhill relief, to note that I was passing some of these runners fairly easily myself on the flat and downhill, and the tit for tat continued in km four which is relatively flat with a few bumps. I had no idea of how fast or slow I was going really, trying to sense the right effort for the terrain. The fifth kilometre is all uphill and felt appropriately difficult. There was a clubmate ahead and I concentrated on keeping him in range, while also keeping an eye on a female runner, brown shirt, with whom I'd traded places a few times. Began to see the leaders coming down, which was a novelty. A few shouts at the Summit pub from FBOT and some others helped provide some impetus coming into the worst little climb, past the 5km mark up to the carpark. Glanced at the watch at halfway, seeing a 24, so more or less on target. Waved at Ferris on his way down, took a few sips at the water stop, and huffed and puffed up the short but near-vertical climb to the turn. Ok, ready to roll.

Splits 1-5k: 4:22 5:21 4:26 4:46 5:15

The downhill bit

Had to negotiate a car (this race is on traffic-calmed but open roads) crowding the road during the short sharp descent back to The Summit pub, then a bus coming around the next corner. :rolleyes: With that out of the way, I told myself to relax and enjoy the second half. There was plenty of racing left, mostly gravity assisted but with a couple of bumps before the final two kms, which would hopefully be fast. I set myself an initial target of passing ten people on the way down, and trying not to get passed myself.

The first two victims were easy enough - a couple of awkward looking GAA types who had lumbered past on the final climb. My clubmate was next, but there was a gap of 50m to the next group, and they were moving fairly well. I was gaining slowly, which would do for now. There was a headwind, providing a braking effect, which took some of the fear out of the fall. Could see that the next group contained brown shirt - it would be nice to catch her before the end. Wouldn’t be easy though, as she was descending better than suggested earlier. This provided some focus and I felt I got into a good groove. Picked off one or two more runners who were applying the brakes a little too much, moving well through the ‘Somali Village’ where the testy little final climb of the day came into view ahead, looking steeper than it actually is. It still provided a test, and I was glad to reach the top of it with two kms to go. I stole a glance at the watch, seeing a 37, and fairly threw myself into the final section, knowing it was (and would have to be) fast. I’d been isolated for a while, but was slowly reeling in brown shirt. In between though, was C, a decent Raheny runner. She was now the immediate target and I sat behind for a while, but she was flagging and I passed decisively near the cemetery. I hadn’t been caught yet on the way down and wanted to keep it that way. Brown shirt was still out of range so I was alone again for the final km. Got a great shout and high five from clubmate Joe in the final km and I was still gaining on brown shirt when the sea wind hit in the exposed final 500m. Into the little park area where the finish line is located, fairly gasping now and starting to falter. The shadows were long and out of the corner of my eye I could see someone was approaching from behind. That was enough to motivate a final kick which was almost enough to propel me past my quarry, but the finish line came too soon and that was that.

Splits 6-10k: 4:05 4:11 4:33 3:54 3:58

I didn’t need to lean on any railings so maybe didn’t quite empty the tank - a pity no pressure had been applied from behind until the very end. I finished feeling suitably drained all the same, having thoroughly enjoyed the race and the different type of challenge it provides.

Post mortems over tea and biscuits afterwards in the rugger club. All agreed it was an excellent event in very good conditions (although it looked to me like a lot of runners were overdressed). Was driving, so resisted the temptation of the full bar. :pac: Congrats to Ferris and Marthastew for taking the M50 and F50 prizes. Am excellent race - happy with the performance, and I think I learned enough to be more confident to go harder in the first half next time.

Previous PB: 43:23 (Fingal 2017)
Target: 44:59
Official Time: 44:51
61st (of 455) 5th M50+
Verdict: Game of two halves, Michael

OOnegative

From doing a fair bit of running in my time up Carrickbrack Road(uphill bit/downhill bit) it's quiet daunting to push at times cause you know what's ahead. It's something I never got my head around while running it when I was based out that way even though there is flat bits on sections for a bit of respite. The bit up past the Summit Pub is just torture!!! Great performance again D.

Murph_D

Thu 28 Dec

7.8k recovery

Jog along seafront with A. Knees a bit sore today, from the impact of yesterday's descent, no doubt. All else OK.

