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Last of the Summer Wine

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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 1,427 ✭✭✭scotindublin


    Nice steady week after the effort on Sunday. It was a great day for the Dublin Masters XC, it always is great atmosphere out there.

    Will you he running the Leinsters in Dunboyne?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,484 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    No Leinsters for me - I've never done it. I do intend to race a couple of the BHAA races to get more cross country into the schedule.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,008 ✭✭✭Lambay island


    May have been discussed elsewhere already, but can you still just rock up to a BHAA event as a visitor and pay on the day or has covid changed that?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,484 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    The website says online entry only, but I’d imagine you can sort that out on the morning on your phone - there are contact details on the website and they seem pretty responsive (I had a membership issue to sort out and got immediate email response). I’d email and ask.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,484 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Thurs 13 Jan

    60 mins with 30 @ sub-threshold (75-80% HRR) 

    The legs were a little tired going into this. Wore the HR monitor with the aim of keeping within the desired range of 161-168, and tried to get used to how that exact effort is supposed to feel - not too uncomfortable, but definitely some catch of the breath and a feeling in the mid-ribcage that work is being done, but sustainable work. It’s hard to describe and I’ll try to dial into it better. I wasn’t at all concerned about the pace, which turned out to be a little slower than Tuesday’s no-HRM run. Windy today which would have affected things a little, but then again I was wearing 'better' shoes than the other day. All told a good illustration of the difference between HR vs pace for gauging effort, although it’ll take a while to establish a reasonable correlation, and hopefully see improvements.  

    • This week: 40k (25m)
    • This month/year: 123 (77)
    Post edited by Murph_D on


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,582 ✭✭✭Swashbuckler


    Sorry for the crappy little question but I cant find it online - how do you convert between HRR and max HR. By that I mean, I have a target range of 78-85% max for my marathon pace. Just trying to see how that lines up with your 75-80% HRR.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,484 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Thanks for asking and it is a good question. To calculate heart rate reserve (HRR) you need to know your max HR (M) and your resting HR (R). The difference is your reserve. I'm working off a M of 196, and a R of 56, so that's a range (reserve) of 140. To express a measured rata as a HRR percentage, you use this formula: .

    (Measured HR - R) / (M-R)

    So for me, a HR of 161 translates to

    161-56 / 196-156 = 105/140 = 75%

    These runs are supposed to be in 75-80% HRR range so for me that's 161-168.

    The same range expressed in terms of Max HR would be 82-86%

    (By the way, I don't calculate these manually, I've set up the ranges in Garmin and in the spreadsheet I log my runs in). 🙂

    This range isn't supposed to align exactly to MP by the way, it depends on your conditioning - for Lydiard's elites, it was a little faster than MP. For me, it's probably a little slower (I'll know better when I've logged more HRR runs). The aim is to be 'steady' but comfortably below the lactate threshold.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,208 ✭✭✭shotgunmcos


    Same I set up a spreadsheet where I log runs and it calculates HRR for me, but you can set Garmin to use that as default metric too. The key reason for using HRR over HR is that while you max may not change, your resting heart rate may drop a few beats over the course of a plan. Using HRR is a measure of effort in relation to your resting and threshold HR. Its really much of a muchness whether you track HRR or Max HR as long as you establish your ranges of either and get to know how they feel. Thing about the spreadsheet is it doesn't know when your resting HR drops so the filter you get does it lose a little accuracy? Ultimately knowing the crossing point of bottom and top of your LT zone is really useful to control effort. Even better to do it by RPE and verify with HRR



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,484 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    My spreadsheet allows resting HR to be adjusted on a daily basis! 😎 Although I am not in the habit of checking it every morning and frankly will probably never be. I’m moving towards RPE alright, just calibrating at the moment - learning what ‘right’ should feel like.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,484 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Fri 14 Jan

    60 mins easy

    Lunchtime run around Dublin 2, taking in Merrion Square, Stephen’s Green and the Iveagh Gardens. Quite a spectacular trio of urban spaces really, most Dubs probably take them for granted.

    Sat 15 Jan

    100 mins easy

    Some volunteering at St. Anne’s parkrun - stressful marshalling duty at ‘Astroturf Corner’ - followed by this week’s LR (moving it to Saturdays when possible). mister paul joined me for the first half back to Drumcondra, and I continued around ‘Glasnevin North’, discovering a couple of new places, amazingly enough at this stage of my existence. This was a bit slower than I normally would do the LR but that’s fine as the mileage is increasing. Was thinking towards the end of this run about the relationship between speed, endurance, and resilience, and how (like the better / faster / cheaper triangle), you can have any two of these, but probably not all three. And then I thought - isn't it enough to have two of these, and to be able to run and be alive, and stay alive, and not feel threatened when I go about the mundane business of going for a run, or going anywhere really. I do think the whole Ashling Murphy reaction has been remarkable, and it's a shame it has taken so long for the regular humiliations faced by half the population to explode in this extraordinary way, because of course this type of thing has happened many many times before. And of course it has nothing to do with running in general, being a far greater problem than that. As a friend of mine once said, I sometimes wonder why the women of this world have not yet burned the place to the f*cking ground (but of course I know why).

