The Boggers Log

Fallen behind with updates but there’s not a whole lot to see but I’m still tipping along.

I’m going to try and run a marathon in April, I’d one pencilled in for the end of March but a work event has put paid to that. I’ve also entered the Brighton marathon but I don’t think I’ll do that one! (Has anyone done it and what was it like)?

Also trying to drop a few pounds that I picked up over the Christmas!

Plans for the year:

-Do a test/pilot marathon to see can I handle it

-attempt an sub 18.30 5k

-attempt a sub 1.25 half.

I’d probably take more pleasure from the sub 18.30 because I never thought I’d run sub 19 in a million years and it’s harder to race fast 5k’s as you get older 🤣

27th Dec: 4 miles @ 9.28 accompanied by my daughter on her bike.

28th: 10k @ 7.52, did this with a work buddy and it turned into a decent progression run after a slow start 

29th: 5k @ 9.04

30th: as above

31st: 5m @ 8.50, ran every day for 2021!

1st: 5k race. Resolution Run. Was in two minds whether to do this or not, I’d walked the dog earlier in the morning and it was very very windy. I’d hoped to be able to break 20 mins and didn’t fancy it in that wind, nearly canned it in favour of a LR but decided to head in a give it a lash. This race starts and finishes at the “Swamp” in the Claddagh and there was a decent enough crowd out to support it. I’d usually see MartyBoy formerly from these parts at this race but he must have finally retired as he was nowhere to be seen. I must be getting older as I’d usually know a few heads at most races but this time I’d to be satisfied with my own company and grumbling to myself about the wind. 

They were handing out the race numbers from a van and I joined the queue to get mine. The volunteer obviously didn’t appreciate Bogger humour and wasn’t an athletics fan: him “Next”, me “howya”, him “name”, me “Kipchogue” with my cheeky chappy grin, him, turning to his box of envelopes and repeating to himself “Kipchogue”, me, Jesus “ah no it “Lemon”, him, “ffs, Kipchogue” as he fires my envelope at me. As I turned the lad behind me said nothing but his expression said, “tool” 🤣

Did a bit of a warm up and started to feel a bit apprehensive as this was my first race since the summer and the first real faster stuff since my last back flare up. Lined up in the middle of the crowd and we got going. Was a bit of a mess at the start and I’m always careful not to get clipped at the start of races and I was really pissed off when not one but two club runners ran straight across me the second one almost resulting in me falling. Regained my composure and passed the club runners with my best auld man scowl about a k up the road. I was surprised by how well I was going at this stage but I was afraid I’d blow. First mile done 6.07, we turned onto the docks and the reason I’d be going so well quickly became apparent, the wind that hit me almost blew me across the road and the pace dropped significantly. Mile two came in at 6.21 and this gave me some heart that if I could just maintain it I’d break 20 mins. Was picking off runners now but the effort level was rising, mile 3 6.14. I’d still a bit in the tank and was able to do the last bit in 5.32 pace. Finished in 19.28. Very happy with that effort and finished first O50 despite not seeing 50 in years (the faster auld lads obviously didn’t fancy the conditions) 

2nd Jan: 5k @ 9.27

3rd: 5m @ 8.42

4th: 5k @ 9.32

5th: 7m @ 9.15 first few miles with my daughter

6th: 5k @ 9.48

7th: 8m with 5 @ MP. Find these sessions tough and my current mP is nowhere near 6.50 but I’m hoping I can get the fitness to where it needs to be. Did an out and back run, found sections of this tough especially towards the end but all things considered I was happy with this: 6.48,6.46,6.48,6.49 & 6.50.

8th: 3.5m @ 9.43

9th: 20m @ 8.56. Longest run in years and very happy with the way this went, did first 4 miles very easy with my daughter and then continued on on my own. Lots of miles around the 8.30 pace and I was very happy that the back held up.

10th: was sure today was going to be the day my running streak ended, as I was heading to Fiss, in Austria for a few days skiing. Got up at 3.30am to walk the dog and then got a very easy 5k done with a head torch. 

11-15th: Got to the hotel Monday evening and asked them where I could run in the morning, was told the gym opened at 7. When I told him I wanted to run outside I could see he wanted to burst out laughing! Went out later that evening in the freezing cold for a recce, hotel was on the mountain side and the roads down were slippery but passable. Got up every morning before 7 and managed a gentle 5k around an Alpine village but got some seriously funny looks from delivery drivers and some early risers. Although I ski like I run, ugly, I managed to get 3/4 hours savage skiing in every day. 

Need to try and get some consistency going.

TbL 

Struggling to update here.

And I’m ageing like unrefrigerated milk 😳

 I was supposed to retire at the end of 2021 and focus on becoming a professional athlete 🤣 but I’ve to do another year 😳 Lots of travel that plays havoc with my back and doesn’t agree with me anymore. When I was younger I loved all the travel now (especially with Covid bureaucracy) it’s just a royal pain in the arse. I rather be encamped in Connemara!

I’m trying to build up to 2 sessions a week and a longer run with the other 4 days just being super slow but at the moment the body can only handle one session and a longer run.

I’d initially hoped to try and run a fast marathon in April but that’s not really feasible now but I also don’t want to wait till the Autumn. It’s a stretch but I might give Limerick a rattle as I’ve PB’d there a couple of times.

