Send in the Clowns - BAC 10K Challenge

Thursday: 4.5 + 5.5 easy miles
Friday: 6 easy miles with core stuff

Saturday: Athlone Half Marathon.
I made a decision three days previously, that the marathon training session (4 x 2 miles @Threshold) was more important than the half marathon goal and it probably cost me some vital seconds, but you make your choices and you can't justifiably have any regrets. The race itself was really great. I'm not a very competitive person, so when I participate in a race full of friends and familiar faces it makes for a better race experience for me. I really don't have that killer race instinct.

I lined up about 150 people back from the start, so as the gun went, I found myself having a slow start, which suited the plan. I ran a bit with Dr Quirky, before pushing past a group or two and encountering cwgatlin, who I hadn't seen since Dublin last year. His goal was similar enough to mine, so I kind of hoped we could work together through he rougher parts of the race. Occasionally, Tunguska would join us and push on, and I'd jump in behind him and we'd push past another group or two, like a game of leap-frog. Eventually Tunguska seemed to wake up and went past us like he'd just shot the sheriff (but he didn't shoot no deputy). Tempted as I was to go pegging it after him, it wouldn't have been wise as the gap between our paces is just too great, even though he's on the path to recovery. So myself and cwgatlin wound our way around the country roads until there were no more runners to pass.

There was a group of around 6 runners up ahead, and I figured that a successful race outcome lay in catching that group. I'd shared my plan with cw, but he had fallen slightly behind, so I just dug-in and made it my goal to gradually close on that group. This meant trying to work into the slight head-wind up a gradual drag on my own and for the next mile or two, I just didn't seem to be making any progress; they just didn't seem to be getting any closer.

Finally after 7 miles, we were hitting the sharpest and most exposed part of the drag, and I started to make ground on the group. It was a risky strategy as I was working beyond threshold pace, but I figured if I just caught them, I could hang out of the back and let them drag me around for a few miles. Eventually I caught them, and with a sigh of relief I tucked into the back of the group. Only, as soon as I caught them, they parted like the Red Sea and a few seconds later, my pace pushed me through and past the group. Grumble, grumble.. As I arrived at the front, I recognized a runner that I had known some 12 years previously in a working capacity (at which time I wouldn't imagine either of us were runners). I hadn't spoken to him in 10-12 years, but strangely we had run about two miles together during Dublin marathon last year, and I only identified him from the photographs afterwards.

'Paddy' I said to him, as I drew level at the front of the group. 'Gary' he responded, as if meeting in these circumstances after 12 years was the most normal thing in the world. We chatted between gasps of air, as together we pushed past the rest of the group. One of the runners tried to cling to us, but gradually the gap widened until we had left the entire group behind. Paddy had a similar goal to my own, and was glad to move on from the group that had started to suffer and slow, so together we worked onwards. He was monitoring the splits more closely than I was, and at one point mentioned that we were slipping out of contention for a 75:xx time, but picking up the pace on the long drag into the slightest of headwinds was not easily done.

Finally we hit the main road and running was a little easier on the even surface. We were occasionally picking off runners, but they were largely marathoners or 'self-imploded' halfers. Occasionally we'd pass a half marathon who would try to tuck in behind, but inevitably fall of f the pace having earlier blown their load. :eek:

We hit the 10 mile mark in 57:50, which if I'd known it during the race would have been a cause for celebration, being just 30 seconds off my PB for the distance. We were back on the turf roads, and I was beginning to tire. Still, I was chasing Paddy, or he was chasing me, and we made good progress. After 11.5 miles we hit another turn, and we were back on the road towards the finish. While earlier, as we ran out this road in the opposite direction it had felt uphill, this time heading in the opposite direction, it still remained impossibly uphill. I had been building up some hope over the previous 10 miles that eventually we'd hit a stretch of road that felt distinctly downhill and easy, so when it didn't come, I started to feel quite uncomfortable. The pace wasn't dropping, and miles were flitting by in 5:48, 5:46, 5:46, but I was beginning to feel the strain.

With 800m to go, I looked at the watch which showed an average pace of 5:47. I flicked through the fields, to see if there was an elapsed time, but there was none. I thought I was safe for the target, so when Paddy started to kick for home, I was happy enough to leave him off and slightly pick up the pace. As I rounded the corner and saw the clock my heart fell. 1:16:00. I accelerated as much as I could, but the damage was done. Paddy got a chip-time of 1:15:59, and I crossed the finish line maybe 10 seconds later, with a chip time of 1:16:04. If I'd only had the mental strength and energy to stay with him, I'd have hit one of my big goals of recent years, and might never again have to face the prospect of running another half-marathon! But, you make your choices and I don't have any regrets. Did that tough training run just three days earlier have a negative impact? Yeah, most probably, but my running since that small training victory has been really solid, so ultimately, it was the right thing to do. Two PBs in 7 days is nothing to be sneezed at either, so finally things are pointing in the right direction for Dublin. Wrapped up another few miles afterwards with the lads, for 18.5 miles for the day.

