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The (Not So) Flying Scotsman

scotindublin

A little bit about me

I have just come through the DCM 2016 Mentored Novices Thread; kudos to nop98 and all his back room team on there for getting us over the line,and thought this would be a good time to start a log on here.

Really only been running since 2014 (fairly sporadic training with plenty of breaks), much the same in 2015 with two good chunks of training for the Wicklow Gaol 1/2 marathon in March and Clontarf 1/2 Marathon in November looking back now I made some real rookie errors with the training hopefully a little wiser now!

Early this year I decided that I would tackle the marathon, this has always been on my bucket list and thought I would get it done before the big 40! Really enjoyed the structure of the boards plan and the advice and encouragement received on there.

Current PBS

5k: 20:57 MSB St Patricks Run (2016)
10k: 47:xx Aware Christmas Run (Dec 2014.....no official 10k times since then!)
5 mile 35:53 Irish Runner 5 mile (2016)
10 mile 1:16:13 FD 10 mile
1/2 Marathon 1:40:09 Race Series 1/2 Marathon (2016)
Marathon 3:46:44 DCM 2016

Future Plans

Really enjoyed the structure of the running this year and want to continue this in 2017, considering joining a club.....Donore, Lucan and Liffey Valley are all close to me so would most likely be one of these, any advice greatly appreciated.

Short term Jingle Bells 5k, Tom Brennan in Jan and the Raheny 5 mile are on the agenda. Would like to get my 5k time under 20 minutes and get a proper timed 10k in.

Longer term plans will be worked out at the start of 2017. Apologies for the long ramble!

Thanks

Craig

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scotindublin

Thanks J; hopefully the body is ok after the BHAA yesterday. You have to be happy with that effort.

Wubble Wubble wrote: »

Nice to see you this morning. Sorry about the dog.

Unthought Known

Sorry about the dog C.
Good to see you "commit" to DCM.

scotindublin

Cheers A....I will be on the start line barring injury.

Unthought Known wrote: »

Sorry about the dog C.
Good to see you "commit" to DCM.

scotindublin

That was the week that was.
42 Miles over 5 days.

Monday: 6 miles @ 8.41 nice easy 3 miles out and back from the house down into Chapelizod and hit the 3 mile mark and turned for home.

Tuesday: Session; first time in a while that I haven't run down to the Tuesday session it was just too miserable. Totally drenched after a couple of mile warm-up.

Session was on the road 8 x 800m with 200m recoveries. Splits.

3.04;3.04;3.00;3.08;3.03;3.06;3.00;2.56

A good solid session in the circumstances. Glad to get the cool down done and hit the shower though.

Wednesday: Just under 7 miles same as Monday but extended it a bit; 8.09 per mile. Missing the park a little mid week to be honest.

Thursday: Pilates after work and a few bits to get done ìn the evening so no run.

Saturday: Club race on the Dublin Novice route 5.5k time 22.31 decent clip and a nice morning followed by coffee and cakes in the Club House. The big club race is coming up on December 26th 10 mile XC that will be interesting.

Sunday a touch over 14 miles @ 7.47 per mile. Good clip on the miles in the Phoenix Park and an enjoyable run.

A good solid week.

C

scotindublin

A touch under 42 Miles over 4 days and a stint of Jingle Bells Stewarding.

Monday: 6 Miles @ 08.30 per mile. Three miles out and back down past Donore and turning for home. Might need to bite the bullet and get into the Park for a couple of miles. Getting sick of the site of the Conyngham Road!

Tuesday Session day: Ran down from the club and got the warm up done with the group. 4.2 miles at 0840 done before the session.

Actual session was 8 x 600 with 300 recoveries on the track (snuck in 9 for good measure)

Splits: 2.14; 2.17; 2.17; 2.16; 2.15; 2.13; 2.12; 2.11 and 2.06 for the last one. Good solid reps and was able to push the last one.

Slow wander home after the session.

Thursday: was off so met one of the lads at the club 9.6 miles @ 8.13. Ran from the house to the Club then we done a recce of the Jingle Bells Course to see if there was any damage/debris after the storm. Nothing to be concerned of and the OPW had done a great job at the finish area.