Fri 29 Dec

Rest.

Sat 30 Dec

8.6k inc. St. Anne’s parkrun @ steady

On 24-min pacer duty today. A few souls declared at the start but most if not all seemed to have vanished by halfway. Pity. Kept trying to encourage those around me anyway, probably annoying the shyte out of half of them! :pac: Another couple of easy kms afterwards with Ferris.

Sun 31 Dec

16.1 k @ 5:33 (10 m @ 8:55)

We are in Donegal for the New Year, delayed a couple of days due to car trouble with our friendly local dealer on holidays ’til well into the New Year. Didn’t get out til late and as I’d be finishing in the dark, headed for the bright lights of Killybegs and did a few loops of the harbour and a hilly out and back to Roshine, south of the town. Only runner in sight, as expected. Probably the talk of the town now! Can’t say I enjoyed this much, although at least I stayed dry. I was really just out to make the numbers. 9 miles to hit 1900, and another one for luck. So the year ends as in began, on the highways and byways of Dún na nGall.

WTD: 61k (38m)
MTD: 243 (151)
YTD: 3,058 (1,901)

So that’s it for another year. It’s been a good one, with PBs at pretty much every distance from 800m to 50k (the 10 mile can wait). Lots of memorable runs; more racing, at more distances, than usual; many laughs; a few tears; countless cups of coffee and slices of buttery brack in the best of company. Thanks to whoever nominated my log for the A/R awards, by the way. I don’t expect to win, but I’ve enjoyed planning, writing about and reflecting on my running. I hope it’s of at least some benefit or interest to someone else besides me.

Next up - Dublin Masters XC 2018. Happy New Year to all!

Murph_D

2017 was a considerably more interesting year than 2016, which consisted entirely of back-to-back marathon cycles. Raced much more frequently in 2017 - 21 races (10 PBs) in total, on road, track, mountain and cross country, so a bit of diversity as well, including a lot of new events and distances.

January began as usual with the Dublin Masters XC. I am always at the back of this race but definitely the poorest outing yet, finishing 211th of 261. Three weeks later, the Raheny 5 (33:53) was one of the best results of the year, obliterating the sub-35 target. February was all about Donadea, and a decent enough debut of 4:18:30. Then in March, a disappointing Ballycotton 10 (72:09) ended the first quarter of the year on a very flat note.

April brought an opportunity to run in the National Road Relays for the first time. Our club M50 team was outclassed, but it was a privilege to run in the event and at least I didn’t lose position (second last) on the anchor leg. I had been doing some mile-specific training with a sub-6 target in the Irish Runner paced mile in early May, and made that time, although probably not by as much as the official 5:54 result suggested. A week later, the Terenure 5 (34:32) was a bust, falling apart in the second half. 10 days after that, the Bob Heffernan 5k provided the chance to have a first go at sub-20, but again I was pretty flat and wasted the opportunity, trailing home in 20:35. And then in June, a first stab at track racing, on the Trinity grass, provided an unexpected result of 2:37 in the 800m, easily the best pro-rata performance of the year, winning a coveted Trinity mug for my trouble. An hour later, I could only manage 7:50 for the 2000 metres, but I came away from the meeting determined to do more track racing in the future.

The second half of the year was structured around the big goal, to qualify for the NYC 2018 marathon. I settled into the Hanson HM plan in June. None of the mid-cycle races during this period - Fingal 10k in July (43:23), a 2-mile (12:56) in the Raheny Summer Series, or August's Frank Duffy 10 (73:14) - felt good. The times were poor, but at least the 10k was a PB. I trusted the plan (which isn’t big on tune-up races anyway), and it duly delivered with 1:34:17 Charleville HM in September, well inside the NY GFA time.

With the main goal of the year achieved, I could enjoy a pressure-free Dublin Marathon (3:22:11) in October. The race brought another NY GFA, a 6-minute PB, and a scoring contribution to the club M50 team’s national silver medal performance. That left time for a few more attempts at a sub-20 5k. The first of those, in November (20:35 again) was probably too soon after the marathon. Soon after, I enjoyed a not-too-serious mountain running debut on the short course at Run The Line - great fun. The next 5k attempt (20:40), in mid December, was poorer than the previous. But a 3k time trial PB (11:39) in the club a few days later suggested a better performance was on the cards. So on the final attempt of the year in a pacer-assisted parkrun just before Christmas, I made the mark at last with a very satisfying 19:47. The final race of the year, the third in nine days, proved to be one of the most enjoyable, and the 44:51 Fat Turkey result suggests my 10k time is ripe for some lowering on a flatter course.