Summary: 18 Miles, with 13.1 miles in 1:16:04

TRR wrote: »

Thank you. Mr pedantic (KC) pointed out to me before that a 10 mile run was too long for a recovery run On the topic of being pedantic, your punctuation is shocking ecoli, it's you're (as in, "you are") not your (as in "that belongs to you"). Fecking school kids of today

KC, your OCD is your strongest asset but it is also your weakest asset but if you can get away with it then feck it. By the way I won't make it down to Moone next weekend. I'm going to do Kilcock the following week.

I think your missing a few full-stops yourself their, mister pedantic. Shame about Moone. Would've been a bit of craic, while chucking out the six minute miles.

I guess it would more appropriately have been described as a 20 mile recovery-paced run. What's kind of interesting is that not only did I get away with it, I think it did me a hell of as lot of good, as I've had a super week of training since. Perhaps there's some value to the P&D long run the day after a race (but I don't think they had a half marathon in mind).

Monday: 11 miles easy + 6 miles recovery
It's always a positive sign when I head out to do a few miles and end up doing a few more, particularly in a tough week. Even the horrendous sheets of rain and blustery conditions didn't send me back to work early. The second outing in Shanganagh Park after too many hours in the office, complete with head-torch and multiple layers wasn't quite as welcome, but gotta get the miles done when I can.
Summary: 11 + 6 miles

Tuesday: 10 miles easy
Yuck. Legs feeling surprisingly spritely, but weather conditions doing nothing for the mood. Headed out to Nutgrove on an errand along the nice river paths from Dundrum. Easy pace naturally picking up a little (7:14/mile).

Wednesday: JDA: 2 x 20mins Threshold
Would've like to leave another day between the hectic weekend and the session, but not a luxury I could afford this week. Session went better than I could've hoped. Before I started, I was considering keeping it to 3 miles. As I started, I figured I could manage 5k. Threshold pace felt comfortable, so I figured I'd last the full 20 minutes. In the end, I went over to complete the 14th lap and felt pretty good. 20 minutes easy, and I hit the second threshold section. A little tougher than the first, but still pretty manageable. Again I stretched it out to complete the full 14 laps.
Threshold 1: 3.5 miles (5600m) in 20:08.6 @5:44/mile
Threshold 2: 3.5 miles (5600m) in 20:08.8 @5:44/mile
Total: 16 miles @6:40/mile

Thursday: Early morning 8 mile recovery run
Had to get out before work, so a stiff and uncomfortable 8 miles around the park in Shanganagh, @8 minute/mile

Friday: 11 miles easy
Wrecked.com after the craziness, but after a really good but long work week, I just wanted to get out there and run. As soon as the work day finally finished, I switched into the run gear and headed out the door in the direction of home. Plan was an easy 8 miles, but as I neared home, I was feeling so good and enjoying the run so much, I turned around and headed back towards work (where I'd left my bike and stuff). Legs were feeling magic, everything was great. As I ran past the pitches in Stepaside a car turned right in front of me, and as it passed, one of the passengers rolled down the window and shouted out 'w@nker'. Kind of spoiled the mood a little, so uncharacteristically, I turn around and ran after them, as they pulled into a car-park (gobsh1tes!). I stood behind their car as they tried to reverse into their parking spot so they had to pull up, I walked around to the passenger window and knocked. Two windows rolled down, but the adult and three teenagers were now surprisingly pretty silent. I calmly explained that there was no need for the abuse and that I didn't have to take it. After some brief denials, I got a whispered apology, before I headed on my way, silently and invisibly pumping my fists in the air. Could this run get any better?! A couple of fast miles later, I was back at work, with a big smile on my face.
Summary: 11 miles @6:58/mile

Saturday: 18 miles steady
Met up with one of the club lads and headed out for a steady long run, to hit the week's mileage target. Initial climb up to Kilternan was tough, but after that we were ticking off some fast miles, chatting away. A bit of unexpected heat and humidity and we stopped off for a much needed drink, before winding our way through the parks back to Shankill. Solid end to a bloody good week of training. Mileage is all downhill from here too. Now, if only the Dubs can keep the mood going...
Summary: 18 miles in 2:03, @6:53/mile

menoscemo wrote: »

That was me!! You were really thumping it up that hill, Nice tan BTW
Looks like you passed Clarlara's ranch there too. Maybe it was her sister giving you abuse outside the local school

Haha... Thought I got a waft of North East from the accent! Which house is that? Is it the one with the pink flamingos wandering listlessly around the front lawn amongst the croquet hoops, while the tuxedo'ed waiters chase them around picking up their droppings? Very grand indeed...

beepbeep wrote:

How's the weight and diet after all those miles?

Meno can comment on my svelte form (:)), but I thought I'd be a little closer to race weight at this stage than I am. I've been off the gargle for a couple of weeks (albeit with a few planned hiatus' for weddings and such) and watching my diet for around the same amount of time. Currently 11 stone 5, and I'd hope to be closer to 11 stone come race day, but the heavy mileage has been and gone. I'm definitely not going to be starving myself for the remaining 5 weeks, in order to shed some weight. Two reasons I can think of: 1) changed scales after the last one broke, so either of the scales may have been recording heavy or light. 2) Lots of rock climbing has created lots of upper body strength/muscle. The additional weight won't help on race day, but the additional core strength may offset it to a certain degree. It is what it is...