Leader Of The (Mid) Pack

Nice one, I haven't been back to Fairview since their inaugural event. I may head there or to St Annes this week. If I can get organised early enough, that is 😁

Mon 22/11 - Rest

Tue 23/11 - 4.03 miles @8:55/mi

Easy around Clonsilla and Ongar Road. I thought I was doing well starting as early as I did, until Applegirl popped up on my feed with a 5:59 AM start 😄

Wed 24/11 - 3.97 miles @9:01/mi

Doyle Cup laps in Porterstown.

Thu 25/11 - 4.18 miles @9:21/mi

A chilly one to start the day. Once around the Carpenterstown loop, by which time I had sufficient light to go to Porterstown for a short shuffle.

Fri 26/11 - Rest

Sat 27/11 - Clontarf Half Marathon

Pre Race

Had I been fit, I'd have been at the very least targeting a course PB (1:39, Nov 2014). However, with training have gone so poorly in recent times - no speed session since mid October - expectations were revised majorly downward. Rather than risk doing more damage to my hamstring, I built up my parkrun tally to 148 and counting. In spite of the shorter distance, very few of those miles were even close to my old HMP.

Diet has been fairly wretched in recent months too. Sometimes that can happen when you've a sick wife. She's doing very well, mind you - great to have someone with such a positive attitude to it all 😊 In addition, we had a death in the family this week. On more than one occasion I considered not travelling to Clontarf, but in the end I drove across on a very cold and windy Saturday morning, for my first race in 20 months and 20 days.

Race

This was my seventh time to take the start for this event. The first was my very first half marathon, way back in July 2013. However, my last Clontarf Half resulted in a DNF, on a scorching July day in 2018, when the energy just gradually drained out of my legs.

Kms 1-4

"Relax.

Take Your Time"

I started somewhere between the 1:30 and 1:40 pacers, just because I wanted to get going. I felt comfortable heading for the wooden bridge, mindful of not blowing up early. In fact, I saw a lad walking back from the Bull Wall (less than 2.5k). Heading for the beach now, and Fletch and his merry band of 1:40 pacees caught up to me at the start of the sandy section. In spite of his prompting, I declined the offer to tag along, preferring to dance to the beat of my own internal drum. It would have felt so easy to just jump onto that bus at the time ! Through the soft sand and onto the beach itself for the first time.

4K-Turn

There was a crosswind on the beach, which added to the softish sand made for difficult enough running conditions. I let the large 1:40 group push on, resisting the temptation to get into a battle with anyone else who caught up to me either. At the end of the beach, a Cru girl caught up to me, and we ran together for a bit before she pulled clear on the causeway road. Strong wind on this stretch, I took some water on board and made sure I got the bottle in the bag, before picking up the pace a tiny bit on the path towards Sutton. Nice to see the leaders coming down the other side. I hadn't realised Lambay island was running - needless I say I didn't spot him whizzing by me. 52:14 at the halfway point, opposite Sutton Park.

Turn Back To Beach

If anything we seemed to have the breeze at our backs on the way in. I saw a good few people I knew as I made my way home. Not feeling under any real pressure as we turned away from the Tree Of Life and back up the causeway road. With roughly 4 miles to go, I took more water on board, knowing the real "race" would soon be beginning.

Beach To Finish

The 15k mark was reached just after we exited the soft sand and got onto the beach itself. The crosswind was that strong you could see the sand being blown into the sea. Don't start trying to race now ! Although just a little over 2k, this stretch seems really long coming back, with a stream of runners along its length. No panic. 16k. Pass the 5k (from the start) marker. Sure only a parkrun left. Still glad to clear the sand a little bit after 17k. Well after the jabs along the beach, now came the big right hooks, as we turned into the full force of the breeze heading back to the promenade. WOOOOOOFFFFF! Nearly getting sent backwards along here. Stay relaxed, only 2 miles to go now! Over the wooden bridge and turning left at last. Not long more. Roughly around 19k, the 1:45 pacees, led by Killerz, caught up to me. In among them was clubmate Denis, who I hadn't seen at all, and hence I didn't think he'd turned up. I didn't even bother trying to tag onto him from there - he actually took a minute out of me in the homeward stretch. Just making sure I finish now, keeping my promises to myself not to race anyone and just do my own thing. 20k. Past the old Clontarf Baths. Scoil Ui Chonaill GAA across the road, just a few minutes to go. Grand, there's the finish, and in spite of everything, I'm going to make it this time. 1:46:30 chip time, for a 2 minute positive split - less than I imagined it was. Not that it really mattered today.

Way way back, when I joined the DCM Novices thread in 2016, I mentioned that one of my uncles ran the Dublin City Marathon, in the early days when the race passed our house - 1983 to be precise. The same uncle died this week. I had him foremost in my thoughts as I crossed under the gantry.

Sun 28/11 - 3.65 miles @10:40/mi

Back to Porterstown, for some recovery running on the grass. Again, pace was irrelevant - I walked and talked with one of the Porterstown Panthers for part of my last lap. Just nice to get moving again. Next up, I'm entered in Jingle Bells. Hope to see some of you there. Thanks for reading! J.

Mon 29/11 - Rest

Tue 30/11 - 3.59 miles @9:03/mi

Early morning twice around the Carpenterstown loop, with DOMS still lingering in my thighs. Imagine I'd done the HM at full throttle.

Wed 1/12 - 4.41 miles @9:02/mi

I started my December running with a few "parklaps". Starting with M50 Park, back up to Tír na nÓg, and from there down to the hotel and across to Porterstown, for a parkrun lap before heading for home.

Thu 2/12 - 3.95 miles @9:07 /mi

A rare (of late) evening run this time. Just out to the far end of Laurel Lodge and back.

Fri 3/12 - Rest

Sat 4/12 - Jingle Bells 5k, Phoenix Park

Pre Race

A week on from the HM, I wasn't feeling any niggles as I drove over to the Papal Cross car park. I got there around 8 (9:30 start time), thereby securing a place at the front of the loo queue 😁 Back to the car for a while before clubmates started arriving. While stretching I got talking to an aul lad from DSD, who told me he hadn't run this race since 2005, on a different route. It was my sixth time to take the start. The first was my first ever 5k, back in 2012, on an identical route to yesterday's. We went once around the Acres triangle before getting rid of the layers, then a few strides before going to the start on the Acres Road. Nice to see ReeReeG, Murph_D and FBOT here. In the starting pen, I was deliberately a good bit back. Quick catch up with AMK - attired in his black racing singlet - and I also briefly met Healy, while he was triple knotting his laces. Spotted V again, along with Omeceron and coogy, while waiting for the starting gun.

1

Breeze seemed to be more at our backs heading towards the Phoenix roundabout. As I say, I was miles back, about maybe 20 yards back from a group of clubmates. I should have caught up to them at least, but instead took my time getting through the usual people starting way out of position. Little bit of a drag here - you might say the biggest uphill section on the course.

2

Left at the roundabout, with a crosswind as we headed up Chesterfield Avenue. I was on my own, with the clubmates in a big group about 50 yards ahead. Two years ago I would have busted a gut to tag on. Yesterday I just plodded along while being buffeted side on by the breeze.

3

The third km started somewhere between the Furze Road junction and the Castleknock roundabout. Little bit of a drop before turning left at the roundabout and heading for the Ordnance Survey. Straight into the wind here. Still out on my own getting the brunt of it, while passing one or two here and being passed by one or two there.

4

Between OSI and the crossroads, we started into the fourth km. A clubmate pulled up alongside, while another clubmate went by as we went around the lefthander. I didn't bother trying to stay with her. A mile to go. How long at this pace ? 7 minutes ? Surely I can pick up the pace above the Furry Glen. I usually struggle racing this road in the opposite direction, so by extension I should fly it here. Not so. There's the 4 km marker. Exactly where scotindublin left it.

