Once in a Lifetime....for now

Week ending 28/1/18

Week 8 of the half marathon plan and it was a step back week. That suited perfectly as I was running Raheny and wouldn't be missing out on a long run.

Monday 22nd: Rest Day

Tuesday 23rd: 70 mins very easy on my loop around the 3 local parks. Windy and chilly but very pleasant and relaxed at the same time. 7.14 miles (thanks to Strava now showing 2 decimal places) @ 9:57

Wednesday 24th: Session day. 8 * 3 mins CV with 400m jogged recoveries. Pace was to be in the 6:47 to 6:56 range. Was delighted with these. I didn't find them as tough as last Wednesday's session. Maybe the sessions in a step back week are easier too? Paces were 6:56, 6:51, 6:53, 6:55, 6:52, 6:53, 6:48 and 6:47. Warm up and cool down brought the miles to 8.77

Thursday 25th: 60 mins very easy. Nothing much to report. 6.26 miles @ 9.41

Friday 26th: Starting to turn my thoughts to Raheny. Didn't want this to derail the training plan by tapering too much this week which was why I still did yesterday's session but today was only a very easy 3.29 miles @ 9:57.

Saturday 27th: The day before Raheny. I like getting in a few easy miles the day before a race. Some agree, some don't:pac: In further pursuit of my endeavour to do all the Dublin parkruns I made my way to Malahide. After doing some of the smaller runs I have to say there was a great buzz at this one. A really nice course too and I loved the kinda amphitheater entrance to the finishing 100m with plenty of early finishers cheering in the later finishers. Fair play to those who made the effort. I just jogged it, in truth a tad faster than the very easy pace I planned, at an 8:38 pace. I'll definitely be back! Finished off the evening with a 4 pack of Guinness before bed.

Sunday 28th Raheny 5 Mile: Something very strange happened in the days and hours leading up to this race. It started to take on a huge importance for me. It was a first chance to compare to my 37:17 in the IR 5 last June, a litmus test of the benefits of training for my first marathon, a test of whether using training paces based on a net downhill Jingle Bells 5k was wise for my creaking M50 age category legs and whether my 1:36 target for Bohermeen was in any way feasible. Truth be told I was more anxious than pre DCM. I read Wubbles race report from Raheny last year for some pointers and decided to give it everything. I had planned to try an even paced 36 minutes as even pacing is something I have never done. I changed this to 35 minutes. I set up the race on my watch as a workout of 8 X 1.02kms. It was to beep if I went slower than 4:25 per km ave pace in the first 3 Kms, 4:15 in the next 4 and no setting for the last one. It meant I had no idea of a time all race long.

Met Damo and Lazare at the bag drop, had a nice chat and did a little warm up with them. Spotted AMK doing some strides in his glowing orange runners! :cool:

Mile 1: It's a bit confusing reporting in miles when I had broken the race down into km blocks for pacing but hey ho that's the kind of mixed up thinking I do. Started about 50 yards back from the front. Had to do a bit of weaving before the watch stopped its incessant beeping and was happy I was at the pace I needed to be. The weaving lessened very quickly and the number of mirrors on parked cars that needed avoiding too! Great support from the locals, great to be racing again.

Mile 2: still ploughing along and comfortable with the world. Had my eyes on a Brothers Pearse runner I had seen in Shangannagh Parkrun who I felt would be a good yardstick. I vaguely remembered something I think Wubble mentioned about people cutting the corner onto Sybil Hill ( I could be wrong ) so stayed as far right as I could on the narrow section within the cones on the Howth Road. As it turned out we were directed onto the footpath at this turn which caused a bit of a bottle neck and lots of clipping of heels. The watch was in a very satisfied and silent state at this point, bang on pace.

Mile 3: Down Vernon Ave and Mount Prospect. Breeze and the downhill helped. A quick glance at the watch showed a 4:07 pace for the km. A bit fast but a few seconds banked against the uphill still to come.

Mile 4: Into St Anne's and a great atmosphere. Was starting to feel the pace but was holding it Ok until we turned onto the avenue and the wind hit. Watch beeped it's hurry the fook up tone. Picked it up a bit again. Saw Damo coming back down the Avenue and gave him a big shout. It was the last time my lungs functioned properly!! :eek: I was getting desperate to see the turn back on the avenue.

Mile 5: the turn, thank God! Came to a near standstill making the 180 degree turn and things were never the same again. The legs had liked stopping and weren't in the slightest bit interested in getting back to work. I gave all I had to hold my position but as we turned up by the dog park I was really struggling. Grabbed some orange segments from a very kind woman who was offering them and tried to get them inside me. Not a chance! My throat was too busy trying to gulp in air to deal with oranges. Half chewed orange dangled from my mouth and I barely had the energy to spit it out. Into the last Km and the watch showed my pace for that km was averaging 4:50. The wheels were coming off fast. Don't walk, don't walk...please! Spotted Brothers Pearse guy. Not sure whether he came from behind or not but he was 5 yards ahead of me. Tried to close the gap but there was nothing left...empty tank. The 35 had been too ambitious....****e! Came around the last bend and saw the clock 34:xx...Jesus I started 30 or 40 seconds back...I could get 34....from somewhere I didn't know I had I found a relative sprint, or the last kick of a dying man, and pushed myself to the line. Stopped the watch...33:53!! To say I was thrilled was an understatement :D:D

The aftermath: Was delighted with how fast I recovered, probably thanks to the sessions. Collected my protein goodie bag and went for a pint with Lazare, Damo and quickbeam all of whom had done fantastic runs and my better half who was sadly consigned to a spectator role today. She'll be back!

So here ends my epic. I couldn't let Kellygirl down with my short few words :pac::pac::pac:

chickey2 wrote: »

Great stuff, you're really progressing nicely. I saw that woman with the oranges and was wondering who would want one in a 5 mile race! guess I know now!

Thanks. I now know too. Absolutely nobody would! :pac: I was gagging and spluttering on the thing. Nuts!

BrownEyes79 wrote: »

I read your race report at the weekend, brilliant stuff.... no doubt there’ll be people getting inspiration from it next year!

Ah thanks.....though it's more likely to put anyone off running :pac:

Baby75 wrote: »

See Trails are fun great week training S

Yeah they're fun for a jog! :pac: