A Slow Journey to Faster Times

Tuesday 15th July - 45 minutes Easy (followed by 6 x 100m Strides)
5.83m @ 8:21p/m average (122bpm avg)

Early morning recovery run, with strides thrown in at the end to save me doing them tomorrow. I almost get a day off now as I won't be doing my Steady session until Wednesday evening sometime. Pretty warm out there today, even at 8-9am. Could be a hot one in Swords this Sunday with a 10am start! :eek:


Splits:

Mile 1 - 8:43 (113bpm)
Mile 2 - 8:53 (121bpm)
Mile 3 - 8:27 (119bpm)
Mile 4 - 8:25 (123bpm)
Mile 5 - 8:25 (125bpm)
0.83 (inc. Strides) - 5:44 (144bpm)

SamforMayo wrote: »

Best of luck Sunday, any tips on how to drag OH away from the golf?

Afraid not. I like to think I'm dedicated and it took a fair effort for me to go out :pac:. You're ok though, it will be finished by 8pm.....

Saturday 19th July - 45 minutes Recovery (including 6 x 100m Strides)
5.15m @ 8:45p/m average (119bpm avg)

The less said about this, the better. But it's done!


Splits:

Mile 1 - 9:03 (103bpm)
Mile 2 - 9:03 (120bpm)
*Mile 3 - 7:39 (137bpm)
Mile 4 - 9:06 (119bpm)
Mile 5 - 8:48 (121bpm)
0.15 - 1:23 (117bpm)

*Mile 3 included the Strides (hence the higher HR and faster split)

RedRunner wrote: »

Good luck tomorrow P. Will keep an eye out for ya!

Same to you RR. Looks like a nice morning for it.

I've been gradually chipping away at my PB's over shorter distances, hoping that I can get them into line with a 2:55 marathon based on McMillan. I had already done this recntly at 5k & 5 miles. This was the next logical step.


Pre-race

Although I was keen to record a significant PB here, I didn't want it to impact on my marathon training. So I reshuffled my week as best I could to fit 50+ miles in, while at the same time trying to leave myself relatively fresh for this morning's race. I think it worked out quite well as I felt in good shape when I left for Swords this morning after some porridge, a bagel, a banana and a mug of coffee. I parked the car out at Airside and gave myself a mile jog down to the start to warm up. I noticed the long drag we would face in the first km on the way down :eek:. Got there well ahead of time, allowing time for some stretching and a chat with RedRunner, belcarra & Roisín (who I found out afterwards won the match between herself & belcarra :pac:). An opportunistic photographer pounced on his chance for a group shot, catching us all looking a lot fresher than we would be in an hour or so. Still time for a quick pit stop in the portaloo, before I headed into Wave 1 (sub 50). I pushed up near the front until I was happy with my starting position. Target was anything in the 37:xx's, but I really hoped I could manage sub 37 which I knew would be difficult, but doable. 10:00am on the dot and we were off.


The Race

1k

Didn't have to do a lot of weaving around people due to my starting position, but as usual you'll always find a few in front of you who've no business being there. Anyway by the time we'd covered 500m, I was happy with where I was and was comfortably holding the pace. I needed splits of 3:42p/km to hit 37, so I had that in my mind although I knew I'd have a few above/below depending on the terrain and was happy enough not to be above 3:50min/km at any time as I knew I could make up small differences like that in the faster parts of the course. Happy to go through this km in 3:44.

2k

Out onto the main dual carriageway now and the course starts to move downhill. I knew I'd probably make back the few seconds I had lost in the first km straight away. About 300/400m ahead In picked out a tall guy in an MSB vest. I thought this was AMK and at that stage didn't think I'd even get close to him as he looked to be cruising at that pace. 3:40 split for this kilometre.

3k

Pretty similar to the second km here. Still moving up the dual carriageway on relatively flat terrain. Noticed I was starting to pass a few runners here despite just holding a consistent pace. Another 3:40 here.

4k

More of the same here. Seemed pretty flat and the Garmin data says similar, but I dropped five seconds. Maybe I got complacent? Never felt like it as I was still making up a few positions. 3:45.

5k

We took a left turn off the main road and headed into the countryside. The course definitely takes a climb in this part of the race. Again I dropped a few seconds (3:48), but was still passing/gaining on runners ahead of me.