5

Empty the tank. Go on. Nearly all downhill. Loads of targets. Whatever. With about 500m left, if even that, C pulled ahead a bit. If nothing else that should have been my signal to get the hammer down - just for two minutes. I did nothing really. Even the last little run into the finish didn't bring any change of pace. Under the gantry at 22:30 or so. Finished.

Post Race

Lots of Boardsies around the finish area, both "old" and new, including Murph D, annapr, ReeReeG, aquinn, mister paul, Laura and Omeceron. Nice to see all of them, as well as finally meeting Lambay island and the latter day Boards legend that is Laineyfrecks. Some very good runs in there - well done them. As for me, well 22:31 (22:05 chip time) pretty much says it all. One of those days where I felt almost totally disengaged from what was going on around me in the race itself. Usually you'd feel tired and sore after a 5k race. This time I didn't feel anything. I've put more effort into a lot of my parkruns, and in fact I didn't even beat my fastest time of 2021 (21:57, Kilcock parkrun). Walking back up to the cars with coogy afterwards, I spoke of the old HTFU that OOnegative, Singer, and others on here used to talk about. It seems I've completely lost that, for now at least. Nice mug though. Thanks to scotindublin and his merry band of elves for organising 👍️

Sun 5/12 - 5.18 miles @9:42/mi

I got to White's Gate at 8, for a solo run. Initially, I thought I might do a lap of the Park perimeter, but the slippiness of the paths forced an early change of plan. I was literally tiptoeing across roads and pathways for fear of being upended. The trails were in good nick though, a bit of give but not too heavy. Back at White's Gate, I had a quick chat with our representative in next week's Euro XC. A great honour for him and our club - the first to represent Ireland at that kind of level since John Coghlan I think. After that, I said hello to another group who were gathering for their post race recovery runs, including The Man In Black. Delighted to congratulate him in person on his PB, before I drove home to shower and put on some warmer clothes.

Next

Next Saturday will be parkrun 149, at a location to be decided, followed by my 150th, in Porterstown on the 18th. The Doyle Cup XC 6 mile handicap (December 19) will give me an opportunity to finally give my cross country runners an airing, a year after I bought them ! Thanks for reading. J.

Back to more normal stuff, after two "racing" weekends in a row.

Mon 6/12 - Rest

Tue 7/12 - 3.53 miles @9:27/mi

Two pre dawn Carpenterstown loops. Very windy, but nothing like the apocalyptic weather conditions being trumpeted in advance (again).

Wed 8/12 - 3.51 miles @8:53/mi

More wind out there, as I trundled down to M50 Park for a few early laps.

Thu 9/12 - 4.39 miles @9:11/mi

Two of what I'm now calling Stingray laps around Ratoath. Early, before the school traffic kicked in.

Fri 10/12 - Rest

Sat 11/12 - Darndale parkrun

A drive of roughly 30 minutes to Darndale in the rain mightn't be everyone's dream start to Saturday, but it worked for me this time. I'd run this parkrun once before, back in October 2017, along with several other Boardsies. This was only their third run back post parkrun shutdown. The attendance on this occasion was significantly boosted by a sizeable group of Raheny Shamrocks parkrun tourists, with Mister Drak among them. Nice to chat to him out there. Even though he's just back from Lanzarote, the tan isn't a patch on AMK's 😁 Darndale parkrun is a three lap affair, where you follow the arrows - although The Ref missed a turn near the end of the third lap. It was nice to have a few to run with, as normally at my pace I'd be running alone in this one. I passed a few back on the second and third laps, although one or two did reel me in towards the finish, as I nearly went over after stepping on a patch of wet grass. Not a particularly fast course (although mostly flat) due to a few sharp bends and a twisty section around the lake. Also, it's a bit on the long side, not that it mattered to me. 22:40, 15/41, 1st M45. I was a bit sceptical about that age category stat, and I was right. Not only were most of those who finished ahead of me older, it transpired that I was the only man running between 45 and 49 years of age 😀 Nice to be back there, for my 149th parkrun.

