A Slow Journey to Faster Times

Saturday 16th August (Day 13/56) - 8-10k Tune-Up Race (9-13m total)
5k @ 3:27p/km average (17:15)

I decided to run this rather than the recommended 8-10k race, as I thought it would be sufficient considering I have a Half-Marathon coming up next week. My course selection was down to the fact that I needed to be on the first tee box of Wicklow Golf Club at 11am, and Marlay is the closest to that particular venue. After another pretty hefty week of marathon training, I was feeling surprisingly fresh due to some easy running on Thursday & Friday. A PB assault was definitely on, but by how much? I would have been happy with a PB of any description, but I decided to initially set out at 3:30km pace (which would give me a time of around 17:30) and then play by ear.


Pre-Race

Up at 7:30 this morning for some porridge, coffee and a banana. I don't really feel like I need to fuel myself for short races, but do like to get something into the system to waken up the body. Got to Marlay nice and early, where I was greeted by the prevailing strong gale that would be hurting in the usual parts of the course. I did a two mile warm up jog around the circuit, which confirmed my original suspicions. There are definitely better places to go if you want to guarantee a PB, but needs must and I told myself to stop making excuses and get on with it when I finished. Lined up right at the front on the left of the field (right beside the eventual winner), which would prevent me getting held up early and also give me the prime racing line into the first bend. Off and running around 9:32.


The Race

I jumped off and already found myself down to about 10th place after the usual 200m hares set off at a million miles an hour. I was happy just to ensure I was gradually working up to my planned pace, which saw me move up a few places by the second bend. I was already sitting in 5th crossing the gravel at the bottom of the concert field, knowing already (even at that early stage) that my position was unlikely to change too much after that once I held the target pace. As we came up towards the end of the first km, two lads had started to put distance between themselves and the field. I couldn't go with them, but felt they were further ahead of me than they should have been. I moved out from behind the guy in third and ran between him and the guy in fourth to move myself up to third. Neither responded as I went through the first km in 3:19 according to the timekeeper (although the Garmin shows 3:22). From this point on I could hear footsteps right behind me. Somebody was sitting on my shoulder and I wasn't getting away from them. As we moved down into the woods, the head of the field had really begun to sort itself out. The guy in front had established about 15-20m on second place, while that runner had at least that or more on me. I had virtually nothing on the guy directly behind. I was pushing but he wasn't going away. Constant patter of footsteps in my ear. I knew the 2nd & 3rd km's would be slower than ideal due to the wind and the hill, but was disappointed to see the second split flash at 3:41 before I turned up the climb towards the M50. I knew this was going to really hurt. Strong breeze and steep uphill. Surely this guy would go away if I held my current pace? If anything he sounded like he was getting closer as we came towards the crest of the hill. I was doing my best to hold a consistent pace, but knew once I hit the peak I'd be able to speed up coming back down. I was deliberately keeping something in reserve to make up some time on the downhill. Through 3km in 3:42. Now I needed to make up some ground. As we moved back down past the golf course I started to pile the pressure on, but I couldn't shake this guy. We'd now covered 3.5km and he was still sitting on my shoulder, like he was waiting for his opportunity to pounce. 'I'm not letting this guy get by me without a fight' I vowed to myself, putting on another spurt as we headed back down towards the concert field approaching the 4k marker. Then I heard it, the sound I'd been waiting for. Nothing. The footsteps were gone. I looked at my watch as it beeped (3:17). Had I broken him? I snuck a quick glance as I took the left at the top of the final loop. He was still within range so I needed to keep up to my work. The run back down to the gravel was punishing. The breeze was straight in my face again and I threw what I had left into powering through it as quick as possible. I rounded the bottom of the field and moved as quickly as I could towards the finish line. When I finally reached the hallowed ground, the timekeeper called out my split of 17:15 (which matched my Garmin). Final km in 3:12. I collected my 3rd place token and moved through the finishing funnel, absolutely ecstatic with my time and feeling satisfied with what I felt was a job well done


Garmin Data: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/566614337

*Garmin only giving a reading of 4.93k (possibly down to a bad signal in the woods?). Seemed to be about bang on passing the 1km marker.


Post-Race

I congratulated the two lads who finished ahead of me and moved over the the barcode scanners to make everything official. After I'd done the necessary, I took a couple of minutes to gather my thoughts while I was cooling down. paddybarry then appeared, introducing himself for the first time and making me aware that he was the guy who'd been breathing down my neck for most of the race. He echoed the comments he's made above and his compliments are greatly appreciated. If he'd told me before the race he was going to run 17:24, there's no way I'd have been backing myself to beat him.


Thoughts

As I've said more than once in the past, I love these parkruns. I've never actually ran a real 5k 'race'. Five parkruns to date and loved every one of them. When I eventually do run an actual race, it will have a lot to live up to in terms of organisation and the friendly welcome I've been greeted with each and every time. This is likely to be my last 5k for a while, but I'll definitely be volunteering myself at least once before Berlin. This morning's time is pointing to a marathon in the mid 2:40's according to McMillan, but I'll ignore that for the minute and continue to chip away at what I'm doing. It's nice to know nonetheless . I've got a really tough week coming up. Apart from the 18 miles scheduled for tomorrow, I've two M/L runs, a tough V02 Max session (6x1k), before the week culminates next Sunday with the Longford HM. If I get through the week unscathed and on target, it's going to take an awful lot to convince me that I won't run sub 3 in Berlin. Kind of goes to show what's possible with good consistent training, as if somebody had said that to me last December, I'd have laughed in their face :P.
Anyway, another 60-70 mile week?? Bring it on!!

Ferris B wrote: »

Didn't really congratulate you enough in my earlier post. That is a stunning performance.

I wonder how much your hadd training has influenced your recent runs? Be interesting to know.

It's hard to say. I've never run anywhere near as many miles or trained as consistently before, so I haven't got anything to gauge it against. I'm sure it has helped though.

Sunday 17th August (Day 14/56) - 18m Long Run
18 miles @ 7:49p/m average

I enjoyed this, but must admit it did feel longer (mileage & timewise) without having company like last week. The plan was to run 18 sub 8 minute miles. I was tempted to speed up to MP in the closing stages, but thought better of it considering I had yesterday's 5k effort in my legs, and another one coming up on Tuesday. Mission accomplished and another week of training crossed off the list. Just 6 to go....:eek:


Splits:

Mile 1 - 7:54
Mile 2 - 7:55
Mile 3 - 7:54
Mile 4 - 7:51
Mile 5 - 7:52
Mile 6 - 7:54
Mile 7 - 7:55
Mile 8 - 7:49
Mile 9 - 7:42
Mile 10 - 7:53
Mile 11 - 7:53
Mile 12 - 7:46
Mile 13 - 7:39
Mile 14 - 7:43
Mile 15 - 7:53
Mile 16 - 7:48
Mile 17 - 7:42
Mile 18 - 7:46

Itziger wrote: »

Uncanny, I did 18 miles as well this morning in a very similar pace. I like how you keep the pace so even though.

Looks like the 1:22:31 is a cert next Sunday so....:pac: