Woddle wrote: » Well done Figs, brave man, I wouldn't have had the guts myself with the weather and small field, I actually pulled out of my 5k race today as it was too windy (and other reasons) I'm half thinking of adding a few of the Wednesday races to my training, replace the tempo run, looking at Prince William, Corrig and Scalp as there short enough, will you be doing any of them.
Slogger Jogger wrote: » Nice report figs. I look forward to meeting you properly the next time. I arrived late-ish and had to head off immediately today.
donothoponpop wrote: » Great report figs, and good to meet you today. You know, as I read your report, memories of last years race came back to me. It was my first Ballybraid, and like you I walked some of the initial fireroad, as well as the Derrybawn Ridge. However, those great downhills are what you remember, and I daresay you'll have a years great memories from now until next years fixture.
figs wrote: » Note: A report I wrote the day after the race, and shows how bad I felt after. I've calmed down a bit since! It didn't go well for me... We had arrived in Achill late on Thursday night. After a very long day, I couldn’t sleep properly, so was very tired on Friday. Unfortunately, had an early start on Friday (toddlers take no prisoners!), so didn’t get a lie-in I so badly wanted. Got to registration on Friday afternoon, but skipped my planned short run due to tiredness. The registration pack was poor to say the least. The T-shirt was okay, but aside from a Snickers and a Nutri-grain bar, there was nothing else worthwhile. I'd really like to know how much they donated to charity. The weather was certainly cooperating when I woke up on Saturday morning. The sun was trying to break through the clouds, although there was a stiffening breeze as the morning progressed. I was finding it hard to motivate myself. I wasn’t nervous. I wasn’t excited. I was tired. I just didn’t feel like going for a run, even a slow run, let alone a fast paced 13.1 miles. Nonetheless, I had no choice. I was here, and this was race day. I perked up a bit about the start line, but still wasn’t buzzing with pre-race excitement. The delay on the start annoyed me. We were called at 10:48, but held until 11:15. The pipe band mis-interpreted the polite clapping for an encore, and promptly started up again. It was 11:10. After a few minutes of bagpipes, someone took the mic, but we couldn’t hear the starter who prattled on about something for way too long. Eventually, after some more polite applause, the race got underway at 11:15. I planned on a sub-1:40, which meant running 7:40 pace for the race. Miles 2 to 4 were up a steep hill, so I wanted to bank some time early to accommodate it. My first miles were comfortable enough, and made it to mile four miles on target. The weather was being kind. There was a short spell of rain to keep us cool, but for the most part, it was dry with sunny spells. The only shortcoming was a stiff cross wind that was for the most-part a hindrance. There was a short downhill section, and a few rolling hills for miles 4 to 7, and I kept a steady pace, but something was wrong. My legs felt heavy. They just felt leaden. There was no spring in my step. I was just plodding. Even the downhill was a plod. Usually I can lengthen my stride and flow with the gradient. Today there was nothing. I tried to catch a big guy in front so I could run in his slipstream and save me some effort against a stiff breeze. I couldn’t bridge the gap. I probably wasn’t more than 20 metres. Things weren’t going well, and I wasn’t happy. At 6.5 miles, a chap with a broad northern accent, caught up and was running beside me. He chirped up a comment about being halfway by now, to which I grunted a reply, “Yep”. He tried to engage in a conversation, but it was going to be a one-sided one! I was in a fowl mood. Grunts and silence were my answers. He soon ran ahead. I could hear another runner’s race number flapping in the wind as it was not attached properly. This also started to annoy me! I was very irritable! My pace had slowed by now, and was being frequently overtaken. This didn’t help, but I was just telling myself to run my own race. As we approached 8 miles, I was (thankfully – for everyone else’s benefit) running on my own. We hit a big hill out of Dugort, and my legs were gone. I was running at 10:30 pace climbing the hill. Ususally I would be doing 8:30 at the slowest. I was gone, physically and mentally. I was being overtaken by the entire field at this stage (at least that’s what it felt like). I wanted to quit. But I wouldn’t. I don’t do that. I knew I could get around at a slow jog if that be the case. The distance wasn’t a problem, but there was no speed in the legs. The hill sapped me. I was drained. Mile 9 was at the top of the hill. Four to go. I was trying to get the legs moving again, but they weren’t responding. I couldn’t go faster than 8:30. I reached 10 miles in 76 mins. I knew I had to run three 8:00 min/miles to be sub-1:40. But I just couldn’t do it. 8:30 was all my legs were allowing me to run. I came home in 1:41:10, just outside my goal. I was disappointed, and annoyed. My preparation wasn’t ideal. I’d been sick the week before. I hadn’t run a huge amount in the week in the lead-up. But I was confident I could run inside 1:40. I was annoyed that my legs failed me, and I was annoyed that I cracked mentally. I just didn’t enjoy the race. Race stats: 1 - 6:45 2 - 7:02 3 - 7:43 4 - 7:18 5 - 7:03 6 - 7:07 7 - 7:34 8 - 7:45 9 - 7:47 10 - 9:00 11 - 8:13 12 - 8:44 13 - 8:12 13.1 - 6:36
figs wrote: » Thanks ecoli. I wrote that report the day after the race, and I was still feeling annoyed with myself. Having considered it with a clear head, it's obvious I did go out too fast, and blew up a bit towards the end. I think my preparation wasn't perfect either, and had I got that right, I could have held the pace a bit towards the end. Given that it was a tough course too, I can't be too unhappy. Those hills were hard. Besides, it gives me a chance to go sub-1:40 in the Dublin half in September... although I'd like to be looking at a sub-1:37 there (Am I being unrealistic - that's 4 mins in 2 months!). I went through 10 miles in 76mins. If I could manage 73ish for the Frank Duffy10 in August I'd be delighted. That would be 10 minutes faster than my time last year. Nothing like a bit of ambition! Wk 4.5 - Rest day
