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Last of the Summer Wine

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  • Registered Users Posts: 10,398 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Sun 29 Mar

    15.5k MLR

    Another stunning sunny spring afternoon, although a bit colder than last week. I explored the Eastern extremes of the 2k radius, which allowed a nice hilly run along tertiary roads, with plenty of forest and some terrific views. Passed a total 5 people (one on a quad), and not a single car, which was quite unusual.

    Great to see so many new posters around the forum. Some awful shyte on that Social Distancing thread though. :rolleyes:

    This week: 66 kms (41 miles)
    This year: 773 (481)


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,398 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Starting a third week in Donegal. They used to call me “The German” around here, but I’m practically a local now. Wirklich. :pac:

    Mon 30 Mar

    8.8k easy on the standard loop. Came across this very Wes Anderson scene:

    507778.JPG


    Tue 31 Mar

    11x400, 4x200 (standing recoveries)

    Quite late when I got out on a beautiful still sunny evening, Headed around the loop. I’d been toying with the idea of doing a session but wasn’t in the mood. Changed my mind halfway around, close to the lowest point, as it happens. :rolleyes: Decided on a whim to do 400s - not a session I like to do on the road but what the hey. Was pretty bunched after four or five, but managed to zip up the Yuki suit and get to what I thought was ten - it was actually eleven - before deciding to bail. But as I recovered I felt I could do a bit more and decided on another whim to throw in a Jack Daniels ending with a set of 200s.

    Splits (approx):

    1:37 1:27 1:30 1:32 1:34
    1:34 1:51 1:35 1:27 1:36 1:28
    0:42 0:39 0:44 0:43

    Felt great to have this done, of course. Good way to end the month.

    This week: 20 kms (12 miles)
    This month: 278 (173)
    This year: 793 (493)


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,398 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Thu 2 Apr

    9.2k with 5 x 4 mins @ MP

    Another session from the Claw’s playbook. He actually specified 4 reps but I felt I could handle a little more. Challenging enough on the local undulating 5 mile loop, which is a great little route for daily training, it must e said, although I like variety and am getting a bit bored with it. I’m also missing my HRM which I’d lost in Bohermeen - it was posted back to me by the kind Bohermeen AC people, but not til after I’d headed for the hills. So I did this session purely by pace, aiming for 4:44/k, which is an easy number to remember at least. Managed to hit those numbers without a huge amount of difficulty but the effort level was quite high - higher certainly than sustainable marathon effort.

    Fri 3 Apr

    Rest.

    Sat 4 Apr

    13.2k easy

    There’s some forestry in front of the house here - there’s a decent path in the middle of it that I’ve run before, but always accessing from the main access gate, which is a good 5k away by road. So I took the shortcut, scrambling through the dense woods, which seem to have been abandoned by Coillte or whoever planted them. Could hear some beasts nearby - deer perhaps, or maybe the feral cattle that have been mooching around, eating our free grass. Scratched myself on some briars but once through I had an excellent run on very quiet roads, meeting only one walker and not a single car in the 76 minutes I was out.

    Sun 5 Apr

    18.8k LR (1 hr 45 mins)

    Another beautiful Sunday - the weather has really been excellent here over the past few weeks. I went to the limits of the 2k radius in the Southern, Western and Northern directions, which involved several out and backs along the local roads. Quiet again, although I did encounter one runner (a genuine rarity), a cyclist and an elderly woman walking three dogs. Both greeted me warmly as we passed - the tetchiness that seems to be abroad in other parts of the country hasn’t been a feature here.

    With all of the flak that’s going around about running and social distance - on boards, but also in traditional and social media, I’ve been keeping a rough count of the encounters I’ve had over the past week - we are not far from civilisation up here but the roads are very quiet. If anything though, the lockdown has been encouraging more walkers as people try to get out of the house for a bit, understandably. But over 44 miles of running this week I’ve encountered only about 30 vehicles, six walkers and one runner.

    Another decent week, and good to have another couple of sessions done. Although for what purpose - that’s the question! Sunday was when the Cobh 10 that I’d signed up for was supposed to take place. Would have been a nice weekend with a good group of runners from the club. It’s hard to see things changing soon - I think we could have a long way to go before we get out of the metaphorical woods. Been thinking about what it all means (posted this on another thread the other day). Maybe some things will change as a result of all this - I certainly hope so.

    This week: 70 kms (44 miles)
    This year: 843 (524)


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,398 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Week four in Donegal. And of course we are stuck here now. May I state for the record that we travelled long before the ban.

    Mon 6 Apr

    10.35k easy

    Headed out through the forestry again, and explored a new forest road I’d noticed on Google maps. This gave me well over a half an hour of off-road running for the first half of this one. Spotted a large hare and a couple of very large circling birds, and a few lonely abandoned homesteads from yesteryear. The road eventually ran out at a T junction at the edge of the 2k radius (which I’m observing, despite the absolute remoteness of this quadrant). I’d expected it to be navigable via a left turn that would eventually join up with the tertiary road to the north but the route seems to have been ‘privatised’ by the local farmer. Perhaps legally, perhaps not!

    Really enjoyable run.

    Tue 7 Apr

    9.6k easy

    Had intended doing a session today but was pretty weary after a long day of outside work. Gardening is too genteel a word to describe it, but my arms and shoulders were aching from the strimmer. Kicked the session to touch and took it easy instead.

    Wed 8 Apr

    2 x (4, 3, 2, 1 mins), equal recoveries, various paces.

    MC had suggested a session on one of the club whatsapps. I should have checked again before I went out, because it wasn’t this session! No matter - the main thing is to be introducing a bit of quality. I tried to hit M, HM, 10k and 5k paces on the reducing intervals. The undulating route kept me honest, although I got a bit lucky with the terrain, with a lot of the recoveries taking out some of the uphills. Managed to hit most of the paces, and the effort was where it should be, I think. Total 12k.

    This run brought me back on target for 2,000 miles this year.

    Thu 9 Apr

    8.8k recovery

    Very humid this evening, and a bit tired from yesterday - the run wasn’t much fun to be honest, but they can’t all be. Noticeably more traffic on the roads this evening. Bleedin’ holiday homers.

    This week: 42kms (26 miles)
    This year: 885 (550)


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,181 ✭✭✭healy1835


    What session did he suggest? :)


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  • Registered Users Posts: 10,398 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    healy1835 wrote: »
    What session did he suggest? :)

    2 x (5, 3, 2 mins) all recoveries 2 min. Good bit harder!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,181 ✭✭✭healy1835


    Murph_D wrote: »
    2 x (5, 3, 2 mins) all recoveries 2 min. Good bit harder!

    @MP, HMP, 10k ?


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,398 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    healy1835 wrote: »
    @MP, HMP, 10k ?

    Guidance was "steady", which is a moveable feast in Raheny, depending on the distance of the rep. But it would amount to about that, yes, depending on what kind of shape you're in. Perfectly acceptable to be slower.


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,398 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Fri 10 Apr

    10 x 1min on, 2 mins off

    For session 2 this week I decided to favour the speedwork, what with the 5k TT starting to loom larger with every passing piece of Itziger banter. :D

    Chose this workout very scientifically, by clicking through the workouts already loaded into the watch until I found one I liked, and added a rep to make it a round number. 10 mins warmup then jumped in, trying to hit 3:34 - 4:00/k pace. Or rather effort, as I was on the usual up and down route. Another fine day with lots of agriculture going on, so had to dodge a good few tractors / quads. They're starting to get used to "The German" and his running affliction.

    Spits: (paces)

    3:48 4:02 3:44 3:38 4:08
    4:01 3:44 4:10 4:06 4:20

    (Avg: 3:58)

    It felt a bit harder than the paces suggest, although going with the terrain some were easier than others. Happy enough! 9.7k total with the warmup/cooldown.

    This week: 52 kms (32 miles)
    This year: 895 (556)


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,398 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Sat 11 Apr

    10.2k easy

    Out before breakfast. Stuck to the northwest quadrant of my 2k radius. Excited to find a new forest road but it ran out after 200m.

    Sun 12 Apr

    26.2k LR (2 hrs 32 mins)

    Decided to go to the limits of the radius in every direction, so the run had a bit of everything with plenty of ups and downs and long hills. Mostly paved road but a few miles of unpaved dirt roads and gravelly forestry roads too. Realised towards the end that I was approaching 26 kms so had to keep up the run - off-road - through the final bit of dense forestry to hit the kilomarathon. Tough enough run at the end of a long week - 54 miles. Enjoyed my scrambled eggs after that.

    Happy Easter!

    This week: 87 kms (54 miles)
    This year: 930 (578)


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  • Registered Users Posts: 10,398 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Week FIVE in Donegal. This is the longest I’ve been away from Dublin in 18 years. When we headed up here, we hadn’t any set plans but I didn’t really see beyond a couple of weeks. Didn’t bring enough clothes or running gear - have a few things being sent up shortly. When we arrived it was all long sleeves, hat and gloves but that’s been out the window for a while now. Must say I’m enjoying it here, although I miss the capital and in some ways I feel I’m abandoning my city in its hour of need.

    Mon 13 Apr

    Rest. Plenty of work around the place to make up for it. Spotted a stoat - very unusual.

    Tue 14 Apr

    10k recovery

    Took it very easy today - legs still tired from last week’s mileage. Took a short detour to check out a local megalithic site just off the usual loop. Hadn’t visited in years and the sign had been taken down, so I went up a new forest path before doubling back and spotting a second little trail near the road. A couple of hundred metres and there it was - a complex of three wedge tombs in a stone circle. Very intact. Worth a look if you’re ever around these parts. Came across a runner later on in route. Wearing jeans! Maybe he was just out for a walk and had to hurry home. ;)

    Wed 15 Apr

    4x 1k (3 mins j/r), 5x 200m (45 secs s/r)

    I’m taking a stepback week and this will probably be the only session. Decided on a whim to try 5 x 1k at around 10k pace, so 4:15ish efforts on the undulating loop. First one was downhill, no problem there. Passed two of the neighbour farmers chatting across the road, they told me I better hurry up to catch the other lad, and sure enough I spotted another runner up ahead, a very rare sight. I crossed to the opposite side and passed him during the second rep, exchanging some pleasantries, mostly to do with the warmth of the day. This rep was more up and down and I had to work to put some distance between us before the recovery. My friend didn’t pass even though I was practically walking. Rep three had a good bit of uphill and I was gassed at the end. Some waves to distancing visitors spread around the road during the recovery. Started four which I knew was going to be very uphill but wasn’t feeling it and wimped out after a couple of hundred metres and decided it wasn’t going to be useful to complete. Didn’t scold myself about this - you have to go with the biofeedback and it wasn’t good. I jogged out the km and the 3 min recovery period and decided to get back on the horse for one more. This one had pretty favourable terrain and didn’t feel too taxing, so I decided to tack on some 200s to finish it out. Ran these pretty hard and salvaged something out of the session.

    Out later for a walk. We took a dirt road route over a nearby hill. It’s one I’ve run and is usually very muddy but well dried out now. I felt for the tadpoles in the dwindling puddles - if it doesn’t rain soon they’re all toast. Near the end of the road was annoyed to see the route cut off by one of the locals, with a double gate across the road. Not hard to get over but this sort of thing seems to go on a lot around here - found something similar last week on another route.

    Thu 16 Apr

    9.7k recovery

    Another tired plod around the now very familiar loop. Glorious day again. Lots of activity on the farms. The day we arrived, the neighbour showed us the first lamb of the season. Now there are hundreds of the critters, happily prancing around the fields, oblivious to their impending doom! (Did I mention I am mostly vegetarian these days?) :pac:

    This week: 30 kms (74 miles)
    This year: 960 (597)


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,338 ✭✭✭eyrie


    I reckon you made the right (if accidental) choice of lockdown location - most of the benefits of being in a city aren't available at the moment so might as well get the benefits of being in the country! I've gone for a few walks and runs through the city centre (it's within my 2k ;) ) and it does feel quite sad seeing normally buzzing streets looking fairly desolate, with boarded up shops.

    How are you finding mostly-vegetarianism?


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,398 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    eyrie wrote: »
    I reckon you made the right (if accidental) choice of lockdown location - most of the benefits of being in a city aren't available at the moment so might as well get the benefits of being in the country! I've gone for a few walks and runs through the city centre (it's within my 2k ;) ) and it does feel quite sad seeing normally buzzing streets looking fairly desolate, with boarded up shops.

    How are you finding mostly-vegetarianism?

    Cheers, C. I do like those country benefits. The boys are disgusted with the slow internet but working on improving that so their Fortnite sessions are less plagued by ping insecurity. But I do feel solidarity with friends and family and the city itself. Those pictures of deserted streets are deeply affecting and I would like to experience that part of Dublin’s evolving history - not out of idle voyeurism (I hope) but more a genuine interest in the place itself, and of course the people (when they’re not killing each other, like some of my D3 cohabitants the other day).

