Is it Now?

Sun 17 miles WW Tinahely to Clonegal. in 2:35

Dropped a car at Clonegal early, then headed back with SJ to meet Krusty, who was a bit stiff getting out of the car. Understandable, having run 59:30 for the 10 mile race yesterday! The pace was good and easy, we ran without issue until the Dying Cow, where we met the first hill. Slogged up it, Then enjoy the downhill to Kilquiggan, and cross the road to Boley. I wasn't feeling to great in the legs, very little energy on the climbs. Up the dreaded Corornary Hill, and into the forest. I started to drop behind the lads a bit at this stage, was finding it a bit of a struggle. Thankfully, I didn'r drop too far behind, because I was soon hailing back the two amigos, who had missed an obscure turn for the WW. Down a fast grassy track, this was the first time I've been able to run downhills in ages, without jarring knee pain. Delighted with these shoes, I am!

I had stashed some iso drink, so at the pit stop I told the lads to go on, I would skip a 3k forest section, and run on the road instead. Popped a gel here too, and after about 10 mins or so I was feeling much stronger. The legs were tired, breathing was laboured, but I felt like I had a bit of power again, so started running stronger for the final 7k to Clonegal. Its net downhill, on backroads, so I stretched the pace slightly. This made the running harder (I wanted to stop), but this part is the real benefit of the LSR's, fighting through a bit of pain on the final miles. I was gasping when I finally hit the WW sign in Clonegal (I can only imagine how good that sign looks to the guys who run the whole thing!), and lay on the welcoming grass. The two lads came in a bit after, having run about 3k longer, with extra climb.

First LSR done of the program, I'm happy with how it went. I was bonking a bit during the middle, but managed to pick it up nicely towards the end.

(ps, shoes are still as white as the virgin snow )

donothoponpop wrote: »

Now that my knees are back to normal,

I spoke too soon, started to experience more pain than was healthy, so I took a few days off. This co-incided with a very busy workload, one which will only increase over the short-term, so I'm going to have to re-evaluate if I have the time to put into another sub-3 training cycle. My head and heart say I don't, but we'll see what transpires. Either way, I'll still line up for Dublin, for the craic, if not for the crack at sub 3.

The crappy side of training: hearing a calf muscle twang 1 mile into a very slow recovery run, after coming back three days from a dodgy knee injury.

The joyous side of running: tentatively testing the fortnight-rested calf on a forest downhill, and feeling no reaction as I run at the limit of what I'd consider safe. Then hearing Mr. Downhill gaining rapidly (albeit wearing his clunky snow-boots), so gravity gets embraced, up the pace to sprinting downhill, crashing through the trees, branches snapped on all sides, leaps over felled trunks become part of the stride, nothing to lose, a rush of adrenaline, this is what it feels to be alive and living in the moment.

Thurs 3 miles hill trails

Up in the forest, first time doing any sort of elevation in a while, legs didn't complain too much, which I'm taking as a good sign. Have to come back into form slowly at my age.

Which leads me onto an email a mate sent me. He saw I was back running, reckons I'd be nuts to pace a marathon off an injury. I'm struggling to find the words to disagree.

Fri 3 miles steady, 1 mile warmdown.

Nice cool evening, tested the calf a bit for response. Three miles at 7:30 pace, thats what feels fast these days. I can really feel the blubber I'm carrying, there's just so much momentum when I pump the upper body. Anyway, no problems with the calf. Stretching after each run seems to be helping a lot.

Sat 7 miles (half trail, half barefoot)

While the young lad was doing rugby training, I took off for a peek at Mick's new trail, which runs adjacent to the pitches. It's a handy loop to have on your back door, that's its huge benefit to him. But I have to say, I ain't a big fan of that compacted gravel surface, and the surrounding are a bit monotonous (Sitka Spruce). Goes to show how spoilt for choice we are around these parts that I have such complaints:) Still, there's a decent stretch of a climb, which would be great for hill repeats. Knees were jarring a bit, circa 9:15/mile pace.

Back at the pitch, I dumped the shoes in that car, and did loops of the pitches in socks. It felt great, pace, form, jarring, were all better, and my legs feel like they've been through a massage right now. Great stretch in the achilles. Circa 8:30 pace.

Sun 5k hill hike

Took the kids up to Black Hill, I wanted to see what the trail up was like. It's very corroded and rocky, I can only imagine how dodgy it will be if there is ice on the night. The summit and beyond is very wet, will be a tough slog from here to past Billy Byrne's.

Met one of the should-be podium finishers just ending his recce, so had a chat with him about route choices around Art's Cross area.

Mon 31st Oct 11 miles, steady, truncated.

After a few nondescript runs last week, I felt I had a solid enough few days training. The knee still pains; I'm resolved to the fact that it will continue to do so, until I lose weight. I still had it in the back of my mind to pace a slow marathon, and even collected my number at the Expo, "just in case". The mind needed to trump the heart on this one, so I made certain that there would be no pacing for me, met a mate for a rake of pints, and crawled back to the hotel at 2:30am. Woke a few hours later, had a huge fry up breakfast, and met the real pacers to give out numbers etc. Good crack before the race, everyone was in a good mood, and I think I was still half cut from the night before.

Jogged down to Stephen's Green to meet kiwirunner, who had planned out a route we could run, and take in the front of the race, at four different points. So we first ran to NCR/Phoenix Park gate. You could have bottled the sweat from me, and called it porter. Managed to run the few miles, and watched the first two pace bands go by. Next, on to Dolphin's Barn, where we waited a while until the front runners came by. Very hard to tell the Kenyan's apart, the only distinguishing features seemed to be their height. The front runner bounded by, all legs. After an initial flurry, there was quite a large gap until the next "wave" of runners started to come by. I'd imaging these were those finishing in 2:25 or so. The gap between the professional Kenyan's, and the amateur club runners, is staggering.

The next stop was Milltown, so a trek through Rathmines. I'm not used to urban running, and it was quite novel to be running past the hung-over detritus of the night before, having been part of them a few short hours ago. Saw Pronator, followed soon by Abhainn, both looking strong coming down the hill. We went on a bit, and soon the sub3 pacers came by. They were doing a great job, still had their balloons (and the balloons are just brilliant to get the spectators cheering). Earlyevening had a look of a man determined to stick with these guys, he was running well. Unfortunately not so for Slogger Jogger, who was about 10 meters behind the pacers. In my gut I knew this wasn't a good sign, and encouraged him to stay on. Wasn't to be, more's the pity for him. This is the spot I blew up on last year, and I well remember the lonely torturous crawl to the finish. It doesn't feel great now, but rest assured mate, the fact that you didn't DNF will stand to you the next time you attempt a sub3.

From there we ran down to mile 24. This is a great place to spectate, so much is told of the runners stories at this point. Pronator and Abhainn were putting the finishing touches to their day, still racing, still picking off runners ahead. I got chatting to a girl who was waiting for her brother, going for sub 2:50. He was on course, turned the corner, she cheered him... and the poor guy slowed to a painful walk, he looked in agony. she screamed encouragement at him, and he forced himself to start running again. So many stories like this. I waited for the sub 3 pacers, saw EE looking good, no SJ. Waited a few minutes, and I figured it was a lost cause. Ran back to the hotel, 11 miles in total, a great way to observe the marathon.