Chronicle of a race foretold

Jingle Bells 5K - Week 7/8 continued

Thu 22/11 -- 5 miles easy @ 10:00/mi (Avg HR: 135 bpm)

Still not completely recovered from the travel but went out at lunch time to try and get back into the swing of things. Long zig-zags to make my way up to the top of Cabinteely Park as gently as possible but felt heavy-legged throughout and it was a harder effort than the average pace would suggest. Still, another few miles in the bank.

Fri 23/11 -- 30' very easy - 2.9 miles @ 11:17/mi (Avg HR: 133 bpm)

Cycle commute today (14 miles). Then a few easy clicks with D after dark. Sluggish to start with, then had to watch our step during a very dark wooded section in Cabinteely park but the pace picked up in the latter part of the run.

Sat 24/11 -- Workout: w/u + 10/7/4 minutes @ 10k pace with 2' jog + c/d (inc. Shanganagh parkrun)

Despite not feeling great after a poor night's sleep, headed down to Shanganagh Park with the aim of turning the parkrun into a bit of a session. Felt better during the warm up so decided to press on with it. The initial plan was 2-3 minutes easy at the start to let congestion ease off, then 10 and 8 minute intervals at 10k pace (7:00-7:15 per mile) with a 2 minute jog recovery in between, which should hopefully take me to the end of the parkrun. Managed to hit the sharper end of the target pace range without having to force things and tried to keep it nice and controlled throughout. Coming towards the end of the parkrun I could see the timing wasn't going to work out and the second interval would come up a bit short, so decided to collect my token and immediately carry on with another 2' recovery and a shorter 4' interval at pace. This one felt a little harder but still reasonably comfortable. Total of 6 miles for the session (Avg HR: 150 bpm).

Splits: 9:46 6:59 8:48 6:57 9:49 7:01 9:42

Sun 25/11 -- 1h easy - 6 miles @ 10:07/mi (Avg HR: 135 bpm)

Easy trot around the Lower Vartry reservoir with D. Always a lovely place to run but today it felt particularly splendid and colourful despite it being deep November already. Fairly nippy to start with but once warmed up it turned into one of those runs where everything seems to just fall into place and you feel at one with nature. Nipped into Amphibian King on the way back to pick up a new pair of XC spikes - can't wait to give them a lash.

Weekly total: 28.6 miles

Sat 1/12 - Jingle Bells 5k (Phoenix Park)

With another few weeks of solid running under my belt (peaking at close to 30 miles/week) and with the prospect of a competitive field on a fast course, the expectation was to improve on the baseline time of 20:38 set in Shanganagh seven weeks prior and, let's be honest, attempt to break the 20' barrier. Tall order but determined to give it a go.

Feeling better than the previous day, but still slightly out of sorts, made my way to the Phoenix Park in time to park by the Papal Cross and warm up with a jog down to the starting area, where I noticed the front pen for sub-16 runners, which just shows the expected standard at the sharp end of this race. Very good conditions for racing: the earlier rain had stopped, temperature was fairly mild and there was only a light breeze to worry about.

Lined up initially in the sub-20 pen but it was clear people were pushing up towards the front so moved forward a few rows. After a few moments, and without much fanfare, we were off. A tiny bit of congestion but soon settled into a good rythm, trying not to get too carried away. The fist km felt reasonably comfortable and went past the marker just about on target pace as we turned onto Chesterfield Avenue. Here latched onto another runner in a dark top that seemed to be on a similar mission and we started passing a few other runners as we made our way up the long drag. Still on track at the 2 km marker, then the turn onto Ordnance Survey Road still holding onto my running buddy.

The next couple of kms are a bit of a blur. I remember things getting tough and my breathing becoming more laboured but the legs were responding and somehow I managed to sustain the effort and stay on target, growing more and more confident that sub-20 was on, although at this stage still felt touch and go. At some point a strong runner in a St Cocas singlet sailed past and commented on my 50 parkrun milestone top but I was too goosed to even mutter a 'thank you' and he was quickly gone, taking with him my running pal. Past the start of the flying mile (such a great idea but sadly I didn't get a time ) and onto the twisty part of the course trying to find the best racing line.

Once inside the last km I thought back to the 800m reps I did in training on the track in Brookline: just one last rep to get through. A few stronger finishers going past in this last stretch but tried to keep pushing, past the tight left turn and onto the last 100m with the finish line in sight. Not sure I managed to lift the pace at all and crossed the line completely knackered but knowing the sub-20 was in the bag, confirmed later as 19:31. A big PB.

So Jingle Bells definitely lived up to the expectation of a very fast course and a competitive field to pull you along to a fast time. Sub-20 achieved and PB smashed by over a minute but the whole thing felt oddly anticlimatic. Maybe it was the exhaustion after a hard race or the fact I was feeling a bit out of sorts and not really in the mood but there was none of the buzz I was expecting at breaking 20'. Rationally I know it was a well-executed race, finely paced according to the splits, and evidence that the training has delivered a great result but the immediate emotional reaction was surprisingly subdued in comparison. I actually felt a bigger high after failing to break 45' at the Lakes 10k. It was an odd sensation - maybe I just need to give it a bit of time to sink in.

Chip time: 19:31 (PB)
Position: 232/1192 (18th M45)
Splits (km): 4:05 4:01 3:59 3:55 3:34
Avg pace: 3:54/km (6:22/mi)
Avg HR: 169 bpm

What next? A slight step back for the next fortnight to aid recovery then I plan to take the rest of December and January as base-building months, trying to cement a five-a-week routine with mostly easy runs and a smattering of 'sessions' in the form of the BHAA XC events and a crack at a Cabinteely parkrun PB at some point. I have entered the Raheny 5 mile with a crew from work. It'll be my first time taking part and I'm really looking forward to it. Not planning any specific training for it but will be racing it to baseline my form ahead of getting into an eight-week distance-specific plan aimed at the K Club 10k on 23 March. Best laid plans and all that.

Weekly total: 17.3 miles

The mileage build-up post Jingle Bells continues (slowly) but hoping to get things back on track during January.

Wed 19/12 -- 45' easy - 4.7 miles @ 9:39/mi (Avg HR: 137 bpm)

Really tired after not getting much sleep the night before but didn't want to skip another day so headed out late in the evening for a few easy miles around Kilbogget Park.

Fri 21/12 -- 3 easy miles @ 10:27/mi (Avg HR: 138 bpm)

Glad to finally wrap up a very busy week at work and looking forward to a few days off to restore healthy sleep and running routines. Late run with D in darkness just to stretch the legs. Managed to get locked in the park and had to scramble over the fence trying not to get impaled!

Sat 22/12 -- 5 miles easy @ 9:08/mi inc. Cabinteely parkrun (Avg HR: 158 bpm)

Took the parkrun nice and handy before adding a couple of cooldown miles to round things up. Felt like hard work in spite of the relatively easy pace, probably a sign of lingering tiredness and lack of sleep. Stupid freak accident later in the day when I banged my left knee really hard on a tow bar when walking between two parked cars - it didn't seem too bad initially but after a couple of hours I could hardly walk. Had planned a long run on Sunday to take the weekly mileage up to the 20 mile mark but after traipsing around IKEA for most of the afternoon, and with the knee still a bit sore, it didn't happen in the end.

Weekly total: 12.7 miles

Mon 24/12 -- 1h easy - 6 miles @ 10:18/mi (Avg HR: 143 bpm)

Nice afternoon to be out and about. Did the first half hour on my own before picking up D for a slightly easier pace.

Tue 25/12 -- No running

Didn't get to Waterstown in the end so the plan to reach 100 parkruns on New Year's day is scuppered and will likely have to wait until February!

Wed 26/12 -- Very easy 5k - 3.1 miles @ 12:09/mi (Avg HR ~ 120 bpm)

Out for a leg-stretch with D, who was having a bit of a difficult time, so the outing turned into a slow trot.

Thu 27/12 -- 5 miles easy @ 9:46/mi (Avg HR: 139 bpm)

A few easy miles getting mucky on the grass and trails in Cabinteely park. Started with a couple of flattish miles along the bottom of the park before venturing up the hill, which really took it out of me today, so had to back off the pace to keep to the easy effort. The last couple of miles were a lot more enjoyable.

Sat 29/12 -- 1h easy-ish - 6.5 miles @ 9:28/mi inc. Cabinteely parkrun (Avg HR: 141 bpm)

Had toyed with the idea of having a parkrun PB attempt but left the house way too late for a decent warmup and, with a moderate breeze blowing, decided to wait for a better day and take things steady instead. On close-down duty today so got to enjoy another lap of the park (and the hill) before stretching the run out to the 1h mark.

Sun 30/12 -- No running

A 3h hike in the Dublin mountains on a mild afternoon to close the year out. Realised I hadn't been out hiking in some time and really felt the uphill bits.

Weekly total: 20.6 miles

Start the year as you mean to go on ...

Tue 1/1 -- 5.3 miles @ 8:31/mi inc. Cabinteely parkrun (PB)

I like doing a bit of racing around the turn of the year. Two years ago it was a parkrun double on New Year's day (including a shiny new 5k PB in Father Collins), last year it was the Bossost Sant Silvestre race in a small corner of the Pyrenees on New Year's Eve and this year it was back to NYD parkruns, or parkrun to be more precise as in the end I decided to forego the option of the double and focus on having a crack at my Cabinteely PB of 21:54, which I knew was getting on a bit but did only realise afterwards it was over a year old at this stage. After the good progress over the last few months I felt a PB was realistic and I set myself a loose target of trying to get close to 21', but a good time in Cabinteely is never easy so I was a bit apprehensive about the pain that would be involved.

