A/R/TIST IN THE SPOTLIGHT - KELLYGIRL

Hi,

How long are you running?
What's your pb's?
What's your favourite distance?
Favourite type of workout?
Favourite surface? Road, track, trail, grass etc.
Long term running goals?
Medium term running goals?
Favourite running shoe?
Are you involved with a Athletic Club?
If so, just a member who runs or are you involved behind the scenes?
Typical training in a week involves?
What annoys you about running/runners?
What do you love about running/runners?

Mellow Yellow 26.2 wrote: »

How long are you running?

Hi Mellow Yellow, thanks for the questions. I started running back in 2010/2011 until September 2012 when I got pregnant with my first child. I then didn’t run again until June 2016 and started with C25K again then and haven’t stopped since.

Mellow Yellow 26.2 wrote: »

What's your pb's?

5km - 25.12 (June 2018)
5 mile - 40:50 (April 2018)
10 mile - 93:xx (September 2017)
HM - 2:02:26
Marathon -4:20:05

Mellow Yellow 26.2 wrote: »

What's your favourite distance?

As above, Marathon but I haven’t really done enough of any others to say.

Mellow Yellow 26.2 wrote: »

Favourite type of workout?

I love progression runs.

Mellow Yellow 26.2 wrote: »

Favourite surface? Road, track, trail, grass etc.

Road - but when choosing my routes I do generally try to run through parks or off road paths for variety.

Mellow Yellow 26.2 wrote: »

Long term running goals?

I’d like to speed up and get a few consistent sub 4’s.

Mellow Yellow 26.2 wrote: »

Medium term running goals?

1:55 in a HM and 4:10 in DCM 18.

Mellow Yellow 26.2 wrote: »

Favourite running shoe?

Saucony Hurricane ISO.

Mellow Yellow 26.2 wrote: »

Are you involved with a Athletic Club?
If so, just a member who runs or are you involved behind the scenes?

No unfortunately. No time. I am a member of a WhatsApp group of local Mum’s who run and would be very active on that.

Mellow Yellow 26.2 wrote: »

Typical training in a week involves?

I run 4-5 days a week. I am generally following a plan. Monday’s and Thursday tend to be easy 5 milers. Wednesday used be my long run day but it’s becoming by speed or medium long run day now. Saturday is long run and Sunday I squeeze in a recovery run before work.

Mellow Yellow 26.2 wrote: »

What annoys you about running/runners?

Finding it hard to think of anything. Small thing but I always nod or smile to people running towards me and it amazes me the amount of people who don’t acknowledge me back

Mellow Yellow 26.2 wrote: »

What do you love about running/runners?

I love how I feel after a run - generally anyway . I love the time to myself whether I’m running with people or by myself. It gives me a break and a social life. I love how strong and healthy I feel as a result of my training. In term of other runners, I like that even when I run with somebody I don’t know I always have a great chat and I think runners just get each other. I’ve met so many people through running.

Huzzah! wrote: »

1. Favourite place?

I have to say our house. We built and moved in two years ago and it’s where I grew up. It’s a work in progress and won’t feature in House and Home any time soon but it’s everything we want in terms of location and having our family round us.

Huzzah! wrote: »

2. You win a night out, no expenses spared, where do you choose to go?

If locally in Cork there is a new super Japanese restaurant called Ichigo Ichie and it’s €95 per head for a 12 course meal. It’s supposed to be amazing.

If I could go further afield I would love to go to Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck.

Huzzah! wrote: »

3. If you could have a dinner party with seven other people, who would you invite?

Boring answer but my best friends. I don’t see enough of them as everybody is busy living in different places with their own lives.

If I had to choose people besides friends there are people I follow on Instagram that I’d love to chat to. Susie Chan is an ultra runner and I’d love to invite her. I’d say she’d be good craic as well have some amazing experience to share. I’d actually love to meet plenty of the people on here too.

Huzzah! wrote: »

4. What type of music do you like?

Anything I can sing along to - not that I have a wonderful voice by any stretch of the word.

Huzzah! wrote: »

5. You have six months of dedicated training with a coach, how fast do you think you could run a mile?

I can’t imagine - the coach would have a lot of work to do I think but maybe 7:30. I’m so slow now I can’t picture it.

Thanks for the questions!

skyblue46 wrote: »

1. Would you only run one marathon a year if it meant you could get Sub 4 or are Cork, Dublin and Clonakilty now annual events for you?

You know I think I would just run one for the sub 4 if I could do a few half’s or 10 miles too. I need to have a goal and an active training plan to follow.

skyblue46 wrote: »

2. Any interest in Cork hurling or football

None whatsoever

skyblue46 wrote: »

3. Does West End Cycles still exist?

It does and I run past it on the majority of my runs.

skyblue46 wrote: »

4. How far is Bunsen Burger from McGrattans?

The good news is there is one very close just off Grafto Street near The Bailey if I remember correctly. The bad news is that was full so we had to then go to Temple Bar but they were full too so sent us to the pub until our table was ready. It was still worth it. Maybe my legs should not have been so fresh to be walking all over the place though :rolleyes:

Huzzah! wrote: »

Me too! Still do it, even though I know it's "Lemon", like the fruit, I naturally tend to say "Le Mans" like the city in France/car race



I'd love to give this a go! Thanks for your answers

Ha that’s how I pronounce it too. Maybe everybody else is wrong. Ha ha!!!

Rossi7 wrote: »

What is the one thing that annoys you with this years novices ?

Honestly there is nothing so far. There are the usual people who won’t take advice and slow down but we can only pass on the advice we were given and we learned from. It will be a good learning experience for me too and I’m really enjoying being part of it. I hope you all get what we got out of it which was more than just running info. A good few of us are good friends now.

ReeReeG wrote: »

1. parkrun, yay or nay?

Love it but don’t get there as often as I’d like. Our local one started 2 years ago. I’ve 38 times and volunteered 4 times I think offhand. It doesn’t fit in with my training a lot as I have to do my long runs Saturdays and the odd time I squeeze it in as part of the run and rare these days.

ReeReeG wrote: »

2. What got you started in running, or maybe, why running?

In 2010 I joined a relay team for Cork City Marathon. Did no Training and intended walking but I was first in the team to go and the atmosphere was amazing. It was pouring rain and my gear was totally unsuitable but I loved it. Couldn’t walk for about two weeks after but that got me hooked. Signed up the relay the next year and did two stages so 11 miles I think and then the half in 2012 4 days before my wedding.

ReeReeG wrote: »

3. Any unusual pre-race rituals?

Maybe spending too much time working out the route and pacebands to match and then redoing them over and over again!! Not sure I have anything too odd on the day of a race.

ReeReeG wrote: »

4. Most annoying / strangest thing you've witnessed in a race?

Two things stuck out in Cork this year - running down the Blackrock Line which is really narrow and bushes either side and I was with the pacing group which was quite large. A guy on a bike was in the middle trying to get passed the whole time and wobbling all over the place. Then as I came round onto Patrick Street to the finish line a load of relay runners who had finished jumped over the barriers running across to join their teammate but nearly knocked me and a few others in the process.

Cork last year there was a man running along carrying 3 large bottles of water under his arms and they kept dropping and falling all over the place. I asked why he didn’t take small bottles on the way round or wear a belt but he said he didn’t trust those giving him water!!

ReeReeG wrote: »

5. Favourite podcast? 5a. any podcast recommendations?!

The West Cork podcast on Audible has been highly recommended a few times to me now. I must download it myself. It’s about the Sophie Tuscan De Plantier murder. Otherwise I just listen to the radio on long runs.