On the parkrun front, it was an interesting year too. While I was only in race mode for three or four, I managed a total of 28 in 11 different locations. Had the novelty and fortuitous timing to record two first finishes, at Sligo and Les Dougnes. 21 volunteer credits also. Only seven runs away from the 100-shirt now, so that can be one of the 2018 highlights. I can’t overemphasise how important parkrun is to the running ecology in our household - the kids are regular junior parkrunners, and the Mrs is thriving in her parkrun Ambassador role. For me, St. Anne’s parkrun continues to be central to the running experience and is the site of much sport, running post-mortems, sociality, coffee and merriment. Long may it continue.

Here’s to another good year in 2018.

Back in Black

That's a great years running D. Hopefully more of the same from you in 2018!

Murph_D

Mon 1 Jan

Rest

Tue 2 Jan

8.7k @ 5:40

49 mins easy on the Donegal local loop. Avoided the rain, miraculously.

Wed 3 Jan

Rest.

Thu 4 Jan

8.6k @ easy +

It’s a while since I broke out the pace calculators and recalibrated. Looks like it’s time to up the ante a little. Although depending on whose methods I use, easy pace is now anything between 4:37-5:49 (7:26-9:22), which seems a little ridiculous! Mind you, the middle of that range, 5:13 (8:24) sounds reasonable enough, so I will be trying to step up this aspect of my running. Today was in the faster half of the range and felt a bit angry.

Fri 5 Jan

5.4k easy -

Slower, shorter jog along the seafront after dark.

Sat 6 Jan

Fairview parkrun @ steadyish (24:12)

Thought I was hitting more like MP for this so perhaps Christmas has been a bit more indulgent than I’d realised. Extra lap of the course, collecting cones and signs with the Mrs and boys who were on tail runner duty. Total for the day 8.9k.

Sun 7 Jan

Dublin Masters XC

I always kind of dread this race, where I find it very tough to grind out a respectable result. In previous three attempts I've been lapped towards the end of lap three, so one obvious sign of relative progress would be to avoid the ignominy of this at least. Lined up with clubmates and splashed through the marshy section that thankfully only has to be traversed once, before joining the course proper. The going was good all over the course really, except for one short muddy section that was still reasonably negotiable. After some initial congestion, I was able to stay close enough to a boxed in Ferris for a lot of the first km. The field thinned out a little in the trees, and after a speedy enough first lap I think I held my own in lap two. Lap three is always the worst - flagging, knowing there will still be another one to go at the end of it. I started to go backwards, but the fear of being lapped kicked in and I managed to pick up towards the bell. But I was now at the start of lap 4 feeling totally bunched and dry heaving like mad. Slowed a little to gather myself and once getting to the trees for the last time I had revived somewhat and put in a decent enough finish, even mustering up a TBL old man sprint to pass a lad in the last 100, hold off a few challengers, and end up 190th of the 280 finishers (13th M55). That's a reasonably good result for me so happy enough, and glad this is over for another year.

Terrific support from clubmates and parkrun buddies. Really keeps you going. 11.3k for the day, with various warmups and cooldowns.

Lap splits: 7:10 (178th) 6:41 (186) 6:47 (184) 6:43 (190)

WTD/MTD/YTD: 43k (27m)

adrian522

Murph_D wrote: »

Mon 1 Jan

Rest

Tue 2 Jan

8.7k @ 5:40

49 mins easy on the Donegal local loop. Avoided the rain, miraculously.

Wed 3 Jan

Rest.

Thu 4 Jan

8.6k @ easy +

It’s a while since I broke out the pace calculators and recalibrated. Looks like it’s time to up the ante a little. Although depending on whose methods I use, easy pace is now anything between 4:37-5:49 (7:26-9:22), which seems a little ridiculous! Mind you, the middle of that range, 5:13 (8:24) sounds reasonable enough, so I will be trying to step up this aspect of my running. Today was in the faster half of the range and felt a bit angry.