Saturday: Up early and down to the club for some Jingle Bells prep and organising the stewards. Nice chat with Skyblue (pacer extraordinaire for the day);Lazare and Sheep before hand. Nice to put faces to names and quality runs from the 2 lads and good to see S keeping up his mentor qualities to push Lazare to a PB!

Busy morning but all in all a huge success baring a few minor issues.

Sunday: Long run 14.2 miles @ 7.59 per mile. Normal loop but a smaller crew this morning with a few of the lads racing the Intermediate today.

A decent week considering I only got 4 days in. Struggling a bit just now and feeling pretty low on the energy front; definitely looking forward to a break from work over Christmas.

C

scotindublin

Been a couple of weeks since the last update.

Week Starting 3rd Dec
Poor enough week mileage wise with just over 30 miles. A very busy week in work including having visitors over from the US didn't help. Made both sessions which was a bonus but missed the Sunday run as was walking 500 Miles with The Proclaimers last Saturday at Vicar Street.

Somewhat back on track this week with just under 45 miles. Another extremely busy work week meant not running Wednesday and Thursday and also meant neglecting the gym/stretching.

Monday: 6 miles @ 8.25 per mile straight 3 miles out and back from the house.

Tuesday: Session day ran down to the club so had a shade over 4 miles in the bag before we got going. Session was 16 x 400m with 200m recoveries. A session I find that you can't go gung ho at the start. Splits for the first 15 were 86-88 seconds then pushed the last one for an 82 a good honest session and one that I was glad to get done.

Friday: Every year is work we have a Santa Walk/Run/Jog where we raise a bit of cash for charity. It is not too serious so a few of us ran it together. 4 miles @ 7.15 so a decent clip and fairly warm in the Santa Hat plenty of coffee and mince pies afterwards!

Saturday. Session on the Magazine Loop in the Phoenix Park. Session was 6 x 1km with approx 400 m recoveries. Pretty much on the Dublin Novice Course. Serious head wind for the first 400-500m before turning at the Magazine Fort and through the dips. Splits
3.58;4.00;4.02;4.00;4.01 and 3.49 another good solid session with a decent clip on the last km.....am I not pushing hard enough on the other reps?? Always like to try and keep consistent and push the last one though.

Saturday evening was spent at the Aviva followed by a big feed of pizza!

Sunday 14.2 miles @ 8.09 normal route from the house down to DH and into the Phoenix Park.

Plan for this week is to get back to the gym/stretching and get the session on Tuesday done. On Saturday we have the Captains 5 k followed by goodies in the club. Wont be going to hard at this as we have the club 10m XC handicap race on Stephens Day; first time doing this so hopefully the handicap committee will look kindly on me!

C

scotindublin

33 Miles over 4 Days: Not a great effort for the week in terms of mileage but just too much stuff going on.

Monday: 6 miles @ 8.37 easy enough 3 miles out and back from the house.

Tuesday session late enough leaving work so ended up driving to the session. On the road this week with 8 x 800m off 400m recoveries.
Splits:2.58;3.04;3;01;3.07;2.59;3.00;2.56 and 2.57

A good solid session under the belt.

Saturday: Club Captains race in place of the usual Saturday session. Circa 5.4km around the Garda Loop in the Phoenix Park. Decent crew out. A touch under 21 minutes a distant 7th to the leading Juveniles/Lads. Back to the club for tea and cake a very enjoyable morning.

Sunday a speedy 10 mile loop in the Phoenix Park @ 7.21 per mile. Decent clip but was feeling decent at the end of it.

This week coming will mark my debut in the Club Handicap XC on St Stephens Day.....10 miles of potential torture in the 122nd running of the Waterhouse Byrne Baird Shield. Will be a good one to be involved in and I am sure a few battles will be fought. It will be interesting to see how the legs handle 10 miles in XC in Spikes!

Hopefully hit the 1800 miles for the year mark at some point next week aswell.

Merry Christmas when it comes.

C

scotindublin

Weekly Update 44 miles over 5 days.

Monday: 7 miles at 8.28 per mile. A nice leisurely run from the house down to the Phoenix Park around pitches and home. My normal go to run during the summer months but one that I have not been doing on the dark evenings.

Tuesday: like the rest of the country stuffed my face full of Christmas dinner and the assorted niceties that go with it! Great day had by all.

Wednesday: The big club race for the year in Donore Harriers with the 122nd running of the Waterhouse Byrne Baird shield; a 10 mile handicapped XC race which has been run every year since 1896 with the exception of 1916. First time doing this as wasn't fit enough for the 2017 edition.

This is ran over a 2 mile loop starting beside the dog pond near the cricket pitches across from the zoo; taking in the horse gallops down through the trees beside the Kyber and around the back of the cricket pitches. Was slightly worried about running 10 miles in XC Spikes (happy to say there were no huge affects from this; maybe I can ditch my clunky Brooks support trainers for the longer stuff). Lovely morning for it and underfoot conditions were sticky in places but not too bad.

A very different feeling starting out on your own with the aim of chasing folks down. Without threatening the business end of the race I was happy to get round in just over 69 minutes. Had been passed by 3 who started after me by the half way mark but kept the pace up for the second half. Claiming this as my 10 mile PB as it is not a distance I had raced since 2016. Be interesting to give this a go in 2019 and See how that transfers to the road. Back to the club for more good stuff afterwards. A really enjoyable morning.

Thursday: 6 miles at 8.36 per mile. A fairly mundane 3 out and 3 back run. Legs a bit like blocks of lead after the 10 miles Wednesday.

Saturday: With no official session planned a few of us met up and ran 1kms on the Magazine Loop 6 reps between 4.15 and 4.00 for the reps. Not busting a gut but more than enough.

Sunday: 10 mile loop from the club through the Phoenix Park. 8.04 per mile so steady enough. Passed through the 1800 mile mark for the year.

That will probably be it for 2018 unless I sneak out for a few easy miles tomorrow before brining in the New Year. Not making plans for Tuesday as we are out tomorrow night.

The big one for this week will be the Dublin Masters XC in Raheny on Sunday which is a race that I really enjoy.

Will do a bit of a look back at 2018 at some point but all in all a good year with an increase in mileage and PBS at 3/5/10k still loads of room for improvement but I think the gains may be harder to come by in 2019.....2019 also brings the small matter of DCM but I don't plan on thinking of that until aroubd August time.

Cheers and all the Best for 2019 may it be injury free and PB filled for all of us.

As we say in Scotland Lang may yer lum reek.

C

skyblue46

That's been a cracking last 6 months. A 10 mile PB in XC!! That's brilliant. Really looking forward to some great stuff from you in the new year.

scotindublin

Cheers S......been a very consistent end to 2018; bit of a cheat PB over the 10 mile XC as I hadn't run one since the Race Series in 2016.

Planning on getting a bit more racing done in 2019; will work on a bit of a tentative plan for the first few months of the year.

C

scotindublin

Time to get the log kicked off for 2019

YTD 68 miles.

Jan 2nd 7 miles @ 8.22 per mile. Down from the house and into the Phoenix Park for a lap of the Acres then home. A nice gentle start to the year.....after being somewhat under the weather Jan 1st (self inflicted) that was enough.

Jan 3rd SFA got home from work and was absolutely wiped.....head cold and a bit of a sore throat. Blaming the real boss here as she had something similar over Christmas. Lashed the vitamins and medicine in and an early night.

Jan 5th First session day of the year but with the Masters XC the following day this was an easy run of 7 miles at 8.17 per mile. Down from the house to the Magazine Loop for a couple of easy laps then home.

Jan 6th Dublin Masters XC and the marking of my 2 year anniversary of my Donore debut because of this I think this one will always have a special significance to me.

This really is one of the best and well supported Masters events on the Dublin calendar. The normal chaotic start the things settle. Worked my way through the filed after being 122 after lap 1 to finish a touch under 25 minutes in 89 spot. Happy to make the top 100 and a significant improvement on 2018 (170). A great win from our Mens Captain to take the gold.

Week Starting Jan 7th

Monday A very boring 3 miles out and back from the house @ 8.27 per mile......legs were tired enough after the Masters.

Tuesday: First session of the year and the coach took pity on those of us who raced Sunday and gave us 8 x 300m off 300 recovery so as to not damage our recovery from the weekend.

Splits 67;68;66;70;65;65;67 and 64 have to say I could not have done a full session that was more than enough.

Wendesay: 6.4 @ 8.21 Palmerstown/Lucan loop. Tired.

Thursday: 6.4 @ 7.54 met one of the lads at DH and we ran a loop of the park.

Saturday: First real session of the year. 7 x 1km around the Magazine Loop (Pretty much the Dublin Novice loop) tough going through the dips into the wind but a good honest session.

Splits 3.54;3.54;3.45;3.45;3.50;3.51 and 3.46. Good going in the conditions but probably lost some discipline on reps 3 and 4.

Sunday : 13 miles @ 7.48 met some of the lads in the club and headed out on our Park Loop. Pace was tasty enough in the middle section a few sub 7.20 miles so left the lads before the Kyber and had the enjoyable 3 miles home uphill into the wind.

A solid start to the year with one race and a couple of good sessions. Legs tired and calfs a bit tight.....think it may be time for new runners! Any good alternatives to the Brooks GTS?

This week looks pretty sporadic with a flying visit to the US mid week.

Still in 2 minds about Raheny but it looks like the Duleek 5k is on the cards for the end of Feb; maybe a sub 18.20 attempt.

Cheers and Happy Running in 2019.

C

skyblue46

Great training C. What are the main target races for 2019?

scotindublin

Thanks S.

The focus for the first part of the year is going to be Bohermeen in March I have a very soft 1/2 marathon PB from DCM 16. Plan is to set a mark here then target another in the summer most likely at the Tullamore 1/2 to have a tilt at bettering it. On the back of that I hope to give the K Club 10k a bit of a rattle at the end of March.

From March to July I would like to have a good go at breaking 18 minutes for 5k and there are some good 5ks then Bob Heffernan and St Cocas are 2 that spring to mind. We both also on the Dunshaughlin 10k one!

From August I will need to step up the mileage for DCM 19 but to be honest I think I am going to be a bit like you on this last year and not have it as a goal for Autumn and might keep racing through it.

So as you can see I have some rough plans in my head but I should really get these set out for at least the first part of the year.

You seem to be back at it aswell which is good to see. What's your plans for the first couple of months on 2019?

skyblue46 wrote: »

Great training C. What are the main target races for 2019?

skyblue46

Bohermeen will be the first race. No idea what I'll be aiming for but Charleville half will be my goal race for the year. Other than that it'll be BHAA races and the usual suspects during the summer. I'll be a lot less times focussed this year. I just want to participate. That being said I want to PB every distance ðŸ˜‚

scotindublin

Don't forget the good sandwiches and cakes aswell! You have a solid 2 years behind you plenty of PBs to be got over the summer.

skyblue46 wrote: »

Bohermeen will be the first race. No idea what I'll be aiming for but Charleville half will be my goal race for the year. Other than that it'll be BHAA races and the usual suspects during the summer. I'll be a lot less times focussed this year. I just want to participate. That being said I want to PB every distance ðŸ˜‚

Wubble Wubble

scotindublin wrote: »

Time to get the log kicked off for 2019

Jan 6th Dublin Masters XC and the marking of my 2 year anniversary of my Donore debut because of this I think this one will always have a special significance to me.

This really is one of the best and well supported Masters events on the Dublin calendar. The normal chaotic start the things settle. Worked my way through the filed after being 122 after lap 1 to finish a touch under 25 minutes in 89 spot. Happy to make the top 100 and a significant improvement on 2018 (170). A great win from our Mens Captain to take the gold.

C

Not far outside the top 30% actually (89/280), which is a huge improvement on last year, let alone the year before. Brilliant progression in two years, and lots more to follow I'm sure.

scotindublin

Thanks J; have had a good solid block of training over the last while so hopefully see the benefits of a good winter.

Wubble Wubble wrote: »

Not far outside the top 30% actually (89/280), which is a huge improvement on last year, let alone the year before. Brilliant progression in two years, and lots more to follow I'm sure.

scotindublin

Weekly Update.

A poor enough return of 29 miles this week over 3 days a good session and a long run thrown in though.

Monday: A nice easy 7.2 miles at 8.38 per mile. Ran a loop from house taking in Chapelizod//Ballyfermot/Islandbridge and home.

Tuesday-Friday a very quick couple of days in the US with work scuppered any plans for running.

Saturday; Session day. Had to drag myself out to the session owing to little sleep on the way back Thursday night. Tough session of 10 x 400m on the Kyber with 400m jog recoveries. All reps between 96/98 seconds. Probably should be doing more of these as they are a great session; a good one to get done.

Sunday 14 miles at 8.12 normal Sunday route from home picking up a few at the club for a loop of the park and back home.

Back to full training this week.

C

scotindublin

Weekly Update
Jan 21st to 27th
46 Miles for the week 2 sessions and a long run.

Monday 7 miles @ 8.16 per mile.....to usual a football saying this was definitely a run of 2 halfs. Fairly miserable heading out so got well wrapped up. 3.5 miles from house down into Chapelizod and out past the club. Got about 2.5 miles in thinking this is not too bad then turned at the 3.5 mile point into the wind and rain fairly bleak return to the house. Funny how the wind at your back never seems as strong as going into it.

Tuesday: Session on the track 10 x 600m off 300m recoveries.....this was a bit like dancing on ice without Holly W being in attendance. Splits were

2.18;2.18;2.16;2.20;2.20;2.21;2.23;2.21;2.23 and 2.23

Was hard to get any traction on the bends of the track so there was a bit of jumping on the grass going on. A couple of miles to warm up and cool down braught it to 10 miles for the evening.

Wednesay 6.5 miles at 8.35 per mile nice and easy after the session. Tough to get the legs going at the start. Feeling better by the end.

Was wrecked on Thursday so took 2 days off the feet.

Saturday. Session on the Magazine Loop. 1.85k loop set out for a Fartlek session of 400 on 400 off 200 on 200 off 300 on 350 off; 5 laps great session.

Sunday 14.5 miles at 7.58 normal Sunday loop from the house picking up a couple of bodies at the club and a lap of the park.

Finally a paid up member of the BHAA so thinking of subbing out the Saturday session this week for the Garda XC; need to suss out how the grading and everything works! Planning on running a few events over the Spring and Summer as well so made sense to join up.

C

skyblue46

Another great week C. You'll be smashing a few PBs out of the park this year.

scotindublin

Cheers S hopefully keep a solid block of training up until Bohermeen in March and see what happens then. Will be giving the Duleek 5k a go in Feb aswell so hopefully shave a few seconds of the PB there.

Good to see you back at it aswell......injury seems to be on the mend!

skyblue46 wrote: »

Another great week C. You'll be smashing a few PBs out of the park this year.

skyblue46

scotindublin wrote: »

Cheers S hopefully keep a solid block of training up until Bohermeen in March and see what happens then. Will be giving the Duleek 5k a go in Feb aswell so hopefully shave a few seconds of the PB there.

Good to see you back at it aswell......injury seems to be on the mend!

The injury seems to be gone....along with fitness and a flattish tummy.

Hopefully I can get those two back!

scotindublin

Weekly Update
40 Miles for the week one session plenty of easy runs and an annoying head cold.

Monday: 7 miles at 8.37 per mile fairly routine 3.5 out and back from the house. Nothing much to report.

Tuesday: A fairly Baltic session of 8 x 800m on the Connygham Road outside the club. Couple of mile warm-up and cool down thrown in. Messed up the first rep as we missed our mark so it turned into 900; recoveries were short enough at 200m

Splits 3.38 (900m); 3.11; 3.02;3.14;3.00;3.09;3.01 and 3.07. There is only a slight drag on the Connygham Road back to the club but it does make a bit of a difference and it always into wind. A good session.

Wednesday and Thursday a couple of long days in work and an annoying head cold to deal with; which still hasn't fully cleared.

Friday/Saturday: Easy 7 miles on both days.

Sunday: 10 mile loop from the club in the Phoenix Park @ 7.50.

Not the week I had planned but at least kept up decent mileage. Shake off this cold and back to normal next week hopefully.

scotindublin

Thankfully the sensible approach of the previous week paid off and the annoying head cold didn't materialise into anything else.

Weekly Update
51 miles over 6 days with 2 quality sessions and a couple of pre work runs thrown in.

Monday: Last year I got into the nice habit of getting out for a run or two a week before work. Couple of benefits to this. Get the run done nice and early and not so much disruption to family time in the evening.

6.3 miles @ 8.05 per mile. Headed from Swords into Malahide and back along the Estuary to work done and dusted and at the desk by 0820. Dark at the start but a nice morning for a run. Will be giving this approach a go from now on.

Tuesday: Track session 16 x 400m off a 200m recovery ( short enough recoveries but nothing compared to this week coming.....more on that later.) Nice group of us at almost the same pace to keep this one honest. Splits first 12 were 89-91 last 4 were 88;87;86 and 83. A top session and good to push the last rep a little; says a lot when you run your second fastest 10k on the watch during a session. A couple of mile warm up and cool down thrown in.

Wednesday: Legs surprisingly ok after the session. 7 miles @ 8.22 from the house into the Phoenix Park for a lap of the football pitches at the 40 acres; nice to get some time off the tarmac.

Thursday: 6.3 miles before work @ 8.02 probably a bit quicker than it should be but just ran by feel. Legs were tired at the end as this was 7 days on the spin.....something I don't offer do.

Saturday: Hill session on the Kyber 400m with a 400m jog. Starting from the bollards at the carpark and hitting the 400m at a good effort.

Splits: 90;91;92;92;91;91;92;92;91 and 89. A bloody tough session and was really gasping for air for the last couple of reps.

Have to say in my time with Donore it is probably the worst I have felt right after a session. A good sign?? Ok once I got the cool down done anyway.

Sunday: 13.4 @ 7.51 pretty standard Sunday morning run; this is pretty much turning into a steady but not slow run. Always a few faster miles particularly on the North Road section that makes a difference. Hill waking up Maulin afterwards as well for double punishment.

First 50 mile + week for 2019.

This week it sounds like our long threatened Tuesday session of 20 x 400s off 100m recoveries is going ahead......these will need to be controlled. Solo session on Saturday as have stuff on in the morning so will miss training.

Cheers C

scotindublin

Weekly Update.

A touch over 50 miles for the week.

Monday: 7 miles @ 8.26 per mile. Out nice and early before work. A straight 3.5 miles out and back from Swords out along the Malahide Coast.

Tuesday: Session day and one that had been threatened since before Christmas. Out on the Connygham Road outside the club. 20 x 400m off a 100m recovery. This was one that was going to call for a sensible approach; thankfully conditions were ideal as there was no wind. Two sets if 400s then back to the start so broke this down as 5 Reps to try and trick the brain.

Steady out in 96 for the first 400 then all the rest between 92 and 88 so a good solid session and the pace wasn't dropping towards the end. Not as bad as I thought it was going to me. Warm Up and cool down got the mileage up to 10 miles.

Wednesay: 6.6 miles at 8.23 legs were surprisingly ok. Straight out and back from the house nothing too much to report.

Thursday: Just under 6.5 before work @ 8.23 (scarily the same pace as Wednesday). Legs fairly shot by the end. Got out before work.

Friday: Football with a few of the lads from the club to see the Super Saints beat Cork in their League of Ireland opener.

Saturday. Missed the session in the morning as there was stuff on. Out on my own in the afternoon for a Fartlek session on the Magazine Hills in the Phoenix Park. Reps were 400m on 400m off;200m on 200m;300m on and 350m back to the start. Loop started at the top end of the pitches......400m down to just before the Magazine and then left through the dips/ finger break hill taking a sharp right towards the Kyber and though the trees. Working the hills on the faster sections.....a tough solo one and windy for the 400s.

Sunday: Was at a 21st Saturday night and home and 0200 so took the lazy option of driving down to the club. Just under 11.5 at @ 7.38 so a few snappy enough miles for a Sunday run.

C

Sheep1978

Couple of 50+ weeks on the spin C. Good stuff

scotindublin

Thanks Daz bit of a fall off this week with Duleek on Sunday......will be trying to hang onto Ken for that.

Sheep1978 wrote: »

Couple of 50+ weeks on the spin C. Good stuff

overpronator

Great training going on here, Duleek will be a good day for you I'd wager.

scotindublin

Hopefully for us both!

overpronator wrote: »

Great training going on here, Duleek will be a good day for you I'd wager.

skyblue46

Best of luck in Duleek C. I hope you bring home a shiny new PB. Run well.