ReeReeG wrote: »

6. Best race in the Cork region? (my sis lives there so could focus a visit around one )

Haven’t been able to do it but Charleville Half in September is supposed to be a great one. The Cheetah race in Fota Wildlife Park in May is always a good one too. Nice spread after. Clonakilty is well worth a trip for the atmosphere alone. 10km, Half and full. The half and full are seriously hilly but very scenic and just enjoy it and don’t go for a PB. Great atmosphere before and after in The Quality Hotel. I’ve done it the last two years and will be doing some part of it again this year.

Lazare wrote: »

Hiya K, fair play for doing this.

Always find your passion and dedication for running inspiring, do you have any other past or present hobbies that you approach (ed) the same way?

I tend to be an all or nothing type of person so when I get engrossed in something I usually go at it hell for leather and buy all the gear or whatever I decide I need. Then it gathers dust or I sell it! Having said that I’m not sure I’ve ever stayed at anything as long as the running. Two years this time but was another couple of years before I had kids and used run in the gym etc years ago. I used horse ride throughout my teenage years and I lived and breathed it, volunteered at a riding school etc etc.

Lazare wrote: »

You had an excellent DCM last year, but is there anything you'd have done different?

I’m not sure the day could have been any more perfect for me so I don’t think so. I clearly had more in me at the end but if I’d started out faster it might have been a different story later on etc. One thing I can always do different is my nutrition. I think it’s my biggest downfall- I mean leading up to it as opposed to on the day.

Lazare wrote: »

What age do you think is right to introduce kids to running, and how would you go about it?

From a physical perspective I’m not sure what is correct for their bodies but I’d say introducing kids to any sports needs to be done in a fun way and when they show interest too. Loads can be done in primary school or at that age that is fun and gets kids running and doing sporty stuff without pressure. Time enough for pressure as they get into secondary school and older.

Lazare wrote: »

What would you rather fight, a horse sized duck or 100 duck sized horses?

Where do you come up with these questions??? I have a phobia of birds and ducks aren’t too different but I love horses so I think the 100 duck size horses! Maybe I could get a pogo stick and hop through them to get away from them.

Lazare wrote: »

Great answers, particularly about the kids, I'll take it slowly so.

You can't pogo your way out of it btw, you have to fight those little feckers.

Ha, I don’t do confrontation. Maybe I could kill them with some of my cooking!

RacoonQueen wrote: »

What's your favourite flavour of crisps?

Has to be Tayto Cheese and Onion. Add in a Cadbury’s Dairy Milk and a cup of tea and pure heaven!

Swashbuckler wrote: »

Can't beat taytos and cadburys . Has to be the giant bar though. Haha.

Definitely! Not between now and DCM though. Haha!

Swashbuckler wrote: »

1. What's the worst you've felt during a race and how did you get through it?

I suppose Limerick Half this year when I belted off acting like I was doing a 5km. I knew I was in trouble two miles in and just got worse and worse. Then my stomach started cramping too so as well as realizing 1:53 was gone, then 1:55, then sub 2 and dealing with that disappointment and the heat I was wondering would my stomach hold up too. The whole race was ran under pressure and disappointment. It was still a pb in the end but should have so much better. I considered a DNF more than once but realistically I think I will finish any race no matter what - unless I physically can’t. I try to think that it’s always only me I’m disappointing and my family etc just want me to cross the finish line fit and healthy.

Swashbuckler wrote: »

2. Have you found it difficult working your running around family or has it been pretty easy?

I’m extremely lucky with my very tolerant husband but I try to make sure I’m not impacting the family too much. I currently run 5 times a week, two nights after the kids are in bed, a Wednesday morning (which was my own as kids in childcare it Summer holidays have put paid to that), early Saturday mornings and Sunday mornings before work and my husband generally doesn’t know I run then as I leave for work before they all get up anyway. My biggest issue is my husband travels a lot but I have a school girl down the road that babysits. I’ll nearly always find a way

Swashbuckler wrote: »

3. Are you an adventure holiday type person or beach lounger?

Adventure holiday if I had a choice. I loved skiing holidays and lived in Poland for a couple of years so did loads of it. I’ve done a few sailing holidays and diving holidays. If I do a sun holiday I like to be diving. It’s all about the kids now though.