Fri 5 Jan

5.4k easy -

Slower, shorter jog along the seafront after dark.

Sat 6 Jan

Fairview parkrun @ steadyish (24:12)

Thought I was hitting more like MP for this so perhaps Christmas has been a bit more indulgent than I’d realised. Another lap of course, collecting cones and signs with the Mrs and boys who were on tail runner duty. Total for the day 8.9k.

Sun7 Jan

Dublin Masters XC

I always kind of dread this race, which I find very tough to grind out a respectable result. In previous three attempts I've been lapped towards the end of lap three, so one obvious sign of relative progress would be to avoid the ignominy of this at least. Lined up with clubmates and splashed through the marshy section that thankfully only has to be traversed once, before joining the course proper. The usual congestion, and I was able to stay close enough to a boxed in Ferris for a lot of the first km. Thinned out a little in the trees section, and the going was good all over the course really, except for one short muddy section that was still reasonably negotiable. After a speedy enough first lap, I think I held my own in lap two. Lap three is always the worst - flagging, knowing there will be another one to go at the end of it. I started to go backwards, but in the second half of it the fear of being lapped kicked in and I managed to pick up towards the bell. But having succeeded in not being lapped, I was now at the start of lap 4 feeling totally bunched and dry heaving like mad. Slowed a little to gather myself and once getting to the trees for the last time I had revived somewhat and put in a decent enough finish, even mustering up a TBL old man sprint to pass a lad in the last 100, hold
Off a few challengers and end up in 190th of the 280 finishers (13th M55). That's a reasonably good result for me so happy enough, and glad this is over for another year.

Terrific support from clubmates and parkrun buddies. Really keeps you going. 11.3k for the day, with various warmups and cooldowns.

Splits: 7:10 6:41 6:47 6:43

WTD/MTD/YTD: 43k (27m)

Great result there, well done!

Murph_D

Mon 8 Jan

No running.

Tue 9 Jan

Another day off. Am I getting lazy?

Wed 10 Jan

7.3k easy.

I found myself at Powerscourt House and enjoyed a slow run around the West Course cart track before repairing to the Avoca cafe to be relieved of the vast majority of my emergency tenner for a coffee and cake. Cold, with some icy conditions to deal with, but a very pleasant run in the end. When I started, there was a posse of photogs waiting for Richard Branson’s arrival to open the Cool Planet Experience. They were still waiting, colder and more pissed off looking, when I finished. He didn’t keep Conor McGregor waiting in his afternoon schedule. :rolleyes:

Thu 11 Jan

9.1k easy.

Got out of the office around dusk for a loop of Maynooth via Carton House. Another day, another golf course.

Fri 12 Jan

4.6k easy.

Loop of MU at the end of the day.

Sat 13 Jan

Race: BHAA Bank of Ireland cross country (4m) (28:27)

Finally I get my act together and do a cross country race apart from the county masters. Over to Tymon with some NS buddies, way too early so lots of standing around the Faughs GAA before the action commenced. We warmed up while the women’s 2m race was underway, and without any delay the 4m mixed/men’s race was called and duly started. Maria McCambridge was running the longer event, not that I saw her at all during the actual race. The conditions were good, but for me this course felt much longer than the masters course in Raheny, possibly related to the unfamiliar surroundings. Tried to take it easy on lap one and build through the rest. The lap felt endless - couldn’t believe we’d only done a mile when the end of the loop finally appeared. While I was in race mode, I didn’t feel particularly committed and found it hard to concentrate. I was holding my own, passing and being passed at what felt about an even rate. Struggled through and, like last week, I found myself at the end of lap three feeling like there was hardly anything left. Early in lap four I noticed the runner in front was wearing football boots and finally I found some focus, as it would be unseemly to be beaten by this kind of attire. Passed him about a quarter of the way around and spent the rest of the lap worrying I’d be reeled back in, but managed to pass another two or three or four en route. One strong finisher passed with about 400 to go, but I found a decent finish myself, staying ahead of the chasers. Finished 82nd of 153 runners (5th M55). Tough race, I thought.