    Vegetarianism, or rather reducitarianism - it’s going fine. I don’t feel any different and am confident that the diet is not lacking anything it would have otherwise (can always do better with sweets, alcohol and other treats!) I do allow myself the odd steak or fish or rasher. Not very often though, because it doesn’t really come up. A is more veggie than I, one of the boys is totally meat-free, and the other is very flexible (as long as, like me, he gets the odd rasher to accompany his egg).

    Being vegan would be another story, don’t think I could hack that at the moment. Wouldn’t rule it out though for the future.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,338 ✭✭✭eyrie


    Murph_D wrote: »
    Cheers, C. I do like those country benefits. The boys are disgusted with the slow internet but working on improving that so their Fortnite sessions are less plagued by ping insecurity. But I do feel solidarity with friends and family and the city itself. Those pictures of deserted streets are deeply affecting and I would like to experience that part of Dublin’s evolving history - not out of idle voyeurism (I hope) but more a genuine interest in the place itself, and of course the people (when they’re not killing each other, like some of my D3 cohabitants the other day).
    Yep absolutely, I get that. It's an experience unlike any other. We were talking at home this morning about the city and thinking back to when in its history Dublin would ever have been so consistently quiet. Conclusion was never since the formation of the city really! I certainly can't think of any other time that would have been like this. Even during previous plagues everyone lived much closer together in the city centre so it would never have been deserted, presumably :confused: (open to correction on all of this though, I'm no expert).
    Murph_D wrote: »
    Vegetarianism, or rather reducitarianism - it’s going fine. I don’t feel any different and am confident that the diet is not lacking anything it would have otherwise (can always do better with sweets, alcohol and other treats!) I do allow myself the odd steak or fish or rasher. Not very often though, because it doesn’t really come up. A is more veggie than I, one of the boys is totally meat-free, and the other is very flexible (as long as, like me, he gets the odd rasher to accompany his egg).
    Ahhhh rashers are what I miss most!! :p


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,386 ✭✭✭career move


    When we were kids my Dad hit a stoat with the car and he brought it home and stuffed it. He used to run after us with it terrorising us :pac:


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,398 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    eyrie wrote: »
    Yep absolutely, I get that. It's an experience unlike any other. We were talking at home this morning about the city and thinking back to when in its history Dublin would ever have been so consistently quiet. Conclusion was never since the formation of the city really! I certainly can't think of any other time that would have been like this. Even during previous plagues everyone lived much closer together in the city centre so it would never have been deserted, presumably :confused: (open to correction on all of this though, I'm no expert).

    I suppose the closest thing was the curfew during the War of Independence. Exactly a 100 years ago:

    https://www.rte.ie/centuryireland/index.php/articles/street-lights-go-out-in-dublin-as-curfew-brought-in
    Ahhhh rashers are what I miss most!! :p

    Definitely the tastiest meat product ever invented!


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,398 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    When we were kids my Dad hit a stoat with the car and he brought it home and stuffed it. He used to run after us with it terrorising us :pac:

    Lol! At least the poor creature had an afterlife!


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,398 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Heading towards the weekend, I had to contemplate the club ‘Virtual Road Relay’ TT, arranged by a clubmate in honour of the cancelled National Road Relays, orginally scheduled for this weekend. I’d signed up and couldn’t let the team down, but would need to find the flattest piece of road possible for my 1-mile leg. At least I’d get to do the Relays this year!

    Fri 17 Apr

    8.6k easy / Yoga with Adrienne 30-Day challenge Day 1

    Hmm. Not sure how good an idea this is, as I’ve never taken a real-life yoga class. Have some pilates experience so maybe that’s enough. I can’t sit in the cross-legged position, so didn’t get off to a great start. Maybe chair yoga is a better option for inflexible aul lads like me. But I sort of enjoyed this. No intention of doing it every day, but maybe 2-3 times a week.

    After that (or was it before?) I hit the loop for an easy few miles. Wore the Reebok Floatrides that all the cool boardsies seem to be buying. Comfortable and quite bouncy. Was pleased with my 35 euro investment. Not much in the way of new wildlife sighting today - a field mouse crossing my path was about the height of it. Pheasants too, but they’e ten a penny.