16th. Back from skiing. 3.4 miles @ 10.12 with my daughter 

17th: 4m @ 9.15 was warm out!

18th: 3.2m @ 9.41, body was stiff, skiing exuberance catching up with auld man bod.

19th: 7m progression over Seanadhpheistin with a work buddy. Love this road for running, but don’t get a chance to get up there as often as I used. 

20th: 6m @ 8.19 bit faster than I was expecting 

21st: 8.3m including 8 x 0.5 miles hard off 0.25 easy. Very very disappointing session, struggled @ 6.30 pace and the wheels really came off on the last one. Real back to ground with a bang session.

22nd: Mrs TbL shamed me out to power wash the deck that had accumulated so much green sh1t and moss that it looked like astro turf! Spent nearly 7 hours at it and was in the foulest of humour heading out for a plod in the dark. 3.2 miles @ 9.53

23rd: was bringing my son into watch a BB game in Galway and got a decent 13.2m done @ 7.42 although I was a little disappointed by how tired I felt after it.

24th: 3.2 @ 9.13

25th: over to UK for work, 3.2m run to the barbers and 3.1m streamlined run back afterwards. Hate having my haircut by anyone other than my own stoic barber! Pleasantries and small talk aren’t my thing especially when a barber of unknown provenance is tidying up your beard with a cut throat 🔪

26th: 3.2m @ 9.03, staying near Wendover and got a nice run up along the river. Jumped onto trains in a frantic bid to get up to Coventry for a Stoke game. Hadn’t a proper coat, was frozen miserable and the game was sh1t and to compound it I missed the train back down to Maidenhead and had to get an Uber 😳

27th: 3.7m @ 9.30, moved to a lovely boutique hotel/pub and managed to get a chilly few miles in before dinner 

28th: 3.2m @ 8.54 before more train hopping to get up to Huddersfield for another Stoke game. Bought a coat and hat! Stopped off in a nice little restaurant for something to eat and thought I was absolutely gas, when I was sitting the waitress asked me if I’d any allergies, I looked solemn and replied “yes, a serious one, my wife”, quick as a flash she roasted me, “no wonder you’re eating alone” Touché 🤣🤣🤣 There was a bit of aggro at the match and we were delayed getting out, so it was late when I got back to the hotel and I decided not to get up early next morning for a plod.

29th: a day to forget. Flight from Leeds to Dublin was canceled due to high winds and they bussed us to Liverpool on what must have been the 7 Dwarfs bus, so little leg room was there. I was definitely Grumpy getting off! My back was on fire and after a 6 hour delay getting to Dublin the last thing I wanted to do was run, but I did a superman change in the car and 3.2 grumbling miles @ 9.01.

30th: didn’t feel well, canned the planned LR and instead did a 3.2 mile plod with my 11 year old who never stopped talking 😀

31st: 3.2m @ 10.20, ran this after the physioterrorist and the back was in bits.

1st: 8.8m including 7m @ MP. Was heading to Paris and was doing everything imaginable to talk myself out of this but in the end I was happy to get it done. MP miles came in at 6.53, 6.52, 6.50, 6.53, 6.47, 6.52 @ 6.47. Groin tightened up after the drive to the airport 

2nd: 4.15m @ 9.35 in one of my least favorite cities, Paris. It a desperate dirty dump full of rude arrogant French people 🤣

3rd: I asked the concierge was there any parks nearby where I could run. He said there was one nearby but, and I quote “it’s full of Brazil transsexuals”! I looked at him unsure if this was a warning or a recommendation and decided to give the park a miss 😳 3.5m plod with a sore back as a result of too much sitting.

4th: flew into Alicante on business last night. Really nice and warm, did 4m @ 8.40. Couldn’t believe there were people running in tights hats and gloves!

Travel making it hard to stay consistent and get sessions in but I’ll keep doing it my own way for another couple of weeks before probably looking for a plan.

TbL 

@OOnegative blame Ryanair, I’d even bought you a present, those blood red backless chaps you liked. I’ll have to wear them myself now 🤣

TbL

I’ve so many marathons entered it’s hard to keep up 🤣

Had decided to skip this and do one around a racing car track in UK instead but was in France with work and got a spur of the moment last minute flight to Alicante and over to Murcia!

Used it as a test/pilot to see I can still run the distance. Plan was to just get around but mid way through plan got upgraded to run 8 min miles 🤣

TbL

Thanks G,

great to meet so many of the old crew today.

you were going well yourself (especially so soon after a bout of Covid) 👍

I enjoyed that so much I’m going to jump back into some of the MCI runs

Tbl

That’s the last selfie you’re getting off me 🤣

Hope you get that knee sorted soon 👍

TbL

Thought I’d dip my toe in here to try and keep myself accountable.

Thoughts of a sub 3 have long since disappeared with my injuries but I want to go sub 20 min for 5k in next few months and I’ve also entered Limerick marathon, hoping to make it to the start line.

Currently battling weight, shocking fitness and an unpredictable back. :)

Did a 13.1 mile run today @ 8.23 pace and was very happy with that especially as the second half was all into a stiff wind.

Lets see if I can last a month…

TbL