Sun 12/12 - 5.75 miles @8:35/mi

Life stuff meant no early run today, and bar the mixed relay, I haven't watched any of the Euro XC races at the time of writing. I'll get my teeth into those over the next couple of days. Young Scott Fagan did very well for himself with a 21st place finish, and seemingly if there were four to score (he was our 4th finisher), Ireland would have won the team gold.

Slightly less drama in my own run. Back to Ratoath, for a few more miles before the darkness set in. Breezy enough out there at times, but other than that not really anything worth reporting.

Next

The final weekend before Christmas 2021 has a Porterstown double header in the script. On Saturday, I'll be running my 150th parkrun. Hope to see some of you there. Sunday brings the MSB Doyle Cup XC race, a 6 mile handicap event in which I finished 3rd the last time I ran it (2018). Needless to say, that sort of outcome is unlikely to be repeated next week, unless I get an extremely favourable handicap. I'm closing in on 1000 miles for the year, but the week of Christmas is the most likely time for that milestone to be reached. After the Doyle Cup, it'll be time for something old, or maybe something new ! Stay tuned 😉 Thanks for reading! J.

Only four days running this week....bit of a mixed bag !

Wed 15/12 - 4.33 miles @9:06/mi

I started this one just after 7:30 AM, the "usual" stingray laps around Ratoath. Early in the second lap, I was turning towards the village, when a kid on a bike comes whizzing around the corner - on the path, for the sake of clarity. Had I arrived there a second earlier, the rest of this week's update could have been very short! Not a word out of him, on he went.

Thu 16/12 - 4.31 miles @9:01/mi

Staying in Ratoath, but this time looping anticlockwise, and starting nearly half an hour earlier than the previous day's stint. Thankfully no near misses to report on this occasion.

Fri 17/12 - Rest

Sat 18/12 - Porterstown parkrun

After a late (nearly 1 AM) night drinking and playing poker, I didn't feel in shape to even chase a 2021 PB. Hence, I found myself a spot in the middle of a larger than expected crowd. Off I went, Santa hat and all, taking in the applause along the way. It's taken me over 8 1/2 years, but still I was delighted to reach the parkrun mini milestone of 150 before the end of the year. I didn't really pick up the pace at all, but even so, as I finished I let out a roar that Gerwyn Price would have been proud of ! 24:28, 23/92, 3rd M45.

Sun 19/12 - MSB Doyle Cup XC, Porterstown Park

Typically taking place the weekend before Christmas, the Doyle Cup is an old Metro competition going back to the 1930s. Nowadays over 6 miles in Porterstown Park, it's a longer distance than most of our lads would be used to. Three of the gang had a two minute gap before the next five, myself included, set off for four and a bit laps. I shot out quickly, with the aim being to set a strong tempo that I could hopefully maintain. I'd a decent lead over the rest of the group as I rumbled through the four fields. One lap completed, and one of the coaches gave me a shout as I passed. What he didn't know was that I was already shot. Up the drag to start lap 2, and downhill to the finish, three laps remaining. I stayed ahead of two of the lads for most of the first field, but going into the second - joining the "short hill" we sometimes do sessions on - physically and mentally I'd had enough. I stepped off at the top of the hill, and walked back to the finish to put my layers back on. Had I been able to maintain the pace I started with, I would have won. Octavio, who started with me, overtook Ronan O on the penultimate corner, but John Coghlan ran him down with less than 50 metres remaining. A first Doyle Cup for John, with Eamonn presenting the cup today. As for me, I could only wonder what might have happened had I raced to 2021 fitness levels, rather than those of 2018/2019. Staying in our group might have been a good start on that one. You forget how long that XC distance is, when you haven't run it in three years.

Next

I'm not sure whether I'll get a chance to run a Christmas Day parkrun this time. For the first time since parkrun came to Ireland, Christmas falls on a Saturday, and hence there's a lot more Christmas parkruns than usual this year. Other than that, mainly easy/recovery next week, I think. Happy Christmas to all of you and yours. Thanks for reading ! J.

Thanks D, third DNF of my "career" actually, following on from DCM 2017, and the 2018 July Clontarf Half. Not the way I wanted to finish my running week. Surely I'll be in better shape for the Dublin Masters three weeks from now, even with Christmas and New Year in between.

The Great Western Conn Job Resurrection - Week 1 of 18

And just like that, I'm digging up an old log, in an attempt to bring back some of the glory days of the past. Historically though, sequels tend not to be as good as the original. Maybe this one can have a happy ending at least. If the race goes ahead that is, six years after my first time to run the Connemara Half, in a time of 1:40:40.

This wasn't a bad opening, mind you, given we had Christmas at the end of it.

Mon 20/12 - Rest

Tue 21/12 - 6.03 miles @9:11/mi

The start of the base building phase, kicking off the winter solstice with a longer pre work run than I've been used to of late. Twice around the Carpenterstown loop, followed by twice around the old Porterstown parkrun course.

Wed 22/12 - 6.32 miles @9:12/mi

Three times around the Ratoath stingray lap, towards the end of the longest night. Absolutely wretched conditions, cold, very wet, and windy. Still I felt a bit of satisfaction after getting out and doing it.

Thu 23/12 - 6.40 miles @8:53/mi

Same three laps, except anticlockwise this time, plus it was dry and a lot milder. I also completed this stint over a minute quicker than the day before, in spite of a footwear malfunction - maybe I had a long stop at the staggered crossroads on Wednesday.

Christmas Eve - Rest

Christmas Day - Porterstown parkrun

We had planned to spend Christmas with family in Wicklow, and so Gorey parkrun was originally on my radar for this morning. However, with one of our hosts testing positive for Covid, we knocked that plan on the head. Hence, running plans turned back to home, and the first time ever for Porterstown parkrun to stage a Christmas Day event. Previously, I had run Waterstown parkrun four Christmasses in a row (2016-2019).

Arrived around 9 o'clock, and at that stage there were more volunteers than runners, in dark, wet and cold conditions. Thankfully, as the start time edged closer, more runners came on the scene, including Murph_D, making his first visit to Porterstown. Very happy to guide him through a warmup lap. No sign of aquinn or mister paul as we listened to the RD briefing, before making our way comfortably down to the bottom of the course. P caught up to us roughly a kilometre into proceedings, and decided to abandon his planned threshold run for a more relaxed stint in our company. That is, until we were passing the top of the course alongside the car park, on the last lap. P suggested a sprint finish, and while myself and D were hemming and hawwing, he took off with just two corners to go. D went by me as well, and stayed ahead even with a skid on the grass about 50 yards from the finish. 24:24, 30/97, 6th M45. Great numbers, between the weather, Christmas, and probably a few absentees due to Covid - we'd lost a few volunteers in the days prior, for that reason. A joined us for a cooldown lap. Great to have some of the St Annes gang over.

St Stephen's Day - 3.47 miles @8:25/mi

Back to Porterstown once more, for the GOAL Mile around the MSB grass track. Nice to see so many familiar faces, and in far better weather too. The grass was still fairly sticky, due to a very wet Christmas in D15. I got a bit of a warmup in before heading away with the first lot. Not too bothered with time or pace as I made my way around, but clubmate Nuala kept me honest enough nonetheless, as I crossed in a time of 7:25. I had planned a couple more miles overall this morning, but after stopping to talk to friends near the car park, I decided I'd done enough and went to the car instead. 27 miles for the first week. Week 2 sees a 2 miles @10k ( not 2 miles x 10k 😀) session come into the equation. Thanks for reading! J.

Thanks D, maybe it will turn out to be an epic that people still talk about nearly 50 years later 😄 Yes, the same plan as before...actually two 10k PBs gathered up during it.

The Great Western Conn Job Resurrection - Week 2 of 18

Closing the book on 2021.

Mon 27/12 - Rest

Tue 28/12 - 6.31 miles @9:44/mi

All local miles, earlyish. I just wanted to get this done, I had no energy at all. Enough to finally clear 1000 miles for the year though 😃

Wed 29/12 - 6.05 miles @8:37/mi

This was the 2E / 2 @10k pace / 2E session I referred to above. I did a few of these the first time around. A very windy morning this time. The 2E was the run from the house to the far end of Laurel Lodge, at the junction with Castleknock Road. Nice and easy even with the wind behind me (9:25, 9:17). Then turn around and straight into the paced miles. I haven't raced a 10k since the 2019 GIR, so between that and everything else I've no idea what my actual 10k pace is these days. Hence, I gave it what I imagined was 10k effort. First mile largely uphill and into the wind, puffing big time past the shops and later directly into the breeze approaching the turnaround point. Obviously I had the reverse of this on the way back, although having to stop at one of the roundabouts, as well as the shops, slowed me down a bit. 7:20 out and 7:17 in was actually better than I thought. Slower than my HMP of 2019/2020, but it's a start. Better next time hopefully.

Thu 30/12 - 6.00 miles @9:04/mi

Over to St Catherine's Park for my final run of 2021. Two loops, the first one including a short but very steep climb on the woodland trail, for what was nominally a recovery run. A couple of other not long but steep uphills too. I hadn't quite reached the prescribed 6 miles on returning to the car park, so I ran up to the old reservoir and back to make up the remaining 0.2 😁

New Year's Eve - Rest

Overall I'm just glad to say goodbye to this one. Running wise, very little apart from getting back parkrunning in September at Russborough House, completing 13 parkruns from there on. I reached the mini milestone of 150 in Porterstown on December 18 - hopefully I'll some day reach another official parkrun milestone. Races were nothing to write home about, but fingers crossed there'll be some epic race reports here in 2022.

On the list as I type, subject to amendment :-

Sunday January 9, Dublin Masters XC, St Anne's Park

Saturday January 15, Leinster Masters XC, Dunboyne

Sunday January 30, Raheny 5

Sunday February 6, Trim 10 Mile

Saturday March 5, Carlingford Half Marathon

Sunday April 24, Connemara Half Marathon

Obviously, with just a week between Raheny and Trim, I'll probably have to decide which one to race. Certainly there's room for improvement on the 10 mile PB front (1:10:31, Kilcock 2019). Not sure if I'll get there in five weeks from now though.

Athbhliain faoi mhaise daoibh. May 2022 be kind to you and yours, both in running and in life. Thanks for reading! J.

Thanks for all your good wishes!

@The Black Oil great stuff, but no guns will be involved :) @Bluesquare what a baptism of fire ! Thankfully I had a good few HMs under my belt before my first time running the Connemara Half (2016). SIL ran that one with me - her first and still her only HM, although she ran a good few other races before and since.

Right so, time to fill in the blanks.

The Great Western Conn Job Resurrection - Week 3 of 18

Unfortunately, this didn't go as I hoped. At all.

Between Christmas and New Year, I was named as a close contact of a confirmed Covid case. Two positive antigens on New Year's Eve meant I gave the New Year's Day Hartstown parkrun a miss. Subsequently, I had a PCR test which came back positive. Thankfully I got through it all quite well physically, apart from one bad night of symptoms, when I slept for about half an hour, leaving me feeling like I'd drank three bottles of wine. Don't try that one at home kids. So obviously the next day was pretty much a write off too. Grand since then, although it's only since Friday that I'm testing negative again. When the PCR came back positive, I gave the skipper a shout and told him to plan without me this week....so the below aged well 😐️

"On the list as I type, subject to amendment :-

Sunday January 9, Dublin Masters XC, St Anne's Park"

So disappointed to have missed this one. It was all set up for me to run one of my favourite races, for the first time in four years. I think we'd a record turnout of MSB men, so plenty from my club as well as on here to push me. That and trying to avoid being lapped by the Claw. I didn't know till I saw the participant list during the week that he was 35.

Anyhow. I still haven't run a yard in 2022, but I'll be changing that next week. I have entered the Leinster Masters and the BHAA cross country, both taking place next Saturday. Not sure yet which one I'll get to run. Hope to see some of you wherever I end up. Thanks for reading! J.