Swashbuckler wrote: »

4. What's your best dish to cook?

I love cooking and collect cookbooks but don’t get to do really nice dishes any more. My best day to day dish is prob a chilli con carne that my husband loves and I prob do once a week. If I was cooking a special meal for guests I have a fab recipe for monkfish in a Thai butter sauce that is incredible and dead simple too actually.

Swashbuckler wrote: »

5. Whos your best bud from last years novices?

Well she’s not on Boards anymore really but Leesider introduced me to the thread and we’ve been great friends for years in real life. In terms of the rest of the group there’s a few of us have stayed in touch since, Ariana, Baby75, Browneyes79, Quickbeam, SkyBlue, Lazare and it’s funny but I can’t remember the other lads Boards names!!

Swashbuckler wrote: »

6. Proudest moment?

My wedding day was amazing. Having both my kids and DCM!!

Swashbuckler wrote: »

7. Biggest regret?

I don’t have a lot of regrets really. I’ve done some mad stuff in my life and made some funny choices but all of them then resulted in something good or leading onto something better. I often wish I’d met my husband earlier and had our kids earlier but then I’d have missed years of travel and seeing different places and can’t have everything.

Swashbuckler wrote: »

8. Have you learned anything about yourself from running?

That if I put my mind to something I can achieve it. I would have considered myself as a not very sporty person and unfit and couldn’t imagine running a marathon. It wasn’t even a goal as I didn’t think it was something I could do. Then I randomly booked Cork 2017 and suddenly I’d 4 done in a year!

Swashbuckler wrote: »

9. Best thing about where you're from (Cork)?

It’s small and easy to get everywhere. I lived in Dublin for 7 years and spent a few years up there 3 days a week for work. Getting anywhere always took so long. Cork is just easy.

Swashbuckler wrote: »

10. Favourite pizza? Toppings and from where?

I love pizza with caramelized onion, goats cheese and pesto and the base has to be really thin and crispy. I’d say Milano really as don’t really do take away pizza. Usually not a thin enough base from take aways - I think!

Mellow Yellow 26.2 wrote: »

Do you do any supplementary training beside running?

Great questions here to make me think!! Currently no I don’t. I would like to do more S&C work and could probably do with some flexibility and mobility work but I’ve let it slide.

Mellow Yellow 26.2 wrote: »

A small local 10k is on a few miles away, organised by an athletic club. It's a fair course but absolutely no frills like no shinny medals or t shirts. But they have a big spread after, AAI permit . The same day there is another 10k on, this is a big race with loads of social media hype, lovey shinny medel and cool shirt this race ran by a private company with no AAI permit. The course is again one that would be described as fair. So none are particularly fast. Which race would you choose and why?

If I’ve heard of them both at the same time I’d prob just go local and enjoy the spread and meeting people after. I say that because if the social media is involved I may have signed up to the bigger one first. But the local one would be great as closer to home and less impact on my family etc.

Mellow Yellow 26.2 wrote: »

Opinions on Strava? Positives and negatives?

I’m wary of it. I do like it and I find it motivating. I love seeing the training other people are doing and looking at people’s data and pacing strategy’s. Having said that, watching people run fast all the time when I’m trying to behave and run slow can be a little disconcerting and make me doubt myself sometimes. I do wonder about security too sometimes.

Mellow Yellow 26.2 wrote: »

Do you take a look at other data and take it into account to improve your form? Like cadence, ground contact time, vertical oscillation etc

I don’t know enough to be honest to do that. I look at my heart rate but don’t train by it.

Mellow Yellow 26.2 wrote: »

What plan are you following for DCM 18?

Ha ha - the million dollar question!! I’ve started a modified version of the Boards Novices Plan where I am increasing the easy day’s mileage to what I did for Cork and plan to add in some MP blocks into the long runs. BUT, I am still not 100% and toying with the idea of going with a personalized plan.

Mellow Yellow 26.2 wrote: »

How often do you replace your running shoes? And how many different pairs do you currently have?