    Sun 16 Jan

    60 mins easy

    Afternoon trot out the seafront - not feeling particularly lively, but enjoyed the sunshine and the general air of outdoor recreation that was about the place.

    • This week: 76k (48m) - 433 mins
    • This month/year: 160 (99)
    Post edited by Murph_D on


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,484 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Week of 17 Jan

    Couple of things on this week - might run the Winter League on Weds as the play I was going to see in the Abbey has been cancelled (covid related). Bummer, was really looking forward to it. There’s BHAA action available at the weekend too. Would two races be pushing it?

    Mon 17 Jan

    WU / 45 mins sub-T / CD

    Headed out to Booterstown again from the office - 15 mins warmup through RIngsend and Irishtown then upped the pace along the coast road. Had the HR monitor with me this time and vowed to stay in the bottom half of the range, so looking at 161-165 (or 75-78% HR reserve). IT took a good 2k for my HR to get out of the low 150s, to the extent that I thought it wasn’t working. Result was a too-fast first mile, as I suspected from the feel, and this is all a learning curve figuring out what this session should feel like, so no harm done. It was a fine morning and I settled down once the HRM started doing its job and quite enjoyed the session, turning at the end of the Blackrock Park cycle/walking path and back towards town. Averaged 161 in the end (helped by those first 2k) at a few seconds slower than marathon pace.  

    Tue 18 Jan

    60 mins recovery

    A very gentle hour around the south city and Grand Canal bank. Beautiful day, quite busy on the walkways, but the traffic in town continues to be far quieter than normal.

    • This week: 25k (16m)
    • This month/year: 185 (115)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,582 ✭✭✭Swashbuckler


    They're short races right? The winter league is two miles? Whats the BHAA distance?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,484 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Yep, two miles for the WL this week. The BHAA is 5 miles, unfortunately, a pretty cruel cross-country distance for aul plodders like me!



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,582 ✭✭✭Swashbuckler


    Ah yeah that's not two much. 2 miles midweek is a nice little warm-up for the weekend.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,484 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Wed 19 Jan

    Winter League Rd. 4 (2M)

    Another chilly night in Raheny. These races are probably the road running equivalent of cold, blowy League of Ireland night games. Definitely for the real fans only! I felt a bit jaded during the warmup, couldn’t get much enthusiasm going for the strides and dynamics. Lined up with 46 others and hoped the body would click in once underway (it sometimes does). Was chatting to a couple of clubmates and didn’t try to get a good spot, so it felt like a slow start with a bit of weaving over the first 400m, which is on a typical suburban residential road with cars parked on one side, so not a lot of room to pass. 

    Two laps of the Wade Ave circuit to do, and I spent the first 800m finding my way through the field, getting into position. I’ve been placed in Division 3 of the League (a bit of a blow to the ego) and so I was looking around for a few Div 2 people to spark off. Passed one or two candidates who didn’t respond, so by the end of the lap I was, as is so often the case, running solo, with maybe 25m between me and the runner in front. Timer shouts 6:40 - hmm, it felt better than that, damn that sloppy start! I’d toyed during the day with thoughts of a PB (12:52 from this race, three years ago, when I had @skyblue46 pushing from behind, then pulling from ahead). That was out the window now, might as well consolidate and try to pick off one or two on the second lap. Made a conscious effort to increase the pace, which isn’t very easy when there’s no one around, but I was gradually reeling in the guy in front. Passed him with around 800m to go. Could see O and D up ahead, a long way off. Too far to catch, I decided, but as it turned out if I’d made up my mind I’d probably have caught one of them at least, as they were both coming back to me. Lad behind was gassed and had fallen way off, and it was tempting to jog it in, but I upped the pace a bit more after the final turn and managed to close the gap to a couple of seconds. 19th in 13:19. No great shakes by any means, but I know now who to chase next time out.

    Cooldown lap with chats - it’s a great club really - bringing the evening’s total to 9.6k.

    • This week: 35k (22m)
    • This month/year: 195 (121)


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,771 ✭✭✭jebuz


    Love the idea of a winter league to keep people focussed during the chilly months, I'd love to see more clubs doing it. Raheny really sounds like a great club by all accounts.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,484 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Thurs 20 Jan

    60 mins easy/recovery around the parks of Dublin 2. Last week’s route in reverse. Got dive bombed by a seagull in Stephen’s Green, then a close pass from a pigeon a few minutes later. They seemed to think I was carrying food.  

    Fri 21 Jan

    41 mins easy

    Out the seafront for a short easy one. Bumped into DD towards the end. Gave me some cross country tips. Later - Ozark and pizza.

    Sat 22 Jan

    BHAA Eir Cross Country (5 miles) - 79th in 36:51

    Apart from the Dublin Masters, I’ve done very few other cross country races, all of them BHAA events, all four miles or thereabouts, and none since 2018. This was the first time facing a five-mile race in the fields, and the distance seemed a bit daunting. But a nice fresh morning for it - a breeze, but not too cold. Plenty of familiar faces at Tymon Park. Bumped into clubmate D in the car park, said hello to a few old Cru clubmates, and had a chat with Wubble Wubble at the start line. Jim Aughney started the race, which was over a three-and-a-half lap course around a network of fields adjacent to the National Basketball Arena. A few tricky bits, including a fun steep downhill which had to be carefully negotiated. Not a lot of mud, but as always the grass was fairly sapping.

    I took the first lap handy enough (or so it felt), then once I had the lay of the land I was able to pick steadily through some runners on the second lap. Started really feeling the pinch with still two laps to go, and was having a bit of a tussle with ‘K’, who had plenty of admirers among the gallery to keep him motivated. We passed each other a couple of times but he pulled slightly ahead with a lap and a half to go. I didn't let him get away, but probably should have closed up, in retrospect, and asked more questions. With about a half mile to go I was passed by another runner (blue shirt) putting in a good finish, but he didn’t really have the power to close it out either. As we came towards the final half-turn he was still catchable, and I increased the effort. Despite having run past it three times already the finish chute took me a bit by surprise, so I should really have started this final push a bit earlier. K was still ahead and as the three of us barrelled down the chute, I managed to catch blue on the line. 79th of 132 in 36:51. Apparently that was enough to give my workplace team second place in the Grade A category. Didn’t look at the watch once.   

    A few chats and then a cooldown lap with J and A. 11k for the morning. This was a really well organised event, in a fairly busy park with some really expert marshalling separating runners and park strollers where the course crossed the tarmac. Also, lots of mulched Christmas trees put to use to cover the tarmac in this and a couple of other spots. Top notch work all round. Glad I rejoined the BHAA, hope to get another couple of these races in over February and March.

    Sun 23 Jan

    60 mins easy

    Was heading up the Howth Road towards St. Anne’s but the gate to Mount Temple was open so I went in there instead and did seven laps of the perimeter. Nice new gravel track around the pitches, and loads of kids doing hockey and rugby training. Legs a bit tired but moving fairly well after yesterday's efforts.

    Reflection, based on two races this week: I am a timid racer and give beatable opponents far too much respect. Why is that? Have to try to be more ruthless. Next stop Dungarvan.

    • This week: 76k (47m) - 427 mins
    • This month/year: 236 (147)
    Post edited by Murph_D on


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,807 ✭✭✭skyblue46


    That comment about being a timid racer is interesting. From the few times I have run with you I would have thought you were pretty aggressive in your racing. That either means that I was ultra timid or that by racing you mean man v man rather than man v watch...



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,484 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    I'm definitely talking man v man. For instance, anytime you went by me in a race you probably didn't face much of a response. Then again on all of those occasions you were always going to finish in front of me, and I know your form and your preference for an easy start. This goes for a few other runners I know, and often I am happy to let them go on because realistically I am not going to be competing. Similarly, if I know a runner I can realistically compete with tends to go out too hard, I'm not going to try to stick with him in the beginning, happy to wait for the blowup. My comment is more aimed at my reaction to runners I don't know, in the middle of a race. If a strong looking runner, or group of runners goes by, I often let them go, only to regret this later when I finish strongly, catching or almost catching them, and missing out narrowly on a target time, for instance. This happened in the cross country race with this K gent, and during the week during the Winter League race I could have gone out slightly harder, but also could have finished slightly harder and caught the two runners in front of me. I can think of plenty of other examples during recent races, including the half marathons.

    Man v watch is a different story. I know you feel I start a little aggressively pace-wise and perhaps you're right, although I generally try to run even splits in any race of 5k or above. Definitely still learning the race craft after all these years!

    Post edited by Murph_D on


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,484 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Week of 24 Jan

    Relatively quiet days ahead after last week’s excitement. But the John Treacey looms at the end of next week. Not sure what kind of shape I’ll be in for a PB attempt. In other news, booked a family holiday in Lanzarote for the middle of March. Fingers crossed!  

    Mon 24 Jan

    WU / 50 mins sub-T / CD

    Starting to enjoy and look forward to these ‘maximum steady’ runs. Dropped the lad to GAA in Clontarf and headed out towards Sutton. Shorter warmup than usual and started the steady stuff at the wooden bridge. Was up to marathon pace in no time and the HR playing ball - mainly because I had a slightly helping tailwind. It’s been a while since I’ve done a night time session and I enjoyed the crispness of the air as I trundled along the seafront path. Passed one or two familiar faces as always. Just keeping the HR in the low 160s, the pace dropping a bit towards the end with the wind. Getting stronger with these for sure. Have been avoiding alcohol for a couple of weeks now and I think it’s helping a little bit. 14k total. Speeds holding up well - 875 kms and counting. 

    Tue 25 Jan

    Rest day. Had some unprecedented leg DOMS during the night so decided to take heed.

    Wed 26 Jan

    56 mins recovery

    A rare run commute home from the office. Not sure if I have the logistics right but I just left everything in there, including the bike! The long way home via Ringsend, Irishtown and East Point. Didn’t really enjoy this - don’t like rush hour running with its crowded footpaths and heavy traffic. But good not to have to go out again once arriving home!

    • This week: 23k (15m)
    • This month/year: 260 (161)


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,484 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Thurs 27 Jan

    50 mins at Sub-T

    Repeat of the Monday session, as the idea is to be doing two of this type of run per week, building up to 80 mins or so per outing. Effectively six miles at marathon effort. Felt good, tiring towards the end, but could have done a little more. Did the warmup with A, and 14.9k in total.

    Fri 28 Jan

    41 mins very easy.

    Sat 29 Jan

    11.5k inc Parkrun #167

    Pacer day at St. Anne's, and I assumed my usual 24 mins slot. Went around in 23:57. Couple of runners around me got PBs so that’s always a good sign, although I don’t think I was dishing out as much ‘encouragement’ as usual. One clubmate gave me credit anyway, so job done. Few miles before and after, and of course some coffee and chats.

    Sun 30 Jan

    LR 2hrs 18 mins (23.9k)

    Enjoyed this run. Wasn’t sure where I’d head to. Howth? No. Town? OK. Grand Canal? Just the Basin. Dodder? To Donnybrook anyway. UCD? Sure. Went clockwise around the campus for a change, so I found the perimeter trails in the Nutley/Roebuck area that I always miss when I take the other direction. Passed Ray Darcy at one point near RTE, appropriately enough. Think he had a ‘Run with Ray’ shirt on. Ended up a bit longer than I'd planned but an enjoyable run.

    Did some marshalling duty at the Raheny 5 later that day. A great turnout. Pity about the course error - probably best to classify it as a communications breakdown. Good to see plenty of current and former boardsies pass by my station just before the Park exit. Thanks to all who supported the race.   

    • This week: 79k (49m) - 435 mins
    • This month/year: 316 (196)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,484 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Week of 31 Jan

    Counting down to Sunday’s race. There’s also a Winter League event during the week, but I won’t be giving it the 100% treatment. 

    Mon 31 Jan

    63 mins with 51 @ sub-T

    Dropped the lad to the GAA club in Clontarf and headed along the seafront towards Bayside. Realised right away my watch was about to die so noted the time on a nearby bus shelter display as I started the 50 mins at ’steady’. It was a chilly but pleasant night and I forgot about the timing and just tried to feel it. The watch did last long enough to let me know I was 25 mins in, dying just after I turned. I could feel yesterday’s long run in the legs towards the end, but handled the headwind reasonably well and got back to my bus shelter at about the right time.

    Enjoyed this - only one thing bothered me: head torches seem to be ten a penny now (Decathlon effect?) but many runners point them straight ahead and not at the ground, blinding oncoming runners/pedestrians/cyclists (i.e. me) while providing no benefit to the wearer. Learn to use the gear, people! 😉

    /rant

    • This week: 12k (7m)
    • This month/year: 328 (204)

    Thought this would be my highest January mileage yet but no, last year was 4k more.😪

    Post edited by Murph_D on


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,484 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Tue 1 Feb

    55 mins recovery

    Very slow recovery. My 10 min+ miles raised some eyebrows. I’m grand!

    Wed 2 Feb

    Winter League Round 5 (3 miles)

    The idea was to go out and do this at tempo pace, not get drawn into a race. Set off and settled in to a comfortable tempo, around 10-mile pace. There was a fairly small field out tonight (39 runners) and my pace put me somewhere in the middle, with no one pushing from behind and one or two familiar bodies in sight ahead, slowly pulling away. 7:05 called at the end of the lap - reasonably close to goal, maybe a tad fast. I cooled it a little on the second circuit but still found one or two of the runners ahead coming back to me, and at the end of the lap (7:15) found myself not too far behind K, with whom I’ve had the odd friendly skirmish in these events. I know he’s not fully fit at the moment, and if he hadn’t glanced over his shoulder at me towards the end of lap two I’d probably have let him away. But you know how it is… While I generally haven’t been racing these runs, I always step it up a little in the final lap and that was enough to close the gap with about 900m to go. I sat on K’s shoulder for a bit to see how he was feeling and when he didn’t respond I decided to push on, with another flagging runner coming back to me ahead. Passed him with about 400m to go and finished out briskly on Wade Ave (lap 6:48). Good workout. 15th place, and I won a spot prize, yet another leftover tee shirt (still in the bag) advertising a 2018 or 2019 race I didn’t do - from the late Pat Hooper's impressive collection. 😁 If I finish Sunday's race with three miles like that I'll be happy.

    Cooldown around the local roads, 9.8k total for the evening. 

    • This week: 31k (19m)
    • This month: 19 (12)
    • This year: 346 (215)




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 738 ✭✭✭MisterJinx


    Good luck with the race on Sunday, looking forward to race report from you



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,484 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Thurs 3 Feb

    Rest day.

    Fri 4 Feb

    40 mins easy around the south city centre. Gentle rain, cold. Nice to run a bit of the Dublin marathon route.

    Sat 5 Feb

    6.2k inc parkrun #168

    Down to Fairview Park with A for this one. Not one we do often but so handy, only a three or four minute jog away. Kept A company for the first couple of laps, and did a few fartleky speed changes on the third. We were lapped by the first few finishers and had a close-up view of the runner in third position blow the podium by not finishing strong. Tut tut. But of course it's not a race. 😉

    Sun 6 Feb

    20.94 k inc John Treacy Dungarvan 10 @ RP. Report to follow. Eventually. 😁

    • This week: 65k (40m)
    • This month: 53 (33)
    • This year: 380 (236)
    Post edited by Murph_D on


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


    Looking forward to reading it. With so many others having a tough day with the wind, that's a fantastic result. Congrats!



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,484 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    John Treacy Dungarvan 10 Mile

    I can’t remember exactly why I entered this race - partly due to Trim (much closer) being sold out, and also because M had signed up and was encouraging a few of the locals. Part of his quest to find a Ballycotton substitute, although this one takes place a month earlier. Anyway it’s a well regarded race, and why not?

    My 10 mile PB, run at Ballycotton 2016, is also the longest standing. While it was never particularly strong, it’s survived five previous attacks on various courses, the most recent last year at Kilbeggan where I failed by 12 seconds, running much of the race in no man’s land. Although I like the 10-mile distance - probably my favourite actually - I haven’t raced it as often as I could have in recent years. But with a recent HM PB you had to feel the time was right to have a go at it, even without any specific training in recent months. I’ve been feeling strong of late. The aerobic base building has been interesting, and I’ve been quite clean-living since taking a break from beer/wine/booze a few weeks ago. Plus I’d named a 10-mile PB as one of my 2022 running goals, and this was probably going to be the best opportunity for a while.

    Dungarvan is quite a way away from the big smoke. M picked me up at 7am and we were off on our merry way, arriving in West Waterford early enough to get a prime parking spot just around the corner from the start line. Was good to have plenty of time to relax. A walk down the road to the garage. Toilet queue was too long for my liking and the need wasn’t critical, but things again went my way as a row of portaloos was dropped yards from the car and opened for business just as I passed by. Eventually did a few kms warmup around the vicinity. The wind seemed a bit more blustery than advertised. And we spotted quite a drag up to the finish line - more on that later. Short reccie done, extra layers ditched, binbag donned, and into the pen, wearing a mask as requested by the organisers. Only about four minutes to wait and we were off.

    M would normally be a 60-min runner but his plan was to start with me and see how he felt. I expected he’d push on around the halfway mark, if not sooner. It would be good to have a bit of pacing company early on, but the bottom line was, you're on your own - there will be no motivational speeches at the business end.

    The first mile through town was very congested. Came close to taking myself out on a projecting wing mirror, and my heels were clipped a couple of times. It was a slowish start with all the bodies and stress, but the pace was soon on track once out on the wider main road. I discarded a hat and almost fell over M while throwing it to the side. Didn’t see the first mile marker but the pace was OK, maybe a tiny bit brisk but the going was good, with a bit more room now in mile two heading south down the main road. Mile three involved a sharp right on to a bumpier secondary road, congested again with the narrower going. Tipping along nicely with some downhill. There wasn’t really a discernible group forming at this stage, and the wind was getting noticeable. M was tucking in out of the breeze where he could; for me it was a bit more difficult, and I was more likely to be the windbreaker for someone else. This became more of a factor in miles four and five, directly into the wind. We’d looked at the course map and were expecting this for a couple of miles here. I was getting the beginnings of a stitch and worried about that for a bit, but I paid some attention to my breathing and it passed. The mile markers were prominently displayed and we were passing them within a few seconds of the 71-min target. Halfway point in 35:27. Very solid. Feeling confident.

    Early in the sixth mile there’s a sharp left onto a nice country road with high hedges. Suddenly the wind is behind, and it starts to feel quite warm. I remove my gloves and stick them in my pocket. Off comes the neck buff a few minutes later, wrapping it around my wrist. I’m happy to be well into the middle third of the race in good shape and concentrating well on the job. M has drawn alongside. I’m feeling really good and I notice his breathing has stepped up a bit. Is he struggling? Nah, he edges ahead and I’ll be looking at his back for the next couple of miles until he disappears. Over a timing mat at the 10k point. A steward shouts that the time on the clock is wrong - “Add a minute!” It’s a good split, 44 minutes pretty much on the nose.

    A left turn onto some freshly laid tarmac alongside the Brickey river. It’s a beautiful surface, but out of nowhere I start to feel a bit rough. I’m still moving well but the effort levels have increased noticeably. Breathe. Am I starting to fall apart? There are plenty of bodies around and I grit my teeth and try to maintain position. Passing people, being passed. The road is long and straight and you can see ahead for miles. The line of runners is stretching away into the distance and it feels there’s a long way to go.

    Because there is.

    I pull alongside an aul lad and he gives me a good look up and down. Maybe about to ask me why the course was long in Raheny last week. Maybe sussing whether I'm an age category rival. I’m probably doing OK in the M60 stakes, actually, as I haven’t seen too many candidates yet. I run with this chap for a bit. I think I get ahead of him but the hazy bit of the race has begun. I’m not obsessing on the km splits but taking the odd glance at the watch and the average pace stat is still OK. Past 8 miles and another sharp left onto the main road, with a bit of downhill. The sea is on the right, but it's a grey day and not too scenic. I coast along here, trying to recover with the grade, trying to ignore the deadening legs and the rasping breath. And now there’s a long drag, and again you can still see it all stretching away into the distance. My varifocal glasses tend to give everything a bit of an uphill appearance though so I didn’t really register the drag here until M mentioned it afterwards - a good thing, as it might have gotten to me if I’d dwelt on it at this stage, starting to feel very rough indeed. 

    Shake the arms, loosen the shoulders. You’re OK, you’ll not die yet. 

    Heading North now, back towards town. I’m going a bit backwards, but still picking off the odd straggler. When will this mile end? There’s been another threatened stitch, again held off. Finally the 9 mile marker. I glance at the watch and struggle with the arithmetic. I think I’m OK, but there’s not a lot of leeway. Mile 10 starts with a bit of downhill (as I’m just noticing now writing this, with an eye on the strava trace). No doubt this is what’s keeping the wheels on. I’m being passed quite regularly now. But they’ve sprayed an 800m mark onto the road, only a half mile to go! 

    Sharp left and suddenly I’m on that uphill finish we’d noticed during the warmup. Holy shyte. It feels like Everest. Well, Howth Head at least. I’d just passed a couple of stragglers on the approach, and one of them goes past again as I wade up the hill like it’s made of mud. It feels endless and I’m worried now about the result. After what feels like an age I finally crest the bloody thing and there’s still 400m left, but now the going is downhill and I pass the passed passer again. There’s a shimmy through a roundabout and a right turn. A big tall young GAA fella is just there, he must have struggled on the hill too and I try to go by him, but he doesn't want to be taken by some grey haired aul fella and responds. Around the turn and the finish is in sight, maybe 150m away. I don’t think I get Tall Guy but we're in the finish chute now. Nothing matters anymore except crossing the line, and I’m as happy to be over it as I’ve ever been.

    I sink down for a breather for a moment, then walk through a sea of mostly happy finishers. It had started to rain quite heavily but I’m only noticing it now. Someone is handing out foil blankets but I don’t manage to snag one. I finally look at the watch. 70:44, a 49-second PB.

    Caught up with M near the goody bag. He’s managed a sub-70 himself, and happy with how it held up. Well done to the WW crew for putting on an excellent race. Very generous race swag: Nike shirt and JT buff in the reusable bag, along with various snacks and drinks. A good day all round so.

    Splits (approx): 7:04 7:05 7:00 7:12 7:06 7:03 7:03 7:02 7:12 6:57

    Delighted with this. Looking at the splits afterwards, it seems I didn't lose much time, if any, during the rough patches, which is not usually the case with me. And pleased to have a rare negative split of 10 seconds. I can't fathom how the uncomfortable second half was faster than the cruising first half. Might be getting a little bit tougher! Today anyway.

    Bye bye oldest PB, hello newest. 

    • Previous PB: 71:33 (Ballycotton 2016)
    • Target: 70:xx
    • Actual: 70:44
    • 526th place (of 2,431)
    • 5th M60 (of 41)
    • VDOT: 48.2
    • Age grade: 76.15%
    • Verdict: The summer wine


    Post edited by Murph_D on


  • Registered Users Posts: 343 ✭✭MrMacPhisto


    Well done on a great race. Entertaining report :)👏



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,984 ✭✭✭Duanington


    Congrats, D - great to see the consistency paying off. That strength is there to be seen now and there's still a fair bit to come. Well done on a gritty performance



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,501 ✭✭✭Laineyfrecks


    Well done on the PB D, well deserved 😊 Really enjoyed the race report as always!



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,834 ✭✭✭OOnegative


    Well done D, brilliant performance & plenty of life in those legs yet. Yer man pacing is as much use as the invisible man with any wind to contend with!!



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,761 ✭✭✭ReeReeG


    That is a superb performance, well done, delighted for you!!! Race report lived up to expectations also :)



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,629 ✭✭✭ThebitterLemon


    Well done D, excellent finish to a good race, You’re smashing your PB’s

    Point of order though, you would’nt provide wind breaking cover for a straw 🤣


    TbL



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,379 ✭✭✭diego_b


    Cracking stuff D, very well done on the pb. Showing great form and consistency to pb over the half and 10 miler in a pretty short period of time.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,582 ✭✭✭Swashbuckler


    Hard as nails D. Great running and mental toughness . As D said you can see the strength work paying off. The pbs are all under threat now. You're on a roll.

    Post edited by Swashbuckler on


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,768 ✭✭✭Mr. Guappa


    Congrats on the PB. That was tough, hard-nosed running.

    You describe the course very well. That climb up the main road in the 9th mile is no joke. The final mile was changed this year.. finish line in approximately the same spot as before I gather, but it was previously approached from the other direction.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,513 ✭✭✭Dubh Geannain


    You're in some serious form. Many congrats.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,427 ✭✭✭scotindublin


    Brilliant race/PB, just rewards for the solid effort you are putting in. Great race report aswell.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,427 ✭✭✭scotindublin





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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,008 ✭✭✭Lambay island


    Great report as always.. You are some man for knocking out the PB,s lately. A fine wine indeed.



  • Registered Users Posts: 2,601 ✭✭✭Wubble Wubble


    That's great work, delighted to see it. Congrats on cracking the 6 year old PB !



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


    Another PB, a negative split and a great run report - what more is there? You're in great shape these days, enjoy it!



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,484 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Week of 7 Feb

    Thanks for all the comments - it’s great to get the feedback, regardless of performance, but always better when the result has been good. Reflecting on the race again, I can’t really pinpoint anything that could have gone much better, which is a statement I have rarely been able to make. I am particularly pleased that I managed to do what I hoped for after the midweek Winter League session - to finish the race with three miles like I’d just run. I’d worried that the session might have been a tad close to the race but there were no ill effects.

    Just recovering this week mostly. Got a club text about running the National Masters Cross Country next weekend but declined.

    Mon 7 Feb

    30 mins recovery

    A plod along the seafront during GAA hour. I’d had a sports massage earlier in the day and probably should have left it at that - legs weren’t up for any kind of running really, and I was pretty bonked. Bumped into Ferris so at least had company for a bit of this.

    Tue 8 Feb

    No running. Yesterday’s vibe was a sign to take a day off.

    Wed 9 Feb

    54 mins easy around Dublin Port. Checked out the new road layout. Great to see a lot of progress has been made on the new Greenway construction. Hopefully the momentum continues.

    • This week: 14k (9m)
    • This month: 67 (42)
    • This year: 395 (245)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 220 ✭✭E.coli


    Well done on the recent pb always a nice reward when you make sacrifices with clean living. The consistency give you a great platform to springboard from.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,484 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    I was wondering if anyone would pick up on the alcohol thing. I'm not planning on total abstention but for me, staying away from it for a few weeks has had noticeable benefits in terms of sleep, hydration and general energy levels. Like a few others, I noticed my consumption increasing noticeably during the early restrictions and lockdowns, and it kind of stayed there a bit longer than I would have liked. I'm no prude when it comes to the drink but I'm happy to take a step back every so often and this one is long overdue.

    It can be a sensitive subject - I remember starting a thread here years ago about alcohol being the elephant in the room for some runners, including myself. The general reaction was, we're not professionals or elites, and we shouldn't obsess too much about the downsides of things we enjoy doing, etc, and I get that. But at the same time, I'm happy to experiment with it to try to find the right balance, especially as an older runner who might not have the powers of recovery I once had.

    Not sure how much of a factor it was in the recent performance - probably not huge, as it's fairly comparable to the November half marathon where I wasn't particularly abstemious in the buildup. But certainly something for me to look at.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 220 ✭✭E.coli


    Likewise I would be a fan of a good whisky myself personally (there is a certain allure to anything from Islay)

    Though there is an un deniable link between Stress, injury risk etc and drink, no harm in a few weeks here or there if the aim is consistency or just going through stressful time in life. Everything in moderation including moderation.

    definitely if the opinion that should have the things we enjoy in life though big difference between habitual and enjoying



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,236 ✭✭✭AuldManKing


    Just catching up - congrats on the PB - not easy conditions to PB in.

    Those 'steady' runs you've been doing are something I'm thinking about a bit for future training cycles - whether they be MP or MP+.

    Great stuff all around!



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,484 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Thurs 10 Feb

    35 mins recovery around the Collins Ave loop.

    Fri 11 Feb

    60 mins inc. 30 mins @ sub-T

    Treadmill workout! My membership in Flyefit, taken out just before the pandemic, has been suspended or paused more or less the whole time since. Finally dropped in on a whim. It was cold out, and I decided to see what a short MP workout would feel like on the treadmill. The place was quiet enough and I quite enjoyed it. Chose some Mojave Desert scenery on the screen. Cooldown back to the office.  

    Sat 12 Feb

    10.4k inc parkrun #169

    A loose plan to visit Poppintree changed after sleeping it out - house alarm had gone off in the middle of the night, thankfully just a failure to lock up properly. Out of bed just in time to get down to Fairview but then couldn’t find wristband so after printing out a new barcode and jogging down I’d missed the start by about 5 mins. No bother - I enjoy playing the catchup game through the field, although this time I was ‘lapped’ by the eventual first finisher not long after starting. Ended up doing the three laps in about 24 mins, my default ‘parkrun steady’ pace. A few more miles on the Howth Road and Griffith Ave.

    Sun 13 Feb

    LR - 90 mins 

    After some Junior parkrun volunteering, a blustery and slightly damp LR on Dollymount Beach and back home to Fairview. Happy enough with the week - low mileage and plenty of recovery but also a couple of short steady workouts, so back to normal next week. 

    • This week: 57k (36m)
    • This month: 110 (68).
    • This year: 438 (272)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,484 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Week of 14 Feb

    This week, more base building, and a Winter League outing on Weds.

    Mon 14 Feb

    62 mins with 40 @ ‘steady’

    As is the usual Monday routine, dropped the boy at GAA club. Warmed up as far as the Wooden Bridge then tucked into a 40-minute sub-threshold run. It was a crisp evening and I was happy to see I was hitting just faster than marathon pace with the HR in the right zone. That’s a sign of notable progress over the last few weeks. Would have done a bit more tonight but time was tight. Told afterwards to start choosing lumpier routes for these runs - that won't be problem next week as I'll be up in Donegal.

    Tue 15 Feb

    35 mins recovery on the Collins Ave loop. Weary enough going, no love for this one.

    Wed 16 Feb

    An email from work colleague and former clubmate M, inviting me to pick up my share of our BHAA winnings from the EIR cross country a few weeks ago. It took me a while to find his office in the Arts Block labyrinth but eventually the swag was mine. A cool €15 in hard cash, effectively refunding the annual fee, and bringing my career earnings to €65, a book bag and a set of coasters. The life.

    Winter League Round 6 - 2 miles (10th in 13:01)

    Arrived early enough to get in a couple of laps of the hallowed Wade Ave circuit, noting the general windiness abroad. I wondered how much it would affect the race - certainly would place question marks around managing a PB effort, which I’ve been thinking about. Tonight was also the Donagh Lynch Cup, a club handicap race (where you don’t know your handicap til the end, or possibly not ever). I figured as they’d stuck me in Division 3 for the series I might have a generous number, so was prepared to give it a bit of a lash. Lined up in a more businesslike slot than usual and hit it fairly hard from the start, and after the first 400m I found myself not too far behind K, who was pulling away though, even as I went past G and a few other enthusiastic starters. If I could keep K in my sights for a while it would be an achievement, as I was already in my usual no man’s land position at the first turn, 600m in. To add to the excitement, one of my shoelaces had opened, but there was no way I was going to stop. Kept the effort up on All Saints Road, with a nice tailwind, which seemed to follow us around the second turn onto Wade Ave also, although by now there was someone on my tail. Kept the head down and got on with it, pleasantly surprised to hear the timekeeper shout 6:26 as I completed lap 1. A decent clip, and if I could keep it up I’d be in good shape. Down Howth Road the second time, however, the wind was more of a factor with no other bodies around, and I started to feel a bit sorry for myself, especially with the shoelace flapping annoyingly about. The runner on my shoulder made a move - I heard the footsteps echoing closer and he went by exactly where I'd passed a rival myself last time, just past the turn onto All Saints again. Not the runner I had thought it might be, and I let him go, lamely enough. He was looking pretty strong to be fair, but I might have put up more of a fight. At least I could focus on his back for a while, which provided some distraction until the final turn where I think I was able to pick it up and finish reasonably strongly, in what turned out to be 10th place in the small field of 34. My form had felt poor in the second lap - very clunky - and when I looked at the watch and saw just over 13 mins I realised just how much slower lap 2 had been. Oh well. A few more rounds still to go, and my best placing to date. More importantly, another few Division 2 scalps taken. 😎

    Turned out I finished second in the handicap race, so at least I seem to be exceeding the expectations of whoever calculates these things. The winner was G, the guy who finished behind me in 11th. He’s not even in our club and amazingly they let him leave with the trophy. 😜 Damn shoelace. Probably cost me the 10 seconds. 😁

    Another lap to cool down, so 9.33k / 49 mins for the evening.

    • This week: 27k (17m)
    • This month: 137 (85).
    • This year: 465 (289)
    Post edited by Murph_D on


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,447 ✭✭✭FBOT01


    Jaysus, how quickly you forget.....most of my current injury problems probably stem from carrying you around Trim 10 on more than one occassion. The day you failed to man up and break 63 is probably still your PB😜

    And just FYI I wasn't pacing him, I was only designated driver for this one😁


    ......correction maybe I read your comment wrong first time around and missed the reference to the wind. Can't argue with that one😁



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