    Amused the family later with my homegrown haircut, having 'invested' in a basic electric clippers during a recent Lidl shop. I often contemplate a buzz cut, but barbers are always reluctant because my hair is so long when I eventually haul my ass to the shop, and I always let them persuade me to be less drastic. Ploughed in myself and just lopped it all off. The mrs (when she stopped laughing) helped with the bits I couldn't reach.

    Sat 18 Apr

    Virtual Road Relays - 1 mile TT (6:10)

    Pulled on the Zoom Flys, the nearest I have to the magic shoes. Carbon plate but no Zoom X foam. Jogged down to the lowest part of my 2k region. Decided to breach the perimeter for this one, choosing an out and back piece of flattish road that would take me about 500m beyond the limit before turning. Needs must! As luck would (not) have it I passed two strollers and a runner (!) while recce-ing the course. Took note of the halfway mark and the turnaround. Jogged back to the start, still not sure I’d even do it today (we had till noon Sunday to complete). When I got back to the starting point I decided, no time like the present. You have the race haircut, so reset the watch and dive in!

    FIrst 400 had a bit of a downhill. Noticed right away I’m starting too fast, even allowing for that. But just go with it. Hitting the flat takes the edge off anyway and it slows a tad. Hit the 400m in what seems like a flash. Don’t dare look at the watch, the road is too bumpy. Slight drag in next 400 and I’m breathing hard - it’s been a long time since I’ve 'raced' this distance and I have that Oh Jaysus feeling. The turnaround is messy. I kind of skid on some gravel, stay upright, but lose a second or two. Try to hit the next bit hard - the lap three equivalent where you must not feel sorry for yourself and just keep it going. The road ahead seems endless. Pass the landmark whins and know I’m in the last 400. Really feeling the burn now. Still no idea of the time. I’m fighting the lactic and the geography turns against me. It’s only a little hill but it really takes a bite and I feel the pace dropping like a stone. But then only 100 to go and I manage to pick it up. The watch beeps and I can’t believe how quickly it’s gone. I kneel on the grass verge and finally look at the watch. The initial feeling is disappointment.

    Splits (approx):

    1:27 1:35 1:36 1:32

    Jogging back home I’m properly wrecked though and it takes a long time for the breathing to return to normal. That’s a sign that I was working. I give myself some slack. It’s 27 secs slower than my 5:43 road PB, and four seconds slower again than the track PB. But on a poor surface with a 180 turn and a few drags it’s not the worst result I’ve ever had, and it gives me some sense of how to approach next week’s 5k TT.

    11k total for the day.

    Sun 19 Apr

    18.2k LR (1 hr 47 mins)

    A morning outing around the very familiar roads. I’m desperate by now for anything new so hopped over a forestry gate and discovered a new 1k-long stony forestry road. Bumpy at first but then a gate with a stile and a more pleasant dirt surface. The novelty of it all is hard to describe when you’ve been pounding the same few roads for over a month. Took it handy enough but when on good road there was a bit of spring in the legs, having been woken up yesterday. Looking forward (I think) to next week now.

    Solid week and almost at 1,000 kms this year already.

    This week: 68 kms (42 miles)
    This year: 998 (620)


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,398 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Week Six in Donegal. The weather continues to be a revelation. I miss Dublin but I think I know for sure now that I could live here, as long as there was the odd escape to the capital for cultural pursuits and to socialise on DNS.

    Goals this week? Get in a session, go a bit easier on the lockdown beers and show up for the 5k TT event/thread of the year. :)

    Mon 20 Apr

    9.9k easy/recovery on the loop. Sunny and warm, with an explosion of yellow (primrose, gorse, dandelion, and several other unidentified flora).

    Tue 21 Apr

    3x1k @ 5k pace

    My mile TT the other day was a reality check - I may be running nearly every day but nowhere near my best game. Mentioned the lockdown beers above - definitely having too many of these in the evenings, which would not be helping. But sure aren’t these extraordinary times? :p Not sleeping great either - I always seem to end up with the worst pillow in the house. But anyway - an attempt to do three 1k reps at around 5k effort, allowing for the undulating hills. Didn’t do this on the TT route because it has more traffic and I don’t like out and backs as a rule, unless they’re to the wooden bridge or the Royal Canal M50 aqueduct! So the usual loop. The reps were tough, no doubt about it. This time last year I hoovering up the 80/20 sessions on the way to a Bob Heffernan PB. Not quite in the same place at the moment.

