Mum on the Run

nop98 wrote: »

Hey BG, just checking... I noticed your comment on the DCM thread that one of the gates en route, is normally closed. Did you follow that diversion you mentioned as part of the run above? Did it make up the required miles?

I can't do DCHM but I want to run the route the day before as a long-ish run.

Yup, the gate out the back of Farmleigh is locked until race day! Because I didn't realise this I had to double back out of Farmleigh so I was about a mile behind. I just made a few adjustments en route and took a few shortcuts so that I'd finish in the right place and it worked out fine. When you do your recce maybe just start a little further up the avenue because the diversion I took is a bit longer than the route through Farmleigh. Have a look at the race map versus google maps and let me know if you've any q's.

Thursday – Easy

Four seasons during the run this evening. Another awesome rainbow, sun, wind, rain, each mile lap seemed to encounter different weather conditions.

• 5 miles @ 8:41 incl. 6 x 20 sec strides (grass)

Should have gone to bed early but started watching the HBO documentary The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst. Compelling stuff :eek:, watched 3 episodes in a row and stayed up way past my bedtime.

Friday – S&C, Medium Run incl. segments @ 2 hour pace

Pilates first this morning, using the ‘Magic Circle’. I hate the Magic Circle ! If I'd known in advance it was going to be a Circle class I wouldn’t have gone. But it wasn’t as bad as I feared. On to St. Anne’s where I warmed up with a couple of miles inside the perimeter then started the fast section at the Raheny 5 start line, with the aim of running the full route plus a bit more in the 40 mins. Felt good on this and kept an even pace. I realised the pace was a bit fast but the effort felt right. Did the last couple of easy miles inside the park and had a lovely lunch and coffee while analysing my Garmin stats :rolleyes:. Turns out the 40 mins faster section was just inside my A-Goal Half pace. I’m going to take that as a sign. And if the wheels come off in 3 weeks I'll just blame the pacers .

• 9.1 miles @ 8:03 incl. 40 mins @ 7:34 (trail, path)

Short and easy tomorrow after my volunteering stint at St.Anne’s parkrun, then 120 mins LSR on Sunday and I AM DONE. Base will be built. Races will be run. All good.

Saturday – Easy

Up early to volunteer at St.Anne’s parkrun. Lovely morning for it, if a bit hot for the runners. Busy, busy with 300+ this week. Can’t wait to do a parkrun again! Got my run in afterwards, but not before a pep talk from FBOT about Saturday’s race

• 5.4 miles @ 8:31 incl 6 x 20 sec strides (trail, path)

Sunday – LSR (120 mins)

After a morning in Malahide demesne – the sandpit primarily :rolleyes:- I headed to the Phoenix Park to do a final recce of the half. Had to avoid match traffic and then there were diversions all over the place so it was around 4.30pm by the time I started. Not my favourite time of the day for running generally. No parking anywhere near the start so I left the car at the bottom of Furze Road and started from there. Managed to follow the exact route this time with the exception of Farmleigh where I took a slightly longer route outside the park to get to the other side of Tower Gate. One thing I noticed is that the only litter in evidence in the park is gel wrappers. They are everywhere. Hard to believe that people (runners, cyclists) just throw them away for someone else to pick up. Grrrrr :mad:. Conyngham Road is looooong, I’m not looking forward to that stretch on the day. On the other hand the hill felt MUCH easier today compared to 3 weeks ago. Hopefully those Howth trail runs are paying off. Splits were faster today as well for the same effort but it as a good deal cooler which would have helped. New half PB of 1:48.08

• 14.5 miles @ 8:17 (path)

Splits: 8:11, 7:52, 8:26, 8:11, 8:20, 8:12, 8:34, 8:14, 8:10, 8:08,8:09, 8:13, 8:32, 8:38, (4:11)

TOTAL WEEKLY MILES: 50.5

So the 9 weeks are up, the base is built. 10K race on Saturday will show me where I’m at hopefully and after that it’s only 2 weeks to the real test: 13.1 :eek:

Murph_D wrote: »

Wow - great run today, you sure it wasn't a bit fast?

The effort felt fine to be honest, it was a lot cooler than usual and zero wind so that would have helped. The last 10 minutes were a bit of a slog but that probably had something to do with the fact that I'd passed by the car and had to do an out and back to make up the 2 hours :rolleyes:. I'm hoping the base building has helped my easy pace become a bit faster.

Murph_D wrote: »

And are you going to share the FBOT tips? :pac:

Em, it was more of a strategy / challenge.......:D I'll tell you on Saturday

Today was just a very easy out and back to the Wooden Bridge to see how the body was after my longest run in about 8 years at the end of the heaviest mileage streak ever. All is well, and no one is more surprised about that than me. Who knew not racing every week was so good for you ? I've a physio appointment tomorrow (booked ages ago as I was convinced I'd be in a heap by now) but I'm afraid to cancel it as that would be my cue to fall apart. Legs can always do with a tune up I guess :rolleyes:.

• 6 miles @ 9:09 (grass, path)

Month 2015 2014 2013
January 101 86 0
February 109 75 0
March 124 109 0
April 129 101 24
May 133 95 81
June 110 86 72
July 181 2 101
August 208 31 37
September 83 43
October 93 64
November 107 69
December 119 94
1095 987 585


I'm on a bit of a taper now until the half, so the miles will be reduced for September, but I'm hoping after that to keep an average 40-45 p/w going during XC season.

ThebitterLemon wrote: »

So, should I put my money on you or Murph

TbL

Ha ha, I'd say the smart money's on Murph. I might put a few bob on him myself

ThebitterLemon wrote: »

Nah, the auld moneys on Murph, the smart money is waiting for the ring parade walk

TbL

And the form guide ?

Tuesday A.M. – Session

Had a look though the links and plans FBOT and Murph posted up a couple of pages back to choose a session that would bump me out of my comfort zone in advance of the 10K. Because I haven’t done anything faster than a stride in the last couple of months I wanted some sort of re-acquaintance with what I’m supposed to be doing on Saturday :rolleyes:. I picked out the 12 x 1min @ 10K pace with 1min recoveries because it was short enough to get done in the morning and didn’t look too taxing to be doing the week of a race. Splits are a bit all over the place (some reps were on grass, some on the path, 1,5, and 9 included a hill (Fairview Mountain), some were in a straight line, some involved corners). All in all pleased with this and even managed to make it to work on time .

• 4.5 miles @ 8:19 incl. 12 x 1 min @ 10K effort (grass, path)

Splits: 7:27, 6:32, 6:55, 6:59, 7:17, 6:47, 7:19, 7:11, 7:44, 6:38, 7:19, 7:08

Firedance wrote: »

excellent! so you're all set then race starts at 11am so see you there at what, 8.30?

At the latest