Dream big, work hard, achieve your goals - My DCM '19 Journey

Mon 13th - Rest

Tues 14th, 15th & 16th - Easy

Fri 17th - Rest - Girls trip to Portugal😁

Sat 18th - Easy miles in the Sun

Sun 19th - Easy miles along the beach, absolutely stunning!

Mon 20th - Rest

Tues 21st - EIM 10*400's

Weds 22nd - EIM 4*1K

Thurs 23rd - Easy

Fri 24th - Rest

Sat 25th - A little shakeout with strides!

Dunboyne 10k - PB Chip time 41:40 😃

I wasn't to sure when I booked this what I was going to expect from it? I hadn't much experience running 10k races, my last 10k time to even go by was a TT in 2020 in the PP where I ran 43:28 so getting a PB was quite a soft option. I was in Portugal with the girls the week before & really wanted to enjoy that so I honestly didn't think too much about it!

The clocks went forward on the Sat night/Sun morning. I had to be out in Swords before the race for an appointment for my daughter at 10 & was hoping we wouldn't be too long so that I wasn't stressed getting to the race, if the appointment had went on I was happy enough just to let the race go! The appointment wasn't too long so we actually got to Dunboyne Primary school in plenty of time. I headed to the start & my OH & daughter headed back to get a coffee & cake. I warmed up & seen D for the 1st time, then I ran into a few friends from work. They are only starting out racing & are always telling me how fast I am, so as they were queuing for the portaloo they started shouting over to me, Elaine Dec to win woo hoo, everyone was in stiches laughing, myself included. D then appeared & I said best of luck to the girls & off myself & D went to try get a place near the top. It was very congested, we were weaving in & out of people until we couldn't go any further! D seen me looking at my watch & joked I hope that's on 100% with a wink, the man beside laughed! (I never understand how anyone can have a low battery going into a race!!)

That was it we were off, Myself & D again weaved around people to try get moving properly, once I was going this felt good. D had asked my goal before, I had said I wasn't really sure, had checked a prediction calendar off my half time so it suggested around 41:30, I thought that was a bit fast myself so decided to aim for about 4:10 average per km. I was hoping it wouldn't be too fast & I could hold it for the race, the 1st few KM's came in at 4:07,4:08,4:07,4:12 & the 5th at 4:05. I knew it was a bit too fast but I didn't really have a lot to lose or prove in this race so I just tried to stay consistent. I felt I was running strongly so just went with it. I ran with D for a fair bit of the race, kinda taking turns passing each other or running along side each other. Got a lovely shout out from my OH & daughter early on which was really nice. There was a chap infront of me & D with a cap on at one stage & D pointed said to stick with him.

As the race went on it really felt like the km's were flying by as I always run races in miles! This felt good, I was ticking them off in my head as I went by & the markers were pretty spot on. I felt like I was slowing a bit which was ok as my average was in around where I wanted it to be. I started running past a few men who I had seen on & off for most of the race, it felt good. At one stage I think I was leading a group of maybe 4 or 5 so defo doing my bit(not that I'd shield much wind🤣) I moved on & still felt good, remember thinking right km 8 is just ahead, almost there. Last KM's came in at 4:09,4:12,4:16,4:13 & 4:04. I started suffering a bit towards km 9 & the chap with the cap was just ahead before we turned for the track. A volunteer shouted keep going almost there, to which I said I can't, I'm fooked, the chap in the cap shouted back, no you're not c'mon don't give up! Right Crazy legs let's finish this I thought, turning onto the track was great as there was lot's of support which really helped! Not the usual kick I have but I tried to run as fast as my little legs would carry me! Over the line with a lovely PB time which despite what my face said(as per A), I was absolutely thrilled!! Such a strong race & an amazing feeling to know I literally had no expectations doing this so to run as well as I did is just the icing on the cake! D came in just after me & I was thrilled for him also getting a PB, good day at the office! Had some chats with A, C & D then a couple of women came over to me & told me I ran a great race, this was really nice & humbling as I didn't know them. The spread afterwards was very impressive, so much food & tea, coffee etc all free. Have to say I really enjoyed this race & will defo be back next year! Overall a really nice day out & absolutely thrilled with my performance!

My plan now is to dive into some 5k training with Leixlip booked as my target race, I will be in the F45 category for this as it's my birthday the day before so hopefully I can put in a really good performance😉

Big huge well done to all who raced yesterday!

Aww D thanks so much, you're making me blush 😊 you are a calming influence on me🤗

Cheers A & C, really happy with how it went & great chatting to you both! Only remembered now C but my daughter said it was like an episode from friends that you went for a handshake & I just automatically hugged, she was in stiches laughing 🤣🤣

Thank you😊

Thanks a mill E, yeah it's not a distance I've ran much at all so really happy with how it went. Every now & then I think about it then I think sure I'm happy doing what I'm doing. I run mostly at lunchtime so not sure I'd ever be around to train with them but maybe some day🙂

5k specific training 😎

Given the choice of what to do next this is what I chose! My target race will be Leixlip on the 19th of May where I will be running in a new age category of O45 with it being my birthday the day before! So what exactly do I want from this block of training??? The obvious answer is a shiny new PB having successfully gotten myself my elusive sub 20mins (19:33 to be exact) last year. The obvious goal would be to try improve on this but as we all know some things just don't go to plan! I haven't ran sub 20 since achieving this last year (not that I have ran many 5ks) so to know I can do it again will be great. At the moment the things I know for sure, which have been proven in my recent races, is that I have gained some kind of race confidence & I just feel more relaxed going into my races, this is great, I finally feel like I actually know what I'm doing. After a discussion with S it made sense, before I was worrying about everything BEFORE the race, way too much going on in my head but now I manage it all in the moment IN the race. Anyway my immediate aim is to put in a strong, consistent block of training then hopefully reap the rewards😉

Week 1

Mon 27th - Recovery miles

Some easy miles around the block at lunchtime.

