A/R 5k Anniversary TT 24th April

Cartman78 wrote: »

If I had any sense or a demonstrable history of wisdom, this should really be a DNS...but I don't so will be giving it full socks on Saturday morning :-)

Was hoping to get physio (for a non running related issue in my side/lower back) earlier in the week but no appointment until Thursday...if I'm feeling ok after that I'll give it a go

axe2grind wrote: »

Added myself in. It's been a couple years since running sub 19, but no harm in wishful thinking.

Sandwell wrote: »

For those of you who have done 5k TTs in the Phoenix Park before, are there any routes you'd particularly recommend? I was thinking of two laps of the Acres purely because there's no road crossings and the surface is pretty good. It is very exposed though.

MisterJinx wrote: »

3 laps around the outside of the polo grounds might be an option

Sandwell wrote: »

Yeah, I was looking at that option. The surface of the path along OS road is pretty awful though. The Chesterfield/Furze section is nice.

crisco10 wrote: »

Tbf, all the challenges so far HAVE had penalties for going long.

MrSkinny wrote: »

Event: Boards Anniversary 5k TT
Venue: National Beer Mile Stadium (Kilbogget)
Date: 24/04/2021 - 7:48 AM
Weather: sunny, 8°C, light SE breeze

When I woke up naturally just before 6 AM I knew that could only mean one thing: race day had arrived. I lingered in bed for a few minutes letting the last few remnants of sleep fall away before getting up and making my way down the stairs, carefully stepping over the squeaky steps. As I slipped on the running gear, meticulously chosen and laid out the night before, I welcomed again the familiar feeling of an oft-repeated ritual now almost forgotten.

The few minutes spent munching on half a banana and sipping some water are the perfect time to review and finalise the strategy. The plan today was to run entirely by feel: go out reasonably strong, ease into a steady pace then try and pick it up progressively. Worried that I might miscount the laps, I set up the watch to display just one thing: distance. No elapsed time, no pace, no alerts.

A few dynamic stretches and I was ready to step outside. The garden thermometer, placed in a shaded spot, read 5°C; a nice blue sky above and the faintest of breezes: perfect conditions. I cut across Cabinteely Park and the village on the way to Kilbogget, as I've done many a time, all the while feeling the slow build-up of adrenaline mixed with apprehension that precedes an ominous workout.

As I stepped into a deserted Kilbogget Park I was greeted by the serene sight of the track, shimmering in the light of the low early-morning sunshine, as if to say: here I am - ready for you. A lap round the park to complete the warm-up and dread is rising: my legs are feeling really heavy; not sure I'm up for it today; it's ok, if it gets too painful after one km, just pull the plug and go again on Sunday evening, sure there's precedent for that sort of carry-on in this event.

I shake out of it with a couple of strides and a slow jog round the outer lane of the track. A few last-minute stretches and walk to the starting line. Ready to go? Not quite ... Without a starter to force me over the line I take a couple more minutes to do a few drills up and down the straight then walk slowly again to the starting line. Ready this time? Deep breath and hit the start button on the watch.

I'm off and I let the legs choose what pace to dial into, hoping they'll know better than me what they're up for. My mantras today will be "focus" and, fresh from listening to Eamonn Coghlan's interview on the Runner Beans podcast, "relax". The first couple of laps, settling into a steady pace, go by in a flash. Conditions are great and the light breeze, so often a hindrance in such an exposed track, has today a very welcome cooling effect along one of the straights.

Coming up to the 1st km I am trying to gauge how sustainable this pace is. I feel it's about right and, after a quick systems check, I start the 2nd km aiming to gently and cautiously step it up; 5k feels like a very long distance at this point. Not having the distraction of worrying about time, splits or pace I can concentrate on form, trying to run tall, looking at the track ahead, and keep reminding myself of the two mantras. I am vaguely aware that other park users are starting to appear (a jogger near the track, a dog walker along the path, a cyclist) but they are just faint shapes in my peripheral vision; my focus is on the few metres ahead of me and I can't be distracted today.

A few metres into the 3rd km, suddenly, the lungs begin to feel the burn and not long afterwards my breathing, fairly controlled to this point, starts getting a bit more intense. So early on? I'm not even half way and I know it's time to knuckle down. Just concentrate and keep her steady. Through halfway and onto the 3 km mark. I am working hard, no question about it; the breathing has become yet more laboured but the legs seem to be holding firm. For how long, though? I am sure the lack of endurance training will catch up with me any moment now but I know this is make-or-break territory; stay focused and don't let it drop now.

By now my mind has dialled into the monotony or running round the track and the metronomic sound of my feet crunching the gravel. What I feared would become tedious and a hindrance is actually a great help: I can concentrate the effort and just focus on one lap at a time. At one mile to go I allow myself to start the countdown. Four laps. One more. Three laps. One more. With two laps to go the finish is in sight but I'm really hurting and I shorten the focus span to the next 200m. Right, 600 to go, keep pushing, 400 to go, time to wind it up; with 200 to go I open up my stride and try to squeeze a final sprint out of the body before I finally cross the line and collapse on the infield, enjoying the damp grass and the warm sunshine for a few minutes.

Naturally I check my time (22:50) and my splits (4:42 - 4:41 - 4:37 - 4:35 - 4:15). Slightly outside what I had in mind (that crappy track surface surely robs you of a good few seconds) but nevertheless a fair reflection of the regression over the last half year or so. Really pleased, however, that not only I didn't crash and burn but I even managed an ever so slight progression. In fact, I felt a lot happier than after last year's TT.

But today wasn't about the time or the splits. For me today was about regaining the running mojo and feeling again the buzz of race day (real or virtual), about the sense of achievement after a hard effort, about sharing the experience with like-minded folk even if it's a group of complete strangers somewhere across the ether. As I write this I realise how much I've missed all of it and how good it feels to be back to some degree, so in that respect today is mission accomplished. Anniversary mile TT anyone?

Thank you to the organisers!


PS: both Garmin and Strava measured the distance at 4.96 km but I'm sure the organisers will agree that the National Beer Mile Stadium must undoubtedly conform to IAAF standard track dimensions and therefore the apparent shortfall can only be attributed to the inherent inaccuracy of GPS devices.

simonw wrote: »

I thanked this post as soon as I saw the venue, as a beer mile veteran myself.Then I went back to read it, and was disappointed I couldn't thank it again