To Hell In A Handcart

Friday

Rest

2 X 40 mins walking just to keep my legs moving

5 mins foam rolling on my problem calves.

Saturday

3 Miles Recovery

12:03
12:06
11:42

Ave Pace 11:57

My calves still felt very stiff with my left calf really causing issues. This is the same calf I injured when getting cramp in my sleep a few weeks ago.
Although the calves were still niggling, I felt I got into more of a rhythm after a 2 and a half miles.

Since I got my new Asics I have found that the laces are almost too small for me to tie them. I like to have the laces quite loose as they work their way through my shoe so just went out and bought some longer laces to give my feet more room to breathe. Ideally I should of done this a week ago to allow myself the chance to get used to how tight I want/need them.

Dubgal72 wrote: »

Good luck dark horse

Cheers, its a breeze starting right at the back.....that way 20 mins may pass with you all thinking I've lost when in fact I will of started 5 mins after you all

Its gunna be a warm one for this time of year, good luck.

Enniscorthy 10k Race Report

Pre-Race

The handicap bets with Yaboya +20 and Calvin Johnson +17 had certainly added spice to this race with lots of banter in the build up to this with my fellow workmates. On my part, I felt a lack of respect at times maybe due to the amount of excuses I have had and the huge amount of things that went wrong in my first 5k park run after my operation which ended up with me posting a awful time of 29:55. This may of just been me not taking it as it was meant...just banter.
Two weeks before this race, I did what I thought was a cracking piece of work averaging 9:13 per mile with the aim being 9:10 in strong wind over 4 miles. I figured that my planned sub 54 was on with me having to go 32 seconds per mile quicker than this training run which should be fine considering the pace of others around me would help, along with the fact that my fitness would be two weeks nearer peak.

Day of the Race

I only got to sleep at 2am which was not ideal on Sunday morning, however I had managed to get a decent nights sleep the night before so was not to worried. My alarm went off at 6:45, I showered and ate some porridge with honey and a banana (eating porridge is a new thing I introduced a few weeks ago which seems to be helping) by 7:30 which gave me plenty of time to digest my breakfast unlike the 5k a month before.
I set off for train station at 8:10 and had a nice two mile stroll to Clongriffin train station where I arrived with 20 mins to kill which was good as I always prefer to arrive in plenty of time.
I got off the train at Sydney Parade where Yaboya was waiting to pick me up with Pacing Mule and and Calvin Johnson already in the car.
Off we set with Yaboya and i no doubt boring the other two chatting about the cracking racing taking place at Leopardstown that day.

Eventually things turned to the 10k with me being the usual bundle of energy, none stop talking as I always tend to be on lads trips which goes back years to lads football away days on the lash etc. Calvin Johnson was very quiet, with his eyes closed for at least half of the journey as he tried to get some sleep on the way down.
Myself and Pacing Mule obviously and a good laugh about the mighty Spurs smashing the arsenal scum the day before GET IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Numbers were collected with no issue besides my slight disappointment at not getting a beanie hat due to my new plan of always entering as late as possible to enter races in case of injury due to last years shenanigans and the first 500 entrants getting hats ( I was 571). The main decision in many ways of the day then come up.......... the fog was slower in lifting than expected which meant that the sun I had hoped for which was forecast to make it a balmy 8 at around noon was a long way off and instead it can't of been far off zero. I wanted to wear my marathon long sleeve top plus my rain jacket as an extra layer before the lads made me see sense. They proved to of done me a favour as early as the 2nd mile I was thanking my lucky stars.

After a visit to the toilet I said my goodbyes to the other three as they were going for a little jog before the race to warm up and I wanted to do my stretches and then do my own jog and not worry about keeping pace with the gizelle's!
After streching I walked around to what turned out to be the finish and then followed the crowd and then did a very slow warm up run weaving around other runners before doing no more than 30 meters of strides.
Doing a warm up run is something I can look at improving in future races, but I didn't want to make an injury worse last year when running with injuries and again was worried about a niggle.

Warm up 0.45 Miles average per mile 12:35

I then got to the start line where I had to walk through the whole field of runners to get to the back which seemed odd, maybe they can look at some how changing this as i'm sure it meant some slower runners stayed at the front rather than taking their rightful place at the back? I saw Yaboya and Calvin Johnson on the way through, wished them luck and made a poorly judged joke as I squeezed my way through to nearer the back.

At the back I found some space and carried on doing stretches which mainly revolved around my left calf which was still playing up.

Goal Sub 54 @ 8:41 pace

Start

Mile 1
8:45
I would say that I started too far back with maybe only 50 of the field behind me which led to a lot of dodging in and out through the first part until I finally settled about 50 meters after we had passed the finish line. The long hill that Yaboya told me about was quite long. I had my watch on virtual pacer setting as 8:40 pace which would beep and show on screen if I was ahead of pace, on pace, or behind pace which helped. I figured I could afford to lose 10 second in each of the first three miles as that was where the more hillier parts were which I managed quite well.

Mile 2
8:48
I was again within 10 seconds of my goal pace which was the plan. By this stage I was starting to struggle and almost feeling like I was in a daze again, a little like the second half of DCM 2014 and more worryingly like the 5k park run a month ago just day dreaming rather than having my race head on like I had in previous 2014 races. Its fair to say the hills were taking their toll!

Mile 3
8:47
Bang on pace again within 10 seconds of what I wanted with more hills which were a concern as I thought I had already gone up them all by now.

Mile 4
9:00
My memory isn't the best on the race itself, but I think this was the bit where we went down a really steep hill at the end of mile 3 and the start of mile 4 with me flying past loads down the hills, using all of my 190 lb to drop down it like a stone in comparison to lots of slimmer people around me with the best pace showing 7:16 at one stage. I thought this nice downhill stretch would be the start of lots of downhill from now on, but to my horror no flat seemed to exist and we then had to climb up a hill which felt just as steep as the one we came down. Just like you see heavy lorries overtaking empty lorries downhill on motorways, and the opposite up hill, the same happened to me (the heavy lorry) as the slim guys I overtook downhill soon went back past obviously having less weight to carry upwards. It was not all bad news at this stage as I worked out that by shortening my stride uphill, but quickening my stride, I could go up at a half decent pace and I overtook a few.

Mile 5
8:50
Another fecking hill appeared, and in my weakening mental state I was starting to think this was all a plan devised by Yaboya to set me off at the wrong pace, so that I would not be able to claw back time late on like he told me you can on this. This was more than a stamina test than he let on, this was why he was so happy to take my bet on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hahahaha how the mind goes a little insane at times during a race, finally a flat part appeared and I really started getting into a good rhythm. I found myself slowly catching people one by one, with a mysterious lady in black on my inside alongside me for a good few KM's, each time pulling out a length or two's advantage, before I would claw it back and do the same back before she would do the same, clawing her way back up to beside me.

Mile 6
8:37
I was waiting for the course to get back on the same road that we went up on, but I badly lost my usual brilliant baring's somewhere along the race. My legs were really starting to feel strong and my confidence growing, knowing that my long slow runs meant I could really give this finish a go! I slowly started increasing my stride length at this point, finally 'breaking' the lady in black who I had not even glanced at so would not be able to recognise in a police line up should she of been the female version of the Milk tray man! I could hear the noise of the finish now with the commentator announcing runners arrivals and get louder by each stride.

Mile 0.2
6:47 average pace
A tall blonde lady overtook me here which must of been the first time I was overtook for the past two miles! I was not really sure how long I had left and where the finish was as I had my watch on Virtual pacer so it was not telling me my mileage and I had no time to change it. I let the tall blonde get about ten meters ahead, just about overtaking a group of three as I kicked, figuring I had less than a few hundred meters left, I went past the three and soon after the tall blonde lady, I came into sight of the finish area with Calvin Johnson shouting encouragement at the side of the road with Yaboya, I kicked again, but then put on the breaks as I turned into the tight corner still confused where the finish was due to being used to the big finish banners in the Dublin race series. As I turned, I wondered if I still had to run up to the football pitches before seeing athletes all clenched over gasping for air meaning I was past the finish in 54 something. I had just proved that my excuses were valid, I need a lot to go my way, and due to my preparation, today they had gone pretty much to plan )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
I then decided to lay down in the mud for a few seconds before Calvin Johnson, Yaboya and Pacing Mule came over congratulating me.
Watch time 54:24...................................I expected the offical time to be 5 seconds quicker than my watch but to my surprise I got a RedTag Text saying.......
Race Time = 54:56
Chip = 54:27