Normally you can roughly target a given pace by choosing which regulars to run alongside but this being New Year's Day there were lots of visitors and unfamiliar faces (there would be 7 first timers in the top 10) so realised I would have to rely on my own pacing. Lined up at the front and let the speedier runners get away during the first downhill section, which is very easy to overcook. After the left turn at the gate lodge we found ourselves running straight towards a beautiful rainbow and into a noticeable breeze. The leading female, who is an infrequent visitor to Cabinteely but happens to be the course record holder, went past me at this stage and (wisely) decided not to try and stick with her. She was shortly followed by the second female, a Cabinteely regular and former course record holder herself, who seems to have been taking the parkruns a bit more leasurely of late but today she looked like she meant business so decided to follow her wheel and got a tow along to the first km marker, where the Garmin buzzed 4:05 for the first km, which felt spot on and completely efortless. As we tackled the hill for the first time, started picking off a few of the more over-optimistic souls and as we completed the first lap I found myself at the front of a small group with a gap of 12-15 metres to the next group ahead.

The second female edged ahead again as we crested the hill and I resolved to stay with her on the downhill section, passing the 2nd km marker in 4:16, still very much on target. I found myself creeping ahead of her again on the short uphill through the trees and I think nobody went past me again from this point on. After the gate lodge it was back onto the most exposed section of the course but this time I had nobody in front to try and get some shelter from the breeze so I tried to keep the pace going without fighting the headwind too much. I was expecting the urge to stop to kick in around here but somehow it didn't happen so, still working hard but feeling strong, carried onto the next uphill and clocked the 3rd km in 4:21. A wave to the daughter, who'd made a rare appearance to see her old man fight the Cabinteely hills, and to the volunteers gathered at the finish line and onto the last lap.

Tried to relax and let gravity do its work during the long downhill and completed the 4th km in 4:17. After a bit of mental arithmetic (I hadn't reset my watch after the warmup) I figured that meant 17' flat for 4 km and the low 21' would be in the bag if I just managed to stay on pace. Again onto the exposed section along the park boundary and a few of the guys that had fallen off the back of the group ahead were slowly coming back to me. Managed to overhaul two of them but the third one, running with a very easy-looking loping stride, was still a few meters ahead as we started the final climb. Breathing hard and legs burning, I launched in hot pursuit up the hill, gaining all the time but ultimately running out of road and just a second behind at the line. Cabinteely has such a b**** of a finish - kills you every time no matter how easy or hard you're taking it.

Still, mission accomplished and the official results confirmed a new shiny Cabinteely PB of 21:04 to start the year with. Delighted with it and with another strong well-paced run (both long laps in exactly 7:33 according to Strava) that left me with the feeling there might just have been a little bit left in the tank to go sub-21. Knackered but absolutely loved it.

Wed 2/1 -- No running

Thu 3/1 -- 5 miles easy @ 9:37/mi (Avg HR: 143 bpm)

Legs still feeling Tuesday's effort a little bit but wanted to get out for a few easy miles to roadtest the new pair of Ravenna 5s. Only managed to get going when it was already dark so stuck to the tarmac paths in the park. I was a bit concerned they might be a bit on the tight side but they felt nice and comfortable during the run. Will have to see how they fare on longer runs.

Fri 4/1 -- No running

Sat 5/1 -- Clarisford parkrun - 3.3 miles @ 9:43/mi (Avg HR: 142 bpm)

Down in Limerick for the weekend and managed to squeeze in a bit of parkrun tourism into the bargain. Drove up to Killaloe for Clarisford parkrun, a cosy affair in a scenic park alongside the Shannon. Five laps of a mostly flat course with one gentle incline (referred to as a hill during the course description - it's all relative I suppose!) was perfect to get into a steady easy pace. A day out in Limerick beckoned so just time for a brief chit-chat with the friendly locals after the run and we went on our way.

Sun 6/1 -- 3.5 miles easy @ 9:56/mi (Avg HR: 142 bpm)

Out early morning for a leg-stretch with D before her match. Set off down a small country lane that quickly degenerated and became so badly broken up that made it difficult to get into any kind of sustained pace but once we turned around and got onto better ground we managed to get into a nice groove at roughly 9 minute pace. Unfortunately time constraints meant the run had to be cut short so the weekly mileage will fall a bit below the intended target of 20 miles. Left knee has been a bit niggly the last couple of days so not too worried about this.

Been doing quite a bit of thinking during the weekend about running and formulating a plan of sorts for the months ahead. More detail to come in a future post.

Weekly total: 17.2 miles

Mon 7/1 -- 1h easy - 6.3 miles @ 9:29/mi (Avg HR: 136 bpm)

Another late evening run. Took in part of the park but it was just too dark to run safely so had to stick to the roads. Mild evening.

Tue 8/1 -- No running. Very late night catching up on work.

Wed 9/1 -- No running. Cycle commute.

Thu 10/1 -- Double run: total of 7.1 miles @ 9:52/mi (Avg HR: 135-140 bpm)

After having cycled to work, and finding myself without the car, I decided to run to volleyball training and back. Survived but probably a bit too much physical activity for one day.

Fri 11/1 -- No running. Cycle commute.

Sat 12/1 -- BHAA Bank of Ireland XC (Tymon Park)

First cross country race in over a year. Arrived in Tymon Park nice and early to pick up my number and check the course conditions. We've had very little rain recently so the ground was soft but not particularly muddy. Trail shoes would probably have done but decided I might as well give the new spikes a run. Very pleased with how they performed: very comfortable, good grip and a much 'racier' feel than the trail shoes would provide.

Mindful of all the events coming up, and after a tiring week, decided to approach this more as a longish tempo workout rather than an all-out race and figured that aiming for something like 7 minute miles would probably do. Lined up around the middle of the pack and, after the initial jockeying for position around the first field, I tried to settle into the target pace. About a half mile in, a couple of strong-looking runners went past and I decided to try and stick with them. One of them very quickly drifted ahead but the other, in a Lucan Harriers vest, seemed to be matching my intended pace and we slowly started to work our way through the field. A fresh westerly breeze and the long drag back after the pond kept us honest all the way round but at this stage the effort level still felt comfortably hard. Down a surprisingly steep bank and past the finish line with 13:09 or so on the clock for the first lap.

It must have been somewhere along the beginning of the second lap that we picked up a couple of other runners going at a similar pace and this group stayed together for most of the lap, swapping positions around and generally pushing each other on. Must say I was mostly I was mostly hanging on but I did try to take a turn at the front, although it happened to be into the strongest headwind so it didn't make much of an impact. The second time along the drag effort was starting to sting but I still felt there was another gear in there, so when Lucan Harrier put his foot down with about a half mile to go and blew apart our little group I managed to go with him and keep up until the last corner, when he finally pulled away. Overtook a female runner just before the very steep bank and, having negotiated that safely if not necessarily gracefully, I launched into a sprint to stay ahead of her and still managed to gain another place before the finish.

A very enjoyable race. Possibly put in a bit more effort than intended but satisfied all the same. Total of 6.5 miles including warm-up and cool-down.

Chip time: 26:49
Position: 64/174 (9th M45)
Splits (per lap): 13:09 13:40
Avg pace: 3.83 miles @ 7:02/mi (4:22/km)
Avg HR: 160 bpm

Sun 13/1 -- No running. Volleyball session.

Weekly total: 20 miles

Mon 14/1 -- No running. Rest day after the weekend's exertions.

Tue 15/1 -- 5.1 miles easy(ish) @ 9:20/mi (Avg HR: 143 bpm)

I only had a limited time window to squeeze a run in during daylight hours and that slight time pressure made me set off a bit faster than intended. The first 3 miles were at low 9 minute pace, slowed right down for the fourth mile but the last one was close to 9 minutes again. Effort level still felt reasonably easy so hopefully no harm done.

Wed 16/1 -- No running

Thu 17/1 -- Long run: 70' easy - 7.4 miles @ 9:30/mi

An early long run at sunrise after dropping the car off at the garage. The usual way back home when that happens, meandering around Clonkeen and Kilbogget parks with a customary track mile thrown in for good measure. Lovely morning to be out - I had bundled up a bit because it was just 1 or 2 degrees but after a couple of miles I had to discard a layer and hide it behind a tree until the way back. Run felt sort of OK, a little sluggish.

Fri 18/1 -- No running. Another long day at work with zero physical activity.

Sat 19/1 -- BHAA Eir XC (Cherryfield Park)

A tough day out. Decided to approach this as a session and eventually settled on a split tempo run consisting of 2.5 miles @ pace, 0.5 mile easy, 2 miles @ pace. It's difficult to translate training paces to a cross country course but decided to aim for 7 minute miles like the previous week and see.

No sign of last week's wind and a nice bit of winter sun peeking through the clouds occasionally. Ground conditions were fairly good; a bit softer than last week with a couple of muddy sections that got a bit churned up and slippery as the laps went on. It's a testing-enough course; long stretches on grass with a fair few sharp inclines and tight turns to keep things interesting.

I was very impressed to see the winner of the ladies race, for whom the two miler had obviously been just a warm-up, lining up with us to tackle another 5 miles. After Jim Aughney - our starter today - sent us away I very quickly got up to speed within the pack. As usual the pace during the early stages felt very easy but I knew full well that wouldn't last. Mile 1 in 7:03 mainly moving slowly through the field, then onto a couple of uphills and tight turns at the start of the second mile. By the time we went past the finish line to complete the first full lap I was working hard and starting to think that the 7 minute target pace might have been too optimistic today. Mile 2 in 6:58, still on target but I could feel the pace starting to slip. The prospect of the easy pace section coming up helped to keep pushing and got through the next half mile in 3:35.

Even though it was pre-planned, dropping the pace felt like a bit of a cop-out but was a welcome relief. I'm not sure I would have managed to complete the full race at that pace today - the legs were mostly fine but the lungs were taking a bit of a battering. As expected, a few runners went past me as I trotted along for the next half mile at 8:25 pace. I would get most of them back later except perhaps one or two.

Despite the slight reprieve mile 4 was still the toughest part of the race. Getting back up to speed was hard and the mind was starting to falter but I managed to latch onto a group of another 3 or 4 runners and, before we got to the narrow muddy section through the trees, I pushed to slot into second spot ahead of a tall runner that seemed to be working quite hard and starting to struggle. Sure enough, the two of us at the front of the group pulled away from the rest through that tricky section and then, on the slight downhill that followed, I stepped it up a notch to break clear of my companion and build a bit of momentum ahead of the next ramp and twisty section.

Having gotten through the rough patch of the fourth mile and with a feeling of stregth returning, started winding the pace up slightly over the last half mile for a strong finish and gaining one more place at the start of the long finishing straight. Pace for the last 0.95 of a mile was 6:49 as measured by the watch and the average over the race was 7:10 so very pleased with that. A tough day out but a good workout that will hopefully deliver benefits in Raheny next Sunday. Total of 8 miles for the day including warm-up and cool-down.

Chip time: 35:28
Position: 84/141 (12th M45)
Splits: 7:03 6:58 3:35 (0.5 mile) 4:12 (0.5 mile) 7:13 6:28 (0.95 mile)
Avg pace: 4.95 miles @ 7:10/mi (4:27/km)
Avg HR: an unreliable 149 bpm (first 1.3 miles below 140, really?)

EDIT: incidentally, that is actually a 5 mile PB, beating the very-soft-by-now 38:06 from the Irish Runner 5M I ran back in June 2016, which was my first and only 5 mile race so far; hopefully I can bring it down a bit further on Sunday.

Sun 20/1 -- 3.1 miles easy @ 10:16/mi

Somehow managed to persuade my daughter to join me and this ensured the pace stayed nice and handy for what was essentially a recovery run to top up the weekly mileage. Right leg feeling just a little tight so made sure to stretch it well afterwards.

Weekly total: 23.5 miles

I had prepared these tables to go with the annual goals but I didn't post them, so I may just as well update them with this year's results.

Annual Progression

Event|2016|2017|2018|2019|PB
1 mile | 06:28 | - | - | - | Irish Runner Paced Mile
5 km | 21:30 | 21:11 | 19:31 | - | Jingle Bells 5k
Cabinteely PR| 22:38 | 21:54 | 22:53 | 21:04 | Cabinteely parkrun
4 mile | 34:38 | 28:35 | 28:50 | - | Liberties Fun Run
5 mile | 38:06 | - | - | 32:30 | Raheny 5
10 km | 49:35 | 45:36 | 45:10 | - | The Lakes 10k
HM | - | - | 1:50:40 | - | Clew Bay HM
Mileage| 330 | 425 | 550 | - |
Age | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 |


Current PBs

Event|PB|Date|Event|Location|Age Grading|VDOT
1 mile | 06:28 | 14 Sep 2016 | Irish Runner Paced Mile | Morton Stadium | 62.91% | 44.5
5 km | 19:31 | 01 Dec 2018 | Jingle Bells 5k | Phoenix Park | 73.87% | 51.2
Cabinteely PR| 21:04 | 01 Jan 2019 | Cabinteely parkrun | Cabinteely | 68.51% | 46.9
4 mile | 28:35 | 20 Jul 2017 | Liberties Fun Run | Kilmainham | 64.72% | 44.7
5 mile | 32:30 | 27 Jan 2019 | Raheny 5 | Raheny | 72.31% | 50.7
10 km | 45:10 | 08 Sep 2018 | The Lakes 10k | Blessington | 64.72% | 45.1
HM | 1:50:40 | 22 Sep 2018 | Clew Bay HM | Louisburgh | 57.26% | 40.1


Age-grading calculator: http://www.howardgrubb.co.uk/athletics/wmalookup15.html
VDOT calculator: https://runsmartproject.com/calculator/

Mon 4/2 -- 4 miles @ 10:42/mi

The cold still lingering a bit but on such a sunny day I couldn't resist getting out for a few very gentle miles at lunch time.

Tue 5/2 -- No running. Travel.

Wed 6/2 -- 1h easy - 6.1 miles @ 9:32/mi (Avg HR: 145 bpm)

Short two-day trip to the UK for work but I packed a pair of runners just in case. One great thing about the UK is that one is never too far from a green space or a public footpath. Although I was staying just off the M4 -next to Heathrow airport- it only took about half a mile to get onto a nice towpath along the Grand Union Canal. I followed the canal east for about a mile then a sign for "Explorer Trail" or something like that took me onto an open grassland area still covered in the morning mist (the Lake Farm Country Park in Hillingdon as it turned out). Followed the many paths and trails criss-crossing the park a bit randomly for a while before retracing my steps along the canal and back to the hotel. A lovely run and very pleased I grabbed the runners at the last minute.

Thu 7/2 -- No running. Cycle commute. VB training session.

Fri 8/2 -- 5k easy - 3.1 miles @ 10:01/mi (Avg HR: 139 bpm)

With Cabinteely Park closed because of storm Erik, I just did a few easy laps up and down the Glen in the breezy conditions.

Sat 9/2 -- 5.4 miles @ 9:12/mi inc. Cabinteely parkrun (Avg HR: 143 bpm)

Parkrun number 100! After an extremely windy night thankfully the Park re-opened just in time for the weekly parkrun. Still fairly breezy and cold but the sun was out. Started the parkrun fairly handy but halfway through I decided to pick up the pace a little and do a bit of work on the final hill. Celebratory tea and scone afterwards.

Sun 10/2 -- No running.

A planned jog around the Vartry reservoir turned into a walk so the long run is parked till tomorrow and will end the week a bit low on miles but still a good recovery from last week.

Weekly total: 18.5 miles

Mon 18/2 -- Planned rest

Tue 19/2 -- No running

Not disciplined enough to get out the door first thing in the morning then work and other stuff just took over the rest of the day.

Wed 20/2 -- 90' long run: 9.5 miles @ 9:33/mi

This time I made sure to get going shortly after breakfast. As with last week's long run it took me a few miles to get into the swing of things but after that I was motoring and feeling very comfortable, taking in Cabinteely Park hill towards the end and getting good feedback from the legs. This is probably as far as I'll push the long run during this phase.

Thu 21/2 -- 5 miles easy @ 10:00

Another morning run after breakfast. Stuck to Cabinteely Park for this one - looking fabulous in the warm spring sunshine. Legs feeling a bit heavy after yesterday's long run and a couple of late nights. Left knee a bit niggly.

Fri 22/2 -- No running. Cycle commute.

Sat 23/2 -- BHAA AIB/NUI XC (Maynooth)

As this was the last XC outing of the season, and the last opportunity to get a fourth score towards the winter league, the plan was to make a more determined effort and go for it a bit more agressively than last week. Got to Maynooth early and warmed up with a couple of gentle laps of the course, some stretching and a few strides. The ground felt fairly firm, some sections of long grass, a fair amount of tree debris in places and a few tarmac path crossings so I decided to go with the trail shoes instead of the spikes. As the rain started to fall just before the start of the race I wondered if it had been the right call and I almost regretted it as the race unfolded - clearly I had underestimated just how quickly the racing line would soften up after a bit of rain and the repeated trampling with each passing lap. Still, it's not like I was slipping all over the place so probably the footware choice didn't have a significant bearing on the outcome.

During the initial rush off the line I recognised a Dublin Bus runner who has finished ahead of me in the last couple of races and used him as a marker to set my pace. After negotiating a bit of congestion through a very narrow but short wooded section the course opened up and we settled into what felt like a strong pace. By the end of the first lap I certainly felt I was working hard and found myself in a small group including the DB lad but being led by another runner I also recognised from previous races - I have usually finished ahead of him but today he seemed to be going much better.

The second lap was about maintaining that strong pace. DB lad proved to be a useful marker as he started to cut through the field, and I was pleased to be able to match his surges and keep up with him. Onto lap 3 as the rain was getting heavier and I certainly was having to work hard to stay with DB. He was still setting the pace and I was hanging on a bit but I resolved to not let a gap open up. I managed this for most of the lap, and in the process we overtook another couple of lads who had fallen off the back of the group ahead but towards the end of the lap I was going through a rough patch (feeling almost sick at one point), DB started to pull ahead and I could feel a few runners catching up to me. Time to dig deep.

Somehow I managed to stay ahead of the chasers through the finish area and the wooded section at the start of the last lap but I didn't need to look behind to know they were breathing down my neck. As we embarked on the last section around the far end of the course I could feel a semblance of strength returning; two or three of the chasers (including the lad I'd finished ahead of in previous races) finally got past me but at the same time DB was slowly coming back to us. Kept working very hard and, as we emerged onto the last field, there must have been at least 4 or 5 of us still close enough to fight for positions. I asked the legs for a final effort and managed to get past DB and keep chasing all the way down the long finishing straight (video evidence will no doubt reveal the reality of an awkward grimacing plod) before crossing the line just under 27' and staggering -completely knackered- down the long chute.

A cheerful Wubble Wubble came up to introduce himself. It was very nice to meet him, even if at the time I was way too wrecked to engage in very meaningful conversation. Hopefully I managed to sound just about coherent.

In the immediate aftermath of the race I felt that, in terms of effort, this had definitely been the hardest of the four XCs in the series whereas, in terms of outcome, it felt like the worst performance of the lot after having dropped a few places in the last lap and finished behind a couple of runners I've beaten before. Having reflected on it afterwards, however, there are several positives to take away from the race. Last week I complained about not having pushed myself a little harder - I can't have such regrets this time and I think I gave it as much as I could on the day. I might have pushed just that tiny bit more at the start to bridge up to the next group ahead but that is easy to say, two days later, from the comfort of one's armchair. Also, the willingness to dig deep when things got tough, something that I felt was missing during Raheny 5, was definitely there again. Objectively, Strava tells me that the lap times were fairly steady (6:24 - 6:22 - 6:26 - 6:22) bar for the slight dip on the 3rd lap, and if the course was actually closer to the advertised 4 miles than the 3.8 that my Garmin measured then the average pace was fairly decent too. And ultimately maybe others just had a better race, which at the end of the day is absolutely fine. Anyway ... total of 6.3 miles for the day including warm-up and cool-down.

Chip time: 26:58
Position: 45/86 (8th M45)
Splits (per mile): 7:05 7:10 7:19 5:23 [0.77 miles @ 6:57/mi pace]
Avg pace: 7:09/mi (4:27/km) as per Garmin
Avg HR: 138 bpm (!?)

That concludes the XC series and ticks off one of this year's goals. I've managed to take part in four of the six races, it has been thoroughly good fun and hopefully it will pay dividends later in the season as well. What next? Another couple of weeks in the base-building phase, aiming for steady 30-mile weeks, then a few days skiing to give the legs a different kind of challenge and then, depending on how I feel afterwards, perhaps I'll enter the K Club 10k to establish a baseline before starting a distance-specific training phase.

Sun 24/2 -- No running

Just a walk around the Vartry reservoir. Debated whether to go our for a few recovery miles but in the end decided to give the legs a break after yesterday and treat this as a bit of a step-back week.

Weekly total: 20.4 miles

Mon 25/2 -- 1h easy - 6.1 miles @ 9:49/mi (Avg HR: 138 bpm)

A few early morning laps of Cabinteely Park, sticking to the flatter lower sections to ensure this was mainly a recovery run after the weekend's race. Nice fresh sunny morning again.

Tue 26/2 -- 45' easy-ish - 5.1 miles @ 8:58/mi

Bit of sore throat this morning but didn't feel too bad so went out after breakfast for a tour of Cabinteely and Kilbogget. A few patches of frost still on the ground but sunny and getting noticeably warmer by the minute. The plan was for 5 easy miles but the legs had a bit of zip today so I decided to just go along with it and ended up clocking some remarkably steady splits (8:58 8:59 8:58 8:58 8:57).

3.2 miles recovery @ 11:53/mi (Avg HR: 146 bpm)

A very light second run in the evening, as D wanted to stretch her legs and I was happy to go along.

Wed 27/2 -- No running

Thu 28/2 -- Cycle commute

Fri 1/3 -- 7.2 miles easy @ 9:29/mi (Avg HR: 136 bpm)

To Blackrock & back via Kilbogget Park in the rain.

Sat 2/3 -- XT: indoor rowing (2 km)

Missed today's parkrun due to a conflicting appointment but later on managed a 20-odd minute session on the new rowing machine, focusing on technique more than anything else. The plan is to try and incorporate a few rowing sessions into the routine as cross-training.

Sun 3/3 -- No running

Should probably stop factoring in Sundays as a running day, as family life tends to get in the way and I invariably end up getting peeved off. Best just treat it as a bonus day if I manage to get out.

Weekly total: 21.6 miles

Expecting running to be disrupted this week with plenty of travel and a short ski break. Arguably the skiing will be cross-training of sorts

Mon 11/3 -- Long run: 10 miles @ 10:29/mi (Avg HR: 143 bpm)

Had a bit of time for a long run so decided to explore a new area of San Fran and jumped on a bus west to Sutro Heights. Initially followed the coastal trail across Lands End Park heading east, took in some nice views of Golden Gate Bridge then doubled-back towards Ocean Beach and onto Golden Gate Park. A very scenic long run but the many short breaks to take photos and figure out directions made it a bit stop-start and was feeling a bit more fatigued than expected towards the end.

Tue 12/3 -- No running. Early start for work then travel back to Ireland.

Wed 13/3 -- No running.

Thu 14/3 -- No running. Travel day.

Fri 15/3 -- Ski - Day 1/5.

Sat 16/3 -- Ski - Day 2/5.

Sun 17/3 -- Ski - Day 3/5. Running: 45' easy - 4.5 miles @ 10:04/mi (Avg HR: 134 bpm)

After a 3rd day of skiing the legs finally felt like they were starting to get over the shock so I risked a short very easy run around some local paths.

Weekly total: 14.5 miles

This was meant to be a week to try and get back into the swing of things and ramp up the mileage before the start of the next training block. Fell a bit short of the target in the end.

Mon 25/3 -- No running

Tue 26/3 -- 30' easy - 3 miles @ 10:01/mi (Avg HR: 142 bpm)

Legs still sore after the race so just a few very easy miles in the Park before cycling off to work.

Wed 27/3 -- No running

Thu 28/3 -- 45' easy - 5 miles @ 9:20/mi (Avg HR: 151 bpm)

Down to Kilbogget Park and back for this one. I had limited time to squeeze in the run at lunch time before heading into the office so pace ended up a bit faster than it really needed to be.

Fri 29/3 -- Cycle commute

Sat 30/3 -- No running. VB match.

Had planned to go for a run but felt too tired in the end.

Sun 31/3 -- Long run: 8 miles easy @ 9:36/mi (Avg HR: 142 bpm)

Evening run around Cabinteely and Foxrock, taking in a long loop around Leopardstown racecourse. The legs felt very good and the new pair of GTS18s were very comfortable.

Weekly total: 16 miles

Mon 8/4 -- Speed session: 6 miles inc. 2x (4x 200m @ mile pace w/200m jog) & 4' jog btw sets

The Kilbogget track got a bit crowded half-way through the session with the Cabinteely AC youngsters taking over but I managed to complete the short intervals without too much hassle. Conditions were damp but this time it wasn't windy or too cold. Rep times turned out reasonably steady: (42.4 44.4 45.0 45.1) (43.2 43.4 44.4 43.9). Recoveries were 200m jogs in about 70s with 4' between the two sets.

Tue 9/4 -- No running. Cycle commute.

Legs a bit sore this morning after yesterday's speed session.

Wed 10/4 -- Endurance 8 miles @ 9:24/mi

A few easy miles exploring the quiet back roads beyond Tully Church and Brennanstown. An eventful outing: fell flat on my face after tripping over a kerb (in the middle of nowhere but still felt like a right tool) then went down the 'wrong' path and ended up having to scramble over a high wall to get back onto the Brennanston Road.

Thu 11/4 -- No running

Fri 12/4 -- Session: 8 miles inc. 10/10/8 @ LT with 3' jog recovery

Down to the Kilbogget track again for this session. Aiming for 7' mile pace but had to work hard to get close and the average paces for each interval were just slightly outside target: 7:01 7:06 7:08.

Sat 13/4 -- XT: 1h cycle in Wicklow

Sun 14/4 -- XT: indoor rowing (5 km in 40')

Weekly total: 22 miles

Mon 22/4 -- XT: 80' cycle in Wicklow and indoor rowing (2k)

Tue 23/4 -- No running.

Wed 24/4 -- Long run: 10 miles @ 9:28/mi (Avg HR: 148 bpm)

Legs feeling a bit heavy but reasonably comfortable. Picked up the pace a bit after halfway and included a couple of hills in Cabinteely towards the end. Eased off in the last mile and was glad to get to the end of the run.

Thu 25/4 -- 1h easy: 6.2 miles @ 9:35/mi

Had to run a quick errand in Blackrock so decided to run there and back. An enjoyable run despite it being mostly on roads.

Fri 26/4 -- No running.

Sat 27/4 -- 1h easy: 6 miles @ 9:57/mi

No parkrun today on account of the parks being closed due to Storm Hannah but went out a little later for a few easy miles. Still very breezy.

Sun 28/4 -- No running.

Weekly total: 22.2 miles

Mon 6/5 -- XT: hike around Lough Bray followed by a 1h cycle around Glencree.

Tue 7/5 -- Travel

Wed 8/5 -- 5 miles easy @ 9:35/mi

An early morning run along the river in Austin in unusual conditions: 22 °C and 90% humidity already at 6 AM. Plenty or runners out and about despite the early hour and the darkness.

Thu 9/5 -- Long run: 10 miles @ 9:31/mi (Avg HR: 154 bpm)

A longer loop along the river. Set off a little later than the previous day and it was already 24 °C and just as humid. About 1h into the run I was very tempted to take a shortcut and call it a day but decided to soldier on and complete the loop as planned. It was a real slog and finished completely drenched, knackered and with the legs threatening to cramp up.

Fri 10/5 -- Travel

Sat 11/5 -- Recovery run: 5.1 miles @ 10:04/mi

Dilly-dallied a bit too much this morning and by the time I got to the Park the parkrun was already underway so decided to just do my own thing and carry on with a few very easy recovery miles.

Sun 12/5 -- Terenure 5 mile

Entered last-minute with a group from work and decided to approach it as a workout rather than a full-on race. The plan was to stick with the 35' pacers for the first couple of miles and go from there, perhaps complete the rest as a progression run.

Got to Terenure in plenty of time for number collection and a decent warm up, then lined up next to the two pacers and listened to their strategy: one of them would run steady pace and the other would try and bank a bit of time over the early miles. The start was a bit crowded and both pacers, who moved to the side of the field at the last minute, quickly got ahead. Tried not to worry about it and work my way through the crowd slowly. About a third of a mile in, I finally caught up with the second 35' pacer, the one intending to run steady 7' miles, and stayed with her and the group.

Reasonably comfortable to start with but after the first couple of miles I was working hard-enough trying to stay on pace so the idea of a progression run went out the window and simply kept going with the pacer at 7' mile pace. The 3rd mile took a bit of effort, then the 4th one, slightly downhill, felt fairly comfortable before the grind of the 5th and the final push to the line in a 34:31 time.

In the end I was a bit disappointed that the 'workout' had felt much harder than expected but perhaps the deceptively warm conditions, combined with the aftereffects of long-haul travel and other efforts earlier in the week explain things.

After a good warm down I took advantage of a free massage to get some work done on quite a few very tight spots on quads and calves.

In any case, this was a very nice, well-organised race that deserves another visit in future years.

Chip time: 34:31
Position: 214/1253 (31st M45)
Splits (per mile): 6:56 6:56 6:57 6:56 6:53
Avg pace: 6:54/mi (4:17/km)

Weekly total: 29.1 miles