Splits: 7:04 7:06 7:16 7:01

About a minute slower than last week but course felt a bit longer and heavier so not much in it, I’d say. A well run event. I’ve joined the BHAA so hopefully will get a few more of these races in over the coming months.

Found myself running close to McCambridge during the cool down. Would have liked to say hello, but I’d grabbed an apple from the finish area and unusually was scoffing it while running, and if she noticed me at all she was probably wondering who the eejit was. So kept my mouth shut. :pac:

Total for the day: 10k.

Sun 14 Jan

16.1k recovery.

Ran out to St. Annes’s to join the mrs after junior parkrun. She wasn’t ready so dragged KennyG away from his cake and coffee for a lap of the park, before A was finally ready to join me for another one. Drove home then while she ran. Legs a bit dead after yesterday an some niggly ache above and below the back of right knee but don’t think it’s anything to worry about. This was probably a bit long for a recovery all the same, should have been less anxious to get the miles in.

WTD: 47k (29m)
MTD/YTD: 90 (56)

Murph_D

I’ve been ruminating about the year ahead and my desire to focus on the 800m for a while. I’m going to aim to peak for the National Masters in mid August, which is a long while away. Have been looking at the Daniels Running Formula, which has a 24-week, four-phase plan. Won’t need the base building phase (unless something unusual happens) so effectively this will mean an 18-week schedule starting mid-April. The sessions look very intimidating, but I will modify the plan to a 9-day cycle to build in extra rest and recovery, as this approach (suggested by Dubgal) seemed to work well last year during the brief focus on the mile. I will try to race a few of the graded meets during the late spring and summer too, to get a bit more experience racing on the track. In the meantime, I’ll just keep ticking over, maybe a few more cross-country events. It will be interesting doing something different, and if anyone has any advice, I’m all ears.

Mon 15 Jan

40 mins recovery.

6.9 k around the MU campus. Right calf a little tight, presumably a holdover from Saturday’s race (and the long ‘recovery’ on Sun). On the plus side, my left foot feeling great after the podiatrist shaved off a callus/corn that had been bothering me since before DCM. It’s like being freed at last from a stone that was in your shoe. Bliss. Marathon black toenail finally fell off last night too, so definitely on the mend.

NYC lottery opened today, so I’ve applied with GFA time, which will hopefully be verified before all the places are gone.

Jaypers, that race is not cheap. :eek:

Tue 16 Jan

Lunchtime 6.6k inc 1.6k @ ? tempo

Got out just as a brief snow shower was commencing. Big flakes, but they weren’t hanging around. A couple of laps of the MU playing fields. Managed to screw up the timer and didn’t record the tempo part, which involved two laps of an inner circuit of about a half mile per lap. Enjoyed the change of pace, which kept things interesting.

Wed 17 Jan

Rest.

WTD: 13k (8m)
MTD/YTD: 104 (64)

Murph_D

Thu 18 Jan

7.3k easy.

Retraced Tuesday’s run, more or less, with the same one-mile loop at 5k pace in the middle.

Fri 19 Jan

No running.

Sat 20 Jan

9.5k easy/steady.

Volunteering at St. Anne’s parkrun, so jogged over. While the forecast had put the probability of rain during this window at 100 percent, it was actually not precipitating when I left the house so I was optimistic. Just a drizzle to contend with on the way over. Passed through Fairview park where the volunteers were setting up the course more than an hour before the start, and when I got to St. Anne’s, FBOT and MrsMc were doing the same still well before 9. Fair dues. I got in a circuit of the course at tempoish pace, and the rain was coming down nicely by the end. Got changed into some dryer stuff but this was the coldest, wettest, muddiest volunteer experience ever, and still 400+ runners showed up. Handing out finish tokens with numb hands is no fun! But all part of the experience.

Sun 21 Jan

8.4k easy

A longer run would have been a better way to end the week but I felt tired the minute I went out and didn’t force it, turning back a good bit earlier than planned. Pretty miserable mileage this week!

WTD: 39k (24m)
MTD/YTD: 129 (80)

Murph_D

Mon 22 Jan

Rest.

Tue 23 Jan

Club session: 3x800, 3x600, 3x300

Jogged over (by myself, sadly) to Irishtown, feeling like it would be good to get the lead out and a good session in. Tried to give it a little more than usual while still feeling in control. First rep felt too fast - fell off that group after a few reps, and dropped back to the next one which felt about right.

