The main thing is keeping the main thing, the main thing

Friday: Managed to get out at lunch for a few miles -

4.4m / 8.10 Pace.

Saturday: Moderate paced run + 5x30 secs

As usual on Sat - we had a Mod run - I chose the same route as last week - paces around 7.20/mile.

Finished the 45 mins just by a hill so done the same as last week 5x30sec hill sprints at tempo effort.

7.7m total.

Sunday: Long Session - 20x500@6.30/ 500@7.20

this should have been a bread and butter run - 500m at MP with recoveries shouldn't pose too much of an issue - an added spice to a long run?

Nope - My HR has been high for last few days - a bad sleep on Sat night seen me struggle through this - I had pretty terrible heart burn during this - had this a few years ago prior to been hospitalised - a reminder to go for my check up.

500 at MP came in at 6.27 - just about. / 500 Float was about 7.19 ave -

found this very very tough.

13.6m total.

58.4 miles for the week

By the end of December - me & Swashbuckler will be probably counting our miles to 3 decimal places.

I'm also thinking of doing an ultra marathon on Dec 31st.

16.5 miles is a lot over a month - plus the weather here in Dublin is worse than Limerick, plus, I live in a hilly area, plus I'm older and drink more. - there should be an age grading here!!

This is a silly game (unless I win)

Monday 28th: 5 miles - around the area - 8 min miles.

Tuesday: 4x (200/400/200)

Aim was for 5.30 / 5.50 / 5.20 - made a bit of an arse of it.

5.06 / 5.46 / 5.14

5.22/5.50 / 5.22

5.30 / 5.46 / 5.22

5.14 /5.34 / 5.14

But a nice workout the week of a 5k.

Wednesday: pretty tired today - a little sore from the faster efforts on Tuesday

4.8m / 8.26 pace

Thursday: Was going to take a rest day - but decided to run - 4.9m / 8.05 pace - enjoyed this run.

A lovely trip to the 3Areana to see The Cure was very welcome - they were excellent and Robert Smiths voice is as good as ever. I seen them in the same venue 30 years prior!!

Friday: Body was tired, work was busy - was going to run late - but decided I'd be running for the sake of it - left it.

Saturday: Jingle Bells 5k

The plan for this race was to run sub 17.30- according to my coach. I didn't harbour such thoughts and decided that anything under 17.38 would be a good score (I ran 4-5 5ks' in a row at 17.38 some years back).

Didn't sleep well on Friday night - but up early enough on Sat to get a couple of pancakes into me - noticed that our new'ish puppy had left a pee - so cleaning this up made me a tad late - no time for coffee or 'movements' - this caused me a bit of stress!!

Drove to the PP and the Popes Cross carpark was closed - had to double back to the Visitor Center car park - despite all this - was in decent time for a warm up, strides and drills. But still got caught too far back in this race as lots joined from the front before the off.

I was talking to Sabrina, a Dunboyne runner and mid conversation, the blower goes for the race start!!

Checked my watch after 400m and was running far too fast (5.30's), so settled back, a young lad crashed to the ground early on, probably too far up front.

Kept it going and found a line very quickly, which was surprising for Jingle Bells - for the 1st time in a while I wished my watch worked in KM rather than miles.

Noted my pace was drifting upwards to 5,50's so upped it a tad as we came to the Monument and the 1st left turn. I felt quite comfortable at the pace and at a very early stage knew a decent time was on the cards.

Mile 1 beeped 5.37 and I felt quite good about that, we were halfway up Chesterfield, and I was feeling good and strong, I decided to overtake some people I was hovering around.

I got another good line on C'Field - running unimpeded despite the multitude of runners around me, ahead of me and no doubt, behind me. It really is a fabulous race for the dept and quality of the field.

We turned on the OS road and I felt very good, so started to overtake some people, I was watching the watch and kept seeing 5.3x as current pace - I couldn't quite believe that I was running at that pace in mile 2 in a 5k race with no 5k training behind me, this was unthinkable and made me question a lot of things!!

we came to the end of the OS Road and Mile 2 beeped at 5.34 - I actually didn't register it at the time, just kept going, hoping I could keep this pace up. The next mile was going to be downhill, but it was still a mile and I didn't want to blow up before the finish - that being said, I was passing people at a good rate.