6k

Another 3:48. The previous kilometre and this one were my joint two slowest splits of the race. I definitely felt like I was working harder than I had been up to then, even though I was going slower. Tried to keep positive, telling myself that we would have to descend these climbs at some stage. I looked at the watch as we passed 6.8k. 26:00, I had 11 minutes to cover the last two miles. Difficult, but doable. The MSB vest who had been way ahead of me (who I thought was AMK) was now within 10 metres.

7k

I moved up alongside the MSB vest. He looked at me and I looked back. He looked different to the AMK I remembered from the boards beers, but that had been a while ago. We both said hello before I put on a little spurt down the little fall we came upon, hoping to make up a few of the seconds I had lost in the previous kilometres. Caught a little group ahead and passed them too. I probably looked like I was motoring but I was definitely feeling it at this stage. 3:39 split here. I knew the sub 37 was still on.

8k

Most of this km was slightly downhill, but right at the end it starts to climb again. My pace slowed slightly from something in the 3:30's to 3:41. I could have sped up, but I knew I needed to save a little bit for the last section having read about the tough finish on here. It was all true! :eek:

9k

The climb continued here and the mental agony of seeing people running to the right ahead of you knowing you need to take a left turn to get there (a bit like when you look left at the finish in the DCM, before having to turn right down Westland Row). Soul destroying! Got through it in 3:42. No damage done.

10k

I knew I needed something in the 3:30's here to achieve the sub 37. I'd no idea exactly what, but it didn't matter as I was going to push as hard as I could anyway. Then as I came around the winding bend it hit me. A headwind. Further round the bend and a hill appears. I'm piling everything I've got left on, but a glance at the watch tells me I'm only moving at 3:50min/km. Speed up! I couldn't. The hill seemed endless and the breeze was relentless. Threw the kitchen sink at it. Crested the hill and moved down into the little valley just before the finish. As I started to move back up the hill again to the line I could see the clock. 36:48 with about 150m to go. I wasn't going to do it, but had given it my best shot. It's amazing how you come across the same people when you run in local races. There are two people in my Terenure finishing photo who I only got past here again in the last 200m. Consistency or what? :pac:. Last split was 3:39. In the 3:30's, but not by enough

Garmin data: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/545419653


Post race

Gave a little arms up celebration crossing the line since I was under no time pressure today. Once I got over the line I leaned against the railing, waiting for the man who I thought was AMK, as I knew he wouldn't be far behind me. He came in below 38 and I had a decent chat with him there and down in the baggage area afterwards. I also met RedRunner (who ran a massive PB) and the sub 40 gang from statss league table. It appears that statss got the predictions pretty spot on, apart from himself as he finished last of the group and failed to break 40. Maybe he tempted fate putting up that prediction? . Everyone else seemed happy. davemcmahon then pointed out to me that the guy I'd assumed was AMK was definitely not him, so it appears I've been talking the ears off some stranger who more than likely has no idea who I am! :eek:. Also caught up with Murph_D who was happy enough with his time and his mate who ran his first 10k today in around 46 minutes. Great stuff. Hung around until MKDTH came in as I'd had a bet with him (-20mins). It was a very close run thing as he came in on 57:25. A huge improvement on his recent parkrun & 5 mile races. Tremendous progress in such a short space of time, but unfortunately he's still €20 poorer this evening . Gave myself a one mile cool down jog back to the car.


Review

No complaints about this event. Although I'd never run the route before, I was pretty prepared for it having read a few reviews here about last year. Delighted with my time as it's almost a two minute PB and puts me firmly on course for a mid 2:50's marathon according to McMillan. That was my aim beforehand, but it would have been extra nice to go below. One thing I will say is the more competitive field definitely spurs you on to go faster. I won my last 10k race in a time of 38:58. I'm sure with a bit of competition I probably would have gone quicker that day. There was always a target to aim at ahead of me here and that definitely helps.


Thoughts

I'm very happy with this outcome. My shorter race results (5k, 5m & 10k) all now indicate the type of marathon time I hope to run in Berlin. If I can replicate that with my 10 mile (Mullingar, next Sunday) & HM (Longford, August 24th) times, I will head to Germany in very confident mood this September.