    Splits:
    4:10 4:09 4:18

    That suggests to me that I’m no sandbagger anyway. :)

    Total 9.7k for the session. A lizard scuttled across my path on the cooldown. A sure sign of the exceptional weather, especially this early in the year.

    Wed 22 Apr

    Rest. Plenty of work in the ‘garden’, including some added chainsawing and wood chopping.

    Thu 23 Apr

    7.9k easy/recovery

    Had a look at the TT course, making some small adjustments to shorten the uphill finish. Waved at another runner. As is the case everywhere, I’m sure, the number of road runners has mushroomed, with people unable to go to the gym, GAA training, etc. More walkers too, as people are desperate to get out of the house. The difference up here is really extraordinary, especially on our normally quite deserted local roads.

    Fri 24 Apr

    No running. More work outside with the boys. The younger one is becoming quite expert with the axe. :eek:

    This week: 27 kms (17 miles)
    This year: 1,025 (637)


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,398 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Sat 25 Apr

    Boards.ie ‘Corona 5k’ TT (21:03)

    After an early and abstemoius night, I was awake earlier than usual, especially as I’d forgotten to pull the shade on the velux window. :p Chose the outfit: 2015 marathon pacer single, trusty old Nike shorts I used to do all my racing in for the first half of my running life; Zoom Fly shoes and 1000 mile socks. Programmed the watch with a workout comprising 2 x 2.5k laps so I’d turn back at the right point, and so the watch would stop itself at the end. Threw on an extra layer, small glass of water and out the door at 7:30. It was early enough that some of the lambs in the nearby sheep farms were still fast asleep, huddled together in the corners of the fields. Used the jog out to the start to do some dynamic stretching, feeling shyte of course. Noted that there was a bit of a breeze - nothing too alarming, but it would be in my face for the majority of the uphill first half. Discarded the extra layer and hung it on a bush near the start line, heading up the road for a few strides and to eyeball the start/finish one more time. As I jogged back to the start I noted a distinct lack of enthusiasm. 5k is probably my least favourite distance, especially on a lumpy out and back course. Could have gone ‘full wanker’ and chosen a downhill point to point, but I’ll save that card for a later event.

    Lined up a bit nearer the business end than usual - in the first row, in fact Mentally wished my virtual fellow racers a ‘good luck’, hit the start button, and noted a distinct lack of congestion in the opening stretch. ;)

    Had told myself I’d use the watch as little as possible, as the numbers would be demoralising on the outward half. The gentle slight downhill to flat introduction soon gave way to the drag up to the main road, with a slight downhill again through the first km beep. 4:16, not brilliant, and I tried not to think too much about the mile to come, focusing instead on the fact that the road home would be easier. Waved at a runner on the other side of the road, trying to imagine she was taking part too - anything to convince myself this exercise was an actual race! At the next beep (4:26) I thought the worst was out of the way, but the breeze seemed stronger on this section of road, and still had the turnaround to negotiate. No more watch - just tried to feel the effort and match it to the distance remaining. Relief at the turn as the breeze disappeared. How much would it help me now? Consolidate - hang in there till the 3.5k beep and then roll home! Passed my runner friend again with a grimace and less of a wave this time. The watch beeps and the profile turns favourable. I dig in as best I can, eyeing a van coming up the road. Can I make the left turn before it arrives? I do, and here comes the last 800. It’s a nice stretch, and I try to empty the tank. Sure enough, I gag my way towards the finish, counting telegraph poles, anything to distract. The series of beeps announces the final seconds but I have little left and that’s that.

    Down on the knees for a few seconds, then finally a glance at the watch. 21:03. Happy enough - it’s close to the realistic prediction, and definitely the fastest 5k I’ve ever run outside of a normal race environment.

    Splits (approx):

    4:16 4:26 4:22 4:06 3:52

    Big negative split: Out 11:03, Back 10:00

    Not easy is it, running on your own? Fair play to Barry for putting the event together - not sure who suggested it first but B made it happen, and what a turnout. Hopefully the Little Blue Heroes will see the benefit. Some great performances out there today, well done to all. (And the rest of ye, learn to use the watch!) :p:)

    11k total for the day.