I noticed on Adrian's race report he also felt his official time was also wrong, but I'm not worried about a few seconds.

Afterwards the guys felt sure I had won the handicap, with Yaboya and Calvin Johnson now owing me 20 euros each
We saw Adrian on the way back to the car although having never met him before I was unsure it was him. Pacing Mule was hobbling with a injured calf and staying very quiet despite the best performance of anyone imo with a 4 min pb!
The feast that awaited us was amazing, with sandwiches and cakes galore, although I could of done with soft drinks for a non tea drinker like myself.
I met Dubgal, Adrian and Krusty for the first time, and all seemed happy enough with their times.
And to top things off I won a few quid on the nags at Leopardstown!

Thoughts

I really need to make these reports smaller!
Without my calf niggle, I could of done that in a minimum of 30 seconds quicker. I've had a fare few niggles in recent weeks with both calves, hamstrings, creaking knees and my back all annoying me at times. Seeing that the long goal is the Marathon in May I am giving myself a week off running in order to let my niggles settle down. I realise I am losing out of training but feel it is the perfect time due to going to New York for five days now which won't of given me much running time anyway. I had wanted to run in Centrel Park, but will now have to give that a miss.
If I wanted to do a sub 4:30 in the marathon, then I needed to do the 10k in sub 54 so am happy enough that I am at least in the same ball park as that.

Sorry for the long one

The next race looks likely to be the Bohermeen half marathon in one months time. With a few of my fellow handicappers set to take part, it will be interesting to see what margains we are set for that.

adrian522 wrote: »

Great report.

A couple of things, did you eat anything between 7:30 and the race?

Also your watch time and chip time are only 3 seconds apart which I think is within a reasonable margin of error so wouldn't worry too much about that.

Keep up the good work and I may see you in Bohermeen ,

Not on this occasion no. I had pasta for lunch and dinner the day before so was carb loaded. Circumstances just made it easier to eat at 7.30. I was going to bring a banana and eat it at close to 9 but forgot it.
Yeah the timing was no biggy tbh.
Sure, my half marathon time is really slow due to my knee do I'll be going after two hours as Macmillan had me down as 2:01 after my 10k time which will be a bit more competitive than last years very slow 2:23!!!

hillsiderunner wrote: »

hee hee hee



No.... they're great!

Congrats on winning the handicap.

Cheers on both

Week 6

Just the 21 miles done this week.
Weight 191 lb. 4lb lost since I started this plan.

Sunday's 10k race also gave me a PB over 5k of 26:58 according to Garmin which was almost 3 mins quicker than that god awful park run that I took part in a month ago. It was also 2 mins quicker than my only other park run last May.
I hope to go close to, if not break sub 25 in my next park run, although I don't have a specific date in mind, maybe the first week of April could be an option unless another suitable race appears on the horizon.
I like the idea of racing once a month which gives me time to improve the mileage of my marathon plan. Without having these races to look forward to, I think I could find myself less motivated to get out and train.

adrian522 wrote: »

MSB 5k March 15th?

http://registration.precisiontiming.co.uk/events/preview?id=32&EventNAme=St_Patricks_Day_Festival_5k_2015

Nice thought, although I think this will come to soon after Bohermeen thanks.

adrian522 wrote: »

Fair enough, Think I may give the Half Marathon a miss and just stick to the shorter races for the moment.

That sounds positive due to amount of speed training you guys in the graduates thread have been doing.