The Great Western Conn Job Resurrection - Week 4 of 18

Mon 10/1 - Rest

Tue 11/1 - 5.29 miles @9:08/mi

Better late than never, for my first run of 2022. Easy around the Carpenterstown loop three times, in other words no hills to speak of for my opening outing. No issues.

Wed 12/1 - No running

I'd planned the 2E / 2 @10k pace / 2E session for today, but a very dear furry friend of mine unexpectedly went to Rainbow Bridge, so that plan was abandoned.

Thu 13/1 - 6.45 miles @9:16/mi

Belatedly, I got the session done, at lunchtime around the Ratoath "stingray lap". Not the easiest, with a couple of longish drags, some narrow paths, and busy traffic crossings. All things considered I was happy enough - most of it was actually over HMP, but there were a few little bits in the 6s here and there. Hard to know how hard to push.

Fri 14/1 - Rest

Sat 15/1 - BHAA Bank of Ireland XC, Tymon Park

The original plan was to go to Dunboyne for the Leinster Masters, but family stuff meant this one got the nod. The first BHAA event since March 2020, and my first XC race since their race at Wesley College (22/2/20). That was my seventh race in seven weekends, and it felt like it, but who knew it would be so long before I got to race another ?

Great to see lots of the old regulars (including Mr Skinny) still at it. I got there in plenty of time to collect my number, as well as my prize for finishing 5th in C Class in the 2019/2020 Winter League. I was a bit fitter then. After a warmup lap with a GAA clubmate of mine (regular parkrunner and racer too) I made my way over to the start. Following a few announcements, and a minute's silence for Ashling Murphy, we were away.

The route was changed slightly from that of two years ago - a bench had been inserted in the narrow section we used to start the lap in, so instead we went straight across for three sides of the next GAA pitch. Start was in a different place - 3 1/2 laps or so. From very early on, I knew I wasn't going to do a whole pile here. I was following Ian for most of the half lap, but then he started pulling away, and I couldn't stay with him. In fact most of those I'd usually run with in these races were long gone out of sight. Going down the bank four times was tough. At least I managed to stay on my feet. Shortly before being lapped, I caught up to one of the JDES runners. He then whizzed by me coming down the bank, but I caught him again at the far end of that pitch. One lap left. I got lapped by about seven I think, including third placer Kiely Unusual and the first woman. Dear lord. I didn't really pick up the pace on the last lap, until I turned into the finish field, when I started hearing loads of shouts for Marthastew. Quick look back. She's only a few strides behind, with the JDES lad in between. I got a few seconds of a sprint in, just to make sure I didn't lose any more places.

Time: 29:45 (6k)

Position: 137/178

Category: 25/27 M45

Even allowing for Covid, a session on Thursday rather than Wednesday, and general lack of fitness, that was brutal. Positives :- we won the first team prize in Class D, and I was probably spared the ignominy of finishing last in Dunboyne. Next week, the BHAA XC season continues, with the Eir 5 mile, now taking place on the Tallaght side of Tymon Park. Not sure yet if I can or will go to that one.

Sun 16/1 - 6.20 miles @9:10/mi

Recovery miles around Ratoath, after cakes, treats and alcohol on top of yesterday's race. Job done.

Next

Final week of the base building phase. Hopefully there will be no surprises in store. Thanks for reading! J.

Thanks C, I'll watch out for you. I reckon you're in great shape for the sub-30.

Thanks, I like it. I don't know if you've ever run any of the Connemara races? The fact that the plans are specifically tailored for them, by a coach who's run there numerous times over the years, should be a help for me. When I ran the half in 2016 (worst conditions ever!), I wasn't in a club, and I wasn't following this plan - rather shamelessly stealing bits and pieces from here. I think I'll be able to get all six of the hill sessions done this time - in 2019 I only did three (firstly holidays, and I skipped the other as it was two days after National Masters XC). The hardest session I can remember was the 3 x 2 mile @10k (5 min), in torrential rain, around the wet and lumpy MSB grass track. There's more and more harder sessions as the plan progresses, but that's to be expected, and they're difficult but manageable IMO. Hopefully I'll have a smile on my face as I cross the finish line, just over 12 weeks from now!