    This week: 38 kms (24 mi)
    This year: 1,036 (644)


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  • Registered Users Posts: 4,834 ✭✭✭OOnegative


    Well done D, being a fellow frequent visitor to them there parts I can confirm there isn’t a flat section of road in that county.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,831 ✭✭✭Annie get your Run


    Never thought of programming an out and back 2.5k :rolleyes:. Although that would have meant KM's pace and I don't have a clue about those!!!

    I think there should be special category prizes for elevation gain (Barry are you listening!). Well done D.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,415 ✭✭✭Singer


    Good stuff D, nice race clothes prep and a great race effort.


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,398 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Sun 26 Apr

    17.5k LR (1 hr 40 mins)

    Feeling surprisingly good on this hilly long run where I connected some dots using a rarely travelled dirt road to get to the remotest section of my 2k radius. The road is usually too muddy to be comfortably travelled, but the good weather has dried it up completely. Unfortunately it has also evaporated the few patches of standing water which were teeming with tadpoles only last week. Probably won’t be a vintage year for frogs in these parts. Also passed a very picturesque little stream, teeming with dumped animal feed bags and other discarded rubbish. I’d spotted some of this dumping on previous runs but hadn’t realised the extent of it til today. Would love to catch this ‘guardian of the countryside’ in the act some day. Probably the same gent who has blocked off some of the rights of way.

    Apart from this, enjoyed the run. If I’d truly raced yesterday I shouldn’t have been able for it, which demonstrates to me that a time trial just does not match the real thing in terms of bringing out a performance. How could it? Having said that, I can see that others can get more out of them. And the number of high profile DNFs shows how much people were prepared to give.

    This week: 56 kms (35 miles)
    This year: 1,054 (655)


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,582 ✭✭✭Swashbuckler


    Murph_D wrote:
    Apart from this, enjoyed the run. If I’d truly raced yesterday I shouldn’t have been able for it, which demonstrates to me that a time trial just does not match the real thing in terms of bringing out a performance. How could it? Having said that, I can see that others can get more out of them. And the number of high profile DNFs shows how much people were prepared to give.

    I definitely think some people can get more out of a TT than others. Personally I don't think I could have squeezed any more out of myself. Used to running a lot of races solo which might help I guess.


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,398 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    I definitely think some people can get more out of a TT than others. Personally I don't think I could have squeezed any more out of myself. Used to running a lot of races solo which might help I guess.

    Agree somewhat - I’m quite used to being in no mans land racing wise, but there’s more to it than that I think. We all line up at the start and get that adrenaline boost, especially the first half of the race. Then the pressure to perform towards the line can be immense!


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,582 ✭✭✭Swashbuckler


    Murph_D wrote:
    Agree somewhat - I’m quite used to being in no mans land racing wise, but there’s more to it than that I think. We all line up at the start and get that adrenaline boost, especially the first half of the race. Then the pressure to perform towards the line can be immense!

    I think I'm just stubborn. For me the refusal to quit in a TT is the very same as it is in a race.... Or at least it was on Saturday.
    I think the lack of adrenaline at the start probably helped me reign it in a bit and not completely overcook things early.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,236 ✭✭✭AuldManKing


    Murph_D wrote: »
    Sat 25 Apr



    Lined up a bit nearer the business end than usual - in the first row, in fact



    Loved that!

    Good time - gave it everything.


  • Registered Users Posts: 10,398 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Seventh week in our Northwest exile. Returning to Dublin may happen soon if restrictions are lifted. There’s a complication though - our daughter, a medical worker, is now home from abroad and staying in our house. Risky! We’ll see what happens. Might be running the local loop for a while yet. Would be good to get a couple of extra kms added to the personal radius all the same.

    This weekend there’s another club 1-mile TT to do too. Don’t fancy the same course as last time so will have to have a think about that one.

    Mon 27 Apr

    11.3k easy. Yet another plod around the local roads. It’s getting old but I’m trying to keep my eyes open and spot new things to enjoy. The big difference about this run was it actually rained so I got a light sprinkling for the first time since last month. Refreshing!

    Tue 28 Apr

    Progressive tempo: 25 mins MP-5k pace

    This was the session suggested by the Claw on one of the club whatsapps. After a 10-minute warmup, the idea was 10 mins around MP, 10 at HMP and the last 5 at 10-5k pace. A session reminiscent of some of the ones on the Meno plan. Wore the HR monitor and eased into it, trying to match the effort to the hills. Going by HR I hadn’t really checked the specific targets but tried to feel it out. Probably went a little easy on the middle section especially, but finished fairly hard effortwise. Progressed from about 80% HRR to 90% during the session.

