Mum on the Run

Kennyg71 wrote: »

Best of luck with times over next year, Raheny have Brian Boru 10 mile, think
Maybe little easier than Frank Duffy, never ran it before but believe flat enough. I'm sure you'll hit them all.

Thanks G, I'd love to do the Brian Boru but the timing isn't really right this year. I've not the done the Frank Duffy before either but I think the course is not unlike the half marathon and fairly fast.

Sure I'll probably change my mind again before the week is out :rolleyes:

Murph_D wrote: »

April 16 is looking busy.

Well if it's not done by the end of April it won't get done at all in 2016 so it has become a bit of a deadline for the shorter distances. No pressure :eek:.

Murph_D wrote: »

Why not same vdot for all - isn't that the point of it? Comparable performances.

Thought that initially but while I think the sub 6 mile with its 48.x vDot is a possibility (however remote ), the equivalent marathon would be impossible for me. So I just went for the times I wanted to see what sort of vDot it threw up. Also the 10 Round Numbers Table targets aren't comparable and I'd like to get some times on there while I'm at it.

Murph_D wrote: »

Also if you get up to 55 miles per week before DCM training that P&D <55 will be a bit of a stepback.

Fair point. I just think that with the P&D schedule being as scary as it is, I'd be better off at least not ramping up miles along with the intensity. If I know I can handle the mileage with relative ease then all that PMP training from the outset might not be so daunting ... maybe.... :eek:

Murph_D wrote: »

Best of luck with these - I have no doubt you can hit them all. Marathon will probably be the hardest because it's the least predictable from past experience, but if you train well it will likely happen!

Thanks! And thanks for the feedback, I'll be picking your brains about P&D for sure. The marathon target is ambitious all right (even though it's the lowest vDot :rolleyes:) and I'd be looking for perfect conditions on the day and some luck in terms of injury prevention, BUT if all goes to plan I'd like to think I could get near it at least. It'll be a PB anyway if I get to the start line in one piece

Mrs Mc wrote: »

Best of luck G with all the targets will looking forward to reading about your racing successes in 2016

Thanks very much Mrs Mc, and straight back at ya! No doubt your times will come tumbling down next year after all that marathon training. See you at the Fat Turkey ?

Thursday – “Rest”

Exhausting day cleaning, wrapping, scrubbing, mopping, sweeping, tidying, eating and drinking. No running.

Friday – Goal Mile(s)

Almost decided not to bother with the Goal Mile given the weather: a miserable combination of cold, wet and windy. Couldn’t get over the amount of people in Irishtown for this. And judging by the donation buckets a lot of money was raised, so well done everyone who braved the elements for this or any other outdoor activity this morning.

Did the first Goal Mile after a warm up and was happy enough with the time given the circumstances and the day that was in it. After a cool down I spotted a big gang from the club so decided to do another Goal Mile at a more relaxed pace in the company of a few clubmates.

• 4.4 miles including 2 x Goal Mile (6:40, 8:10)

Saturday – parkrun Tourism

I knew the only way any running would get done today would be if I got up and out early and did an event in the company of others. Took the opportunity for a spot of parkrun tourism and headed to Father Collins park in Balgriffin. Plan was for a tempo run at an even pace. The course is flat, in a lovely park, with a very friendly and enthusiastic volunteer team. The only thing stopping the course from being very fast is the inner loop (which you run twice) which has a lot of sharp 90 degree corners and a smooth surface which can be a bit slippy. I’d say it could be windy too if the windmills in the park are any indication :eek:. 7th overall in a small field and 2nd F. And an age group course record to boot! Happy with my morning’s work .

• 7 miles incl. 5K @ 7:15 tempo

Sunday – Easy

Junior parkrun this morning. BG Jr was joined by some neighbourhood buddies who all had stored energy to expend and duly shot off while she maintained a more leisurely pace. Again, she (& all the kids) got fantastic encouragement from the volunteers this week.

My turn then! A lap of St.Anne’s which was the muckiest I’ve seen it in a long time, almost swampy in parts. Finished with a lap of the parkrun to bring it up to 6 miles. The park was so busy, even at the height of summer I’ve never seen it so crowded. I was weaving in and out of dogs, new bikes, new scooters and random Xmas gadgets for most of the run.

• 6 miles @ 8:44 (grass, tarmac, muck)

TOTAL WEEKLY MILES: 37.1

Fat Turkey tomorrow. Will be absolutely thrilled if I can beat last year’s time but I think just surviving storm Frank will be an achievement in itself.

Kennyg71 wrote: »

Best of luck today , looks nice on calm, so hopefully corse PB, if not better

You lied! :rolleyes:

annapr wrote: »

Calm??? Where?

Exactly!

Murph_D wrote: »

Have a good one, good luck!

Thanks! Definitely a good route for Boston training!

Dubgal72 wrote: »

As to aquinn: kick that turkey's ass. Looking forward to seeing your flying downhill 5k!

Not sure if I kicked the turkey's ass but I gave it my best shot. Great to see you today and thanks so much for supporting in that weather.

Kennyg71 wrote: »

Well done today, you where looking really solid and comfortable turning for top.

Thanks for the shout out. They extended the course and made us do a loop of the car park! Just when you thought you could turn around

RedRunner wrote: »

Well done today in tough conditions. Sorry didn't get a chance to chat more back at the clubhouse.

Thanks and well done yourself! Blew a few cobwebs away that's for sure!

Firedance wrote: »

super running today, well done in that gale and smiling all the way to a top 10 finish

actually 9th lady home sounds much better whohoo!

Thanks FD, and for the super support. Hope to return the favour on Friday if the weather isn't mental.

tang1 wrote: »

+1 to that, super stuff BG.

Cheers Tang. Happy with today and resisting the temptation to take a shortcut!

Monday – Fat Turkey

I had vague hopes earlier in the week of getting a course PB having had a few good training runs on the route over the last while but one look at the weather forecast and I knew it was unlikely. Sure enough there was a gale blowing as we (aquinn, annapr) arrived to register and things didn’t get any calmer from there. Even the short jog to the race start was a bit of a battle against the wind. Super supporter Firedance very kindly took care of any excess layers as despite the conditions it wasn’t particularly cold. There was a countdown from 10 and we were off. Straight away I knew it was going to be tough. I’ve been up and down the route loads of times but never in conditions like this. The wind was swirling in every direction except from behind and I couldn’t find a group at my pace to latch on to (or hide behind!) so I was on my own for most of the uphill. The Km markers along the route didn’t seem to correspond to my watch so I gave up looking at the time and decided to dig in. I’d been passed by a few women on the uphill already. About half way up there’s a nice downhill so I enjoyed that bit of respite. Just as we started to climb again a driver coming the opposite way indicated and casually pulled across the road to access her garage, meaning a few of us had to run around the car to avoid a collision :rolleyes:. Onwards and upwards, and at least no one else was passing me now and I felt I could hold the effort up to the car park. Got a shout out from KennyG at the summit shop and started the sharp climb to the top. Saw HelenAnne bounding down at this point, looking very much in the zone. Got to the top, looking forward to turning around and saw that the course had been extended from previous years and we had to run a loop of the car park! :eek: The wind was insane at the summit. I glanced across at one point on the loop and saw aquinn being blown sideways, her top and race number flapping wildly. Not sure what the