Splits:
3:05 3:08 3:08
2:18 2:22 2:17
1:02 1:02 1:01

Jogged home again, feeling a bit bonked, accompanied by Singer as far as the river. Total for the evening: 13.7k

Wed 24 Jan

7.9k easy/recovery on the seafront, joined by M for the homeward half. Felt very tired and the headwind would have had me in a bad mood if I’d been running solo.

Thu 25 Jan

NIA Live Indoor meet
Mile 5:50.67 (PB)

I’ve had this event on the calendar for a good while now and finally made it over. What a great evening! Last time I’d looked the mile was scheduled for the end of the night, 9:45 pm. Luckily I was early. Was idling by the track watching the 800s when Adrian jogged past and told me the race had been moved up to 9:05. Still had plenty of time to get changed and a bit of a warmup with Dubgal and Wubble, before we went our separate ways for some strides, and we were then promptly called onto the track a couple of minutes before the scheduled time. The first race was for the sub-5:10 crowd, with five or six runners, and the other 12 of us would duke it out in the second race.

I’d packed the spikes, with the 5mms inserted. Never ran indoor before but the shoes felt fine doing a few strides on the sprint lanes while the first race was going on. And then it was our turn.

Lined up over towards the right and off we went. I didn’t really have a strategy, but wasn’t too daunted as I was now a veteran of two previous attempts at the distance. The aim was to PB (i.e. sub 5:54, which if nothing else would erase the niggling doubt that that 5:54 was really a 5:59). :rolleyes:

Don’t overdo the start, I’d told myself earlier. I tucked in second or third from the back for the first 2 laps trying to get a feel for the track. The tight bends didn’t feel too bad, and I went through 400 in about 1:30, as planned. On Lap 3 (I think), I felt it was slowing and I was a bit crowded, so I passed Adrian and a couple of others and moved up to just behind Wubble, not far ahead. His pace felt about right so I drafted for a lap or so before passing and going through 800m in about 2:59. So far so good. I was beginning to tire, and cursing the seemingly endless number of laps but at least they were short! I was a good way behind two female runners in front, and they would be my focus for the next two laps. They seemed to tire in lap 6 and I passed one, then the other. Didn’t quite catch the split at 1200m but I figured it was a few seconds under 4:30. On my own then for the rest of the race, save for a flagging runner lapped with about 300 to go. On the bell I found I was able to wind it up a bit more and even though there didn’t seem to be any pressure from behind I wasn’t taking any chances. Knew the PB was on, and went down the finish straight like a train. A bit too much left at the end, methinks, so a few more secs could well be shaved off this next time.

Results were posted but taken down again as there seemed to be a few errors. Pretty sure the steward had called me fifth as he removed my name tag to match with the times. No official result yet but I think 5:51, at worst 5:53, either one of which is a PB and will do nicely. Well done to DG who was second, out of sight for pretty much all of the race and almost fully recovered by the time I finished!

Super event, great facility. Highly recommend this event. Two more scheduled for February so might even get over for a benchmark 800m next month.

Previous PB: 5:54
Target: 5:53
Result: 5:50.67
5th place (of 12)
Verdict: NIA is a gem. Get over there sometime.

WTD: 26k (16m)
MTD/YTD: 155 (96)

OOnegative

Good man D, well done on the PB sir.

chickey2

Great stuff! Couldn't make it last night but will definitely give it a go soon.

Mulberry

Well done on the super time and glad you liked the NIA. I think last night was the first meet I've missed (we had our club AGM), but hope to catch you at another one!

Bungy Girl

Murph_D wrote: »

The tight bends didn’t feel too bad, and I went through 400 in about 1:30, as planned. On Lap 3 (I think), I felt it was slowing and I was a bit crowded, so I passed Adrian and a couple of others and moved up to just behind Wubble, not far ahead. His pace felt about right so I drafted for a lap or so before passing and going through 800m in about 2;29.

Well done Murph! Super time.

Nice to get a sub-60 400m in there as well while you were at it

adrian522

I went through 800m in 3:00, don't think he was 30 seconds ahead at that point !