    A third of this year’s mileage goal achieved, 2 days ahead of schedule!

    This week: 20 kms (12 miles)
    This year: 1,074 (667)


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  • Registered Users Posts: 10,398 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    The second half of the week. Another 'race' to negotiate at the weekend.

    Wed 29 Apr

    9.7k recovery around the loop. Passed some runners again. Twice, because their direction was clockwise.

    Thu 30 Apr

    12k easy with a few strides.

    This should have been an uneventful run. But I had a slight altercation with a van driver who’d passed on the road at speed while I gestured to him to slow down. My experience is that a good driver will always slow down approaching a pedestrian on a narrow road - if for nothing else to acknowledge that they’ve seen you and that you will be safe. This lad wasn’t one of those. I heard him jam on the brakes and stop in the road as I turned up an even quieter road. Moments later a vehicle approaches from behind, and I step in the ditch, as has become my habit on this kind of road. Sure enough, it’s yer man again. Pulls up about two feet away from me, window already down, asking why I flagged him down. Told him I was just making a gesture to slow down as I wasn’t sure he’d seen me. ‘Oh, I seen you alright,’ sez he. I smiled and told him I’d keep my 2 metres and stepped back behind his vehicle. Off he goes, turns around and passes again, back on his way. Didn’t bother waving this time. :rolleyes:

    Fri 1 May

    No running. No S&C or yoga either. May total: 302 kms (188 mi).

    Sat 2 May

    Raheny Lockdown League Rd. 1 - 1 mile (5:58)

    The club virtual relay from a couple of weeks ago has mushroomed into a league, with alternating 1 and 2-mile solo time trials scheduled every fortnight. After the disappointing run last outing, I chose a flatter course near the supermarket where I could get it done en route to an essential shopping trip. Bending the rules, maybe, but I can’t be doing every event on a hilly course! Spirit of the law, and all that.

    After the mrs got back from her more local effort, I drove to Killybegs, where I’d planned a route along the Shore Road, hoping it wouldn’t be too windy. Warmed up with a lap of the course and a bit more, including some dynamic stretches and a half-hearted stride or two. Course would have a drag up to the turnaround. A Garda was twiddling his thumbs in a squad car along the route. Hopefully he wouldn’t pull me over for questioning mid-TT.

    Set up a 400m autolap, loaded a 1m workout into the watch and set off. Tried not to tear off, with a glance at the watch after 100m to confirm the pace was all right. Tried to feel tall and controlled. First 400m goes to plan (1:28) and I’m feeling OK, noting that the Garda has moved on. Starts to bite, as it should, in the second 400. the drag sucks a couple of seconds out of me, not helped by having to cross the road to give space to some walkers (1:31). Dig in for ‘lap 3’ which includes the roundbout turnaround then back towards town (1:29). A kid who’d called and waved on the way out does the same, but I’m dying now and can’t reciprocate. As usual the last 400 seems to take forever, but finally the watch beeps and I take a few moments before glancing down - 5:58.

    Splits (approx):
    1:28 1:31 1:29 1:30

    Happy with that - significant improvement over the 6:10 last time. Winded but not completely empty afterwards either, so good to know there’s a good bit more in there. Won't be good enough for any kind of decent placing with the number of downhill milers taking part in this particular series. :rolleyes:

    Total 6.1 k with WU/CD.

    Sun 3 May

    8.8k hills

    The idea was a long run, but having been let out of the car at the bottom of a long hill I opted to just take it easy and explore some more of the forest roads in the western regions of the 2k. A forest road I’d been on before ran out at a gate. I hopped over it, and turned left along a dirt road that, like a few others in these parts, seems to have been fenced in and returned to the land. It seemed I was on someone’s farm and there was an ominous sound in the near distance of a barking dog. Luckily, after negotiating several gates, I emerged onto ‘real’ road. An elderly woman, whom I think I vaguely recognised, was fiddling with some hay bales nearby and I startled her with my hello, as I seemingly emerged from her property. Jogged on. Downhill and then through another forest route before taking a shortcut home across some fields, as the legs were quite tired after yesterday’s efforts.

    Another interesting week!

    This week: 57 kms (35 miles)
    This year: 1,110 (690)


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