Tues 28th - 45mins Easy

Weather wasn't great for this but just got it over & done with at lunchtime.

Weds 29th - W/U, 8*2.5MINS@5K pace off 90secs, C/d

WFH on Weds so I headed over to the usual loop. Was a little nervous about doing these as it was a fair bit zippier than my training of late. Was the afternoon before I got out for these, so amazing having the bright evenings back. Settled into a nice rhythm but there's a section about 200m or so that goes slightly uphill & into the wind so always tried to adjust accordingly here. The reps came in at 6:20,6:22, 6:19,06:22, 6:21,6:22, 6:22 & 6:24. Fairly happy with this, was tough but enjoyable. Met a man I have ran a few times with so he joined me for my cooldown which was nice. My legs really felt this later that evening, looking for sympathy I told S to which he replied, well you have been flaffing around for the past few months😂 That was me told!!

Thurs 30th - 45 mins easy

A nice little plod before a few drinks & food heading to see Ed Sheeran😃

Fri 31st - 60mins easy

Was expecting this to be a bit rough as I drank a fair bit the night before but I really enjoyed it & the legs felt great.

Sat 1st of April - 50mins including 8:45sec hills, jog rec

Headed to my usual spot for the hill reps, enjoyed pushing myself a little faster than 5k pace, concentrating on pumping my arms as hard as my legs.

Sun 2nd - 80mins meet up run in the PP

Meet S & D in the carpark to join D, C, P & K who had started their run earlier. D was in the driving seat with a route mapped out but a few wrong turns were taken😉 Some interesting chats which resulted in D saying Sheep outloud & a poor woman on the path getting a fright, think she may have thought he was shouting beep! Lot's of laughs especially running through the lovely muck on the trails with C wearing his brand new WHITE runners😲 I cried inside for him!! Really great to have company on these runs every few weeks, they really do fly by. Anyone thinking of joining in should come along, always tea/coffee & cake afterwards too😋

39.1 Miles for the week

Week 4

Mon 17th - 30mins easy

Tues 18th - 10 * 300m @6.05/10 off 200

Nice bit of speed on a lovely evening

Weds 19th - 35mins easy

Thurs 20th - 9*10 sec steep hills with 2.30mins full recovery

Set off after work into the PP to do these. Again I enjoyed these & even nicer with the sun shining.

Fri 21st - Rest

Sat 22nd - Shakeout with some strides

Sun 23rd - St Andrews AC 5k race - 21:30

S had given me the option of a race, TT or parkrun for this so I decided on a race. The instructions were to run it as a hard effort training run. I arrived early on a lovely morning. Set off for a warm up & just didn't feel great, not sick just a bit off but fine to run. Lined up at the start which was in the GAA grounds. A nice crowd but a good bit smaller than most races I've done. There was a 5k & 10k race going on at the same time. Off we went, the roads weren't closed so we were advised to run on the paths as much as possible. I don't remember each k, this was definitely a blur for me. It was one of the strangest courses I've ever run. Across roads onto paths, through estates, up laneways, through a small park then back to the club. It felt quite hilly & just felt tough enough, I ran the 1st k too fast & defo suffered for that. I decided to just keep it at a hard effort, then I spotted two women ahead of me towards the finish so I decided to try get to them, I was just level with them when they continued on around the round about, they were doing the 10k. I turned into the Gaa club & was delighted to see the finish, I crossed the line when a man came over to me telling me I was the 3rd woman over the line! I was shocked & surprised as my time wasn't near my best but very happy to finally have a podium spot & getting a prize too, this was it I was finally living the high life of an athlete 🤑😉 Turns out the race measured long, these things happen!

Week 5

Mon 24th - 35 mins easy

Tues 25th - 5*3:45@5k pace off 200

Did this after work & felt like all the correct efforts were there. The reps came in at 6:20,6:22,6:23,6:26,6:26.

Weds 26th - 45mins easy

Thurs 27th - 60mins with 25@6:55/7

Enjoyed this

Fri 28th - Rest

Sat 29th - 6*2min hillsprints @5k pace

Was out for leaving drinks last night so held off on this for a while. Set off out to the PP & again the weather was lovely. Did these up the Khyber hill, 1st few felt good then they started to get tougher. It was quite busy so I had some lovely comments from people as I went up & down the hill! Then as I was dying on the last one I seen AMK walking his dog, I told him what I was doing as I passed by & he laughed, then on my recovery back down he said are ye only on your 3rd one? I said fook no that was my last one & I think I'm gonna die, a few people around laughed(glad my misery was amusing🤣) Was never so happy to finish hillsprints!!

Sun 30th - Sunday miles - 90mins

A lovely Sunday morning run around Tallaght even stopping off for a little chat with my da💛

Mon 1st May - 45mins easy

Met S in the PP for a lovely run, park was packed as the weather was fab again🤗

Thanks a mill for the support ladies 🤗

Haha thanks a mill😊