About halfway down the Upper Glen Road (maybe 800m from the finish) - I feel the 1st pangs of hardship in the body - the wind is noticeably against us here - I try to ignore it - this is what 5ks' are about - the fact I feel uncomfortable 2.5m into a 5k race maybe means I didn't go out hard enough.

Coming towards the finish - maybe 400-500m from it - people pass me - I'm feeling that I'm all out and cannot respond, its kinda a good thing and a bod thing.

Good that I may have given so much in the race early on / bad that I dont have a kick for 3 mins of effort.

That being said - mile 3 beeps in 5.32 - I didn't know it at the time - it could have been 5.10 or 5.50.

The last 0.1m is where the largest disappointment is in the race - normally theres a good kick in the last bit of a race, even in a marathon - but today my 0.1m was at 5.40 pace - which is quite disappointing given the pace of my previous 3 miles - at the time I thought I was kicking, but I knew I had more and as I crossed the finish line in 17.23 - I knew I could have given more in the last few hundred meters - I guess this is why 5ks' are a skill.

So - 17.23 - my 2nd fastest 5k ever - and perhaps the most comfortable 5k I've ran under 17.38 - this tells me that I need more 5k practice - more hurt. But I need more confidence. My ave pace per mile was 5.35.

Some time back - running every mile at 6 min/mile pace was a big thing - then it dropped to 5.50, then 5.40, now I need to have the confidence that 5.30 pace might be my pace for 5ks' or faster! The fact that I dont train at these paces is a factor - I dont need to train at 5.30 pace to run 5.30 pace is a big learning for me.

Come summer - I hope to do a few back to back 5k's and really give this a good crack.

5k in 17:23 - 168th place and 10th M50

When I told the Whatsapp group that I'm part off with my coach - (mainly UK athletes) - that 17.23 was 168th - they could not believe it - we've a great running community in Ireland that we dont give enough credit to! At Elite and Hobby Jogger status.

Sunday: met up with my new/old club MSB - (Rejoining in April - next available window) - a lovely 12 or so miles in great company, despite the rain, you really dont mind a drenching in good company.

12.7m / 7.47 pace

43 miles for the week - thought it was good to allow Swashbuckler to regain some of his losses, give him a bit of confidence etc......

Edit: Meant to say - I love this race for the people you meet before, during and after - its a fantastic social event and for someone like me (work from home/train on my own) - this is a fantastic opportunity to (really) talk to people!!

I mentioned something previously about the Raheny 5m finishing straight having a segment - and the difference for me 2 yrs apart was 6-7 secs difference in the home straight alone.

Something similar for JingleBells.

2021 - I ran a PB of 17.20 -

splits were 5.40/5.39/5.26/5.11 pace for last 0.1

Splits 2022 5.37/5.34/5.32/5.39 for last 0.1.

The last 0.1m in 2021 was done in 34 seconds.

The last 0.1m in 2022 was done in 41 seconds.

7 seconds lost because I couldn't sprint harder for half a minute.

you aren'#t wrong - I went back and looked at last years race report - I should have read it on Friday night!!

*******************************************************************

Mile 3: 5.26

5.26!! - I've never ran the last mile in a 5k as my fastest mile - but I felt fantastic and it was downhill, so why not. It was only in the last 0.5m of the race that I considered a PB was on the cards.

My only worry at this stage was that Healy, and my 2 teammates would pass me.

As I approaced the last portion by St Marys - I remember telling Healy about the Strava segment at Raheny and how it can mean a 6 sec difference in your time. I pushed to the max.

*****************************************************************

certainly not confidence and as I say, I have done it in the past and I actually practice it sometimes at the end of tempos or the last bit of the last rep in an interval session.

I think this time wasn't a capability issue, it wasn't over fatigue - it was just one of those things - I thought I was kicking, but knew it wasn't a 'real' kick and didn't have the fortitude to execute it.

As I say - 5k's are a skill and you need to have that ability to hurt and know how to hurt. Everyone can kick for 30 seconds.

Next time I'll kick.

I'm going to give the Marathon stuff a break for a few months - next Marathon will be DCM & then maybe Valencia 5 weeks afterwards.

Currently training for a HM but will race 5m, 10m & 10k in and around it. From March onwards - its 5k/10k till I start the Marathon block in July/Aug.

Work travel permitting - I'll look to do a good number of 5ks - I think I can get my PB down this year.

Quick synopsis of the week:

61 miles last week - which was a great return I think. Probably would have been 8-10 mile lower if not for SB's shenanigans with this mileage thing!! - So Thanks.......motivation tactic is working!

Ran 7 days.

Key Runs were:

Tues: 10x1min on/off + 10x30 secs on/0ff - decent enough- short enough.

Thursday: 15x3mins off 1min float - felt great on this - averaged 6.07 for the ON@S and 7.24 for the OFF's - quite slippy in patches, coupled with the headlamp doesn't make for a pleasent night - but got it done!

13.4m total.

Sat: 45min Moderate (7.20'ish - + 5x30sec hill's at Tempo effort)

Sunday: 16x600 on/off - on: 6.30 / Off: 7.20 - again, quite slippery in places - got tough by the end.

Mon/Wed/Fri all easy runs.

61 for the week. Happy!

Monday 12th: Was meant to be flying to Wales for a work trip....Wales!!.....God be with the days I made it to Singapore. Got out for a few miles before hand - freezing cold and fog everywhere in the PP.

7.15m / 7.55pace (only meant to be 45 mins - but with Swashbuckler around - I need to up my game).

Flight was postponed 4 times - finally we boarded and them after a lenghty wait - it was cancelled at 11pm. (Flight was originally at 4pm).

My 1st text wasn't to my wife, or my boss or those waiting on me in Wales - it was to Mr Buckler to tell him I'd get more miles in this week!!

Tuesday: Bonus Session: 7x2 mins / 7x30secs/4x10secs

Due to my travel plans - all my meetings had been cancelled so Made it out at lunchtime for this - which was a bonus.

2min reps were at 5.40 pace - 30 sec reps a bit faster and the 10 sec reps were nearly all out. - tried to keep the recoveries under 8 min/miles for the most part

with WU/CD - 8.2miles - just under the hour.

Wednesday: 5.5 miles around the locality. 8.22 pace

Thursday: Session - 20x2min (1min float) - this is a build on previous sessions - last weeks 15x3 was at 6.10 pace - this was at 6.00 pace.

2m WU to the PP and set off - was quite slippy in places.

the 1st few reps were ok - the 1st 12 reps were on pace and with good recovery pace - then my headlamp went and the roads started to get very slippy - I could tell that parts of the road that I had run on 10 mins prior - was much more slippy. And it was dark. Not a good receipe - as a result, some of the recoveries suffered as I tried to get a good surface to run on and not risk it on the recoveries. The ice was 1 issue but the darkness was a bigger factor.

Last couple of reps were tough as the legs were feeling the effort as well as the effort of running on the ice at times - I guess you try to stabilise yourself using muscles not normally used.

Overall - delighted to finish the workout - was a tough one mentally & physically.

12.4m total.

Friday: Wasn't going to go out - But knew Noonan was going to go out - so just done 4m recovery plod.

Saturday: I'm changing my week around slightly - sessions Mon/Wed from here in and long run on Sat - this allows me to run with my MSB colleagues on Sundays for a bit.

This weeks run was 90mins at 7.30 with a 1min surge every 15 mins. - Piece of cake I thought as I hit the 1st mile in 7.38.

1st few miles were fine - then parts of the park (lower North Road) were unrunnable, bringing me to a walking pace at times. The legs were sore too - probably from all the running on ice over the last few days and bringing this long run in 1 day early didn't help.

Overall - not a pleasant run - tired sore legs - but finished it out.

12m / 7.32 pace

Sunday: I think I'm going to like my Sunday runs. No time pressure, so can do whatever and will be with company.

A nice run today - just under 7 miles, wondering if Paul would get out to do something longer later in the day - he did!

6.9/8.20 pace

56 miles for the week. - just checked and seen that I've taken 1 day off in 5 weeks!!

Monday: Session: 8x2mins / 8x30secs / 4x10 secs

2 mins at 5.40 pace: averaged about that - some faster, some slower - didn't get too caught up in it.

30 secs was meant to be faster - fine - no bother - but ti was getting difficult to keep the recoveries 'honest'.

Finally - 4x10 secs - which is a controlled sprint - neuro muscular - using the arms as much as the legs.

Overall 10 miles - a good session. (Done a version of this session last week 7 reps of each - but only 8.2 miles in length - amazing what a bit of competitive banter does.

Tuesday: Managed to get out just after 4 - still in daylight and done an hour - down to the PP and back.

Would normally have done 4-5 miles - but you know............Noonan..............with his "look at me running all these miles" - not 1 min of intensity in those miles - my granny could do that, and she's been dead for 20 years.

I mean - I'm nearly Noonans fathers age. And there's not 1 bit of consideration for the sessions I'm doing - I think the guys trying to break me.

ahem........ 7 miles total.

Wait till you see my Emi Martinez routine next week.

Where was I? What day is it? Are those my feet?

Wed 21st: Session: 20(20secs at 10k / 1min off/ 1min@MP/ 1min off)

This is the start of a series of sessions that start off 'light' and increases in distance for the 10k portion and the MP portion. On paper it looked pretty light - so I assumed (incorrectly) that the recoveries were at 'steady pace'.

Done this in the dark in the PP and found it incredibly tough, especially towards the end - I know know that trying to keep the recoveries 'Steady' as opposed to 'Easy' would have made the quality of the efforts much better. I was wrecked afterwards - the quickening and slowing of the paces is a bit of a mind fcuk and I was forgetting which rep I was on a few times.

Got it done and finished about 0.2m from my house - but walked it home - I may rue that missed 0.2m come the end of the year!!

Thursday 22nd: 7 miles down to the park and back. Legs a bit tired but wanted to hit the mileage as I knew SB would be doing 10.

Friday 23rd: 45min Steady / 1m@7.30/ 1m@6.50

Another one from my coach - the intention being to tire the legs for the long run on Sat.

Steady worked out about 7.10-7.15 and the last mile pick up is a welcome addition to these runs.

Total with WU/CD was 10m

Saturday 24th: Didn't do the planned session (45 at 7.30/ 45at7.00) as was meeting people for a run (at 8am 😴 ) . I had also left my car down at the Straw Hall on Fri night - so had to pick it up.

Legs were very tired and I was very hungover - so the company was very welcome.

Tried and failed to increase the pace once my buddies left.

13.5m at 7.38

Sunday 25th: I've never ran on Christmas day before - and as I was cooking for 8 people - I didn't think I'd get the chance to run - but a window presented itself and I got out for 30 mins.

Legs were very tired and dont think I could have done much more.

3.7m / 8.24 pace

Monday 26th: Session - 20x200 (1min Steady Recovery)

Out early enough for this (10:30am) in order to catch the Spurs match at 12:30.

Planned pace for the 200's was 5.30 with recoveries being 7.20-7.30'ish - just keep them steady to keep the HR up.

Came in at 5.31 for the 200's and 7.30 for the recoveries. Tough enough session as it was a tad windy in places.

8.7m at 7.06 pace ave.

Tuesday 27th: Was out again on Monday night - so very tired again on Tuesday morning. I was going to do 4 or 5 - but the motivation to run more is quite high recently :) - In town on Tuesday night - session planned for Wednesday. Didn't help by downing the half bottle of wine when I got home.

8.25m / 8.14 pace

Wed 28th: Session 15 Steady/30 at 6.10 / 15 Steady

I knew this was going to be tough - tiredness and quite a blustery day aren't ideal conditions for this - coupled with my high alcohol levels and bad sleep.....uuugghhh!

Set off on a warm up and noted a stitch after a mile or so - didn't think anything of it and started the 15 mins steady which passed off quite handily at 7.25's - still noted the stitch.

The 30min tempo started going up Chesterfield and I had to stop again after a mile due to the stitch and going against the breeze. Got going again and coming back around the 2m loop by the Aras - I had to stop again as the wind was making the effort unsustainable and the stitch was worse. Got going again and went back up Chesterfield and then didn't bother turning towards the Aras again - just went straight down North Road - I more stop to help the stitch (as the wind was back in my face as the North Road turned by Garda HQ) and got going again - finishing across from the monument.

Each stop was about 15-20 secs, no more, so I dont think I compromised the session - pace was just over 6.10 per mile.

The 15min Steady was uphill to the top of the Upper Glen Road - the stitch was crying at me again.

Took it handy on the cooldown home.

Total was 13 miles.

Crossed over 2600 miles for the year during this run.

The little competition with Noonan will be to the wire! Might even have to run twice on NYE.