Garmin Connect tells me every 400 miles so I have been replacing them at that stage or a bit earlier and wearing the older ones for shorter runs. I now have 7 pairs of ‘running’ runners and thinking I need to order another pair. The two pairs I rotate are both getting close enough to 400 miles. But I might just see how they are going as I honestly don’t know if they actually do need to be replaced!

Mellow Yellow 26.2 wrote: »

Seems that you're not involved in a club would you consider going to someone like Emmett Dunleavy to build you a custom plan based on your current fitness levels and goals? Just a thought.

Yes I would. Actually just waiting for a call back from Gary O’Hanlon to talk about exactly that. I’ll be honest I hadn’t heard of Emmett Dunleavy. I feel I need a little bit of help as I don’t have the time to follow standard plans exactly to the letter. I’ll get the runs in but maybe not on the right days or the right order and I’m not totally confident that I’m getting enough out of the plan.

Mellow Yellow 26.2 wrote: »

perfectpacing.com is Emmett Dunleavy. He trains athletes using their heart rate so it's more tailored than going off paces. He lso does a lactate test on you. I'm not sure how Gary coaches athletes I'm sure it's similar, I know some runners who made massive improvements using him too.

Thanks a million. I’ll look into it more and see what the options are.

Damo 2k9 wrote: »

1. Favourite post LSR/race meal?

Hmmm post LSR, if I’m organized I’ll have a homemade protein bar in the car waiting for me to get me home and assuming it’s lunch time I’m eating it’s usually left overs forom the night before that I’ve deliberately prepared so often spag bol. Last week I ran so early I had baked oats prepared and a banana for when I’d finished. I’m not sure they are my favorite meals as such but more handy!

Damo 2k9 wrote: »

2. Favourite piece of running apparel??

HelenAnne wrote: »

3. What's your favourite running outfit?

I’ll answer you both together. I never go for even a 5km run without my flipbelt. Best belt ever and I could probably sell belts I have so many - none as good as that.

My latest favorite item to wear is a running skirt that I just love. Most comfortable thing I have and I feel good it in it too. The one I have is by WAA Ultra and developed for the Marathon de Sable and is incredibly light. It was soaked by the end of Cork from all the water I poured over myself but you wouldn’t have known and doesn’t chafe. I’m waiting impatiently for them to come back into stock to order a second.

Damo 2k9 wrote: »

3. Would you do anything differently from when you started running?

I just wish I started younger really and I wish I’d known about Boards a bit earlier.

Damo 2k9 wrote: »

4. What are some long term goals you have set out for yourself?

Sub 2 and sub 4 in the HM and Marathon. Mainly to stay running and fit though.

Damo 2k9 wrote: »

5. Most memorable moment in running? (Apart from meeting the novice group last year, of course :pac:)

Definitely Dublin but another great memory is finishing Cork half marathon in 2012. It was my first half and I did it on a Monday and was getting married on the Friday. The whole run up to the wedding and the half were kind of linked together and it was fantastic crossing that finish line and a great start to our wedding week.

Thanks for the questions everybody. This is fun actually! Keep them coming!

Swashbuckler wrote: »

Do you watch Love Island? Haha

Watching it right now for the first time purely because there’s nothing on and the soaps weren’t on tonight. Never seen it before but wanted to see what it’s all about. Husband has just arrived home from his travels so he’ll switch it off I’d say

Swashbuckler wrote: »

Tea or coffee?

. Both. Tea in the morning and evening. Coffee before a run or during the day. Love my nespresso.

Swashbuckler wrote: »

Why the fear of the speed stuff in training?

Afraid of blowing up really or that I won’t be able to finish what I set out to do. More training required obviously!!!

Swashbuckler wrote: »

Who do you look up to?

Going to have to think about that one a bit more - my younger sister funnily enough for a start.

When you log onto Boards - whats the 1st 3 threads/logs that you go to?

What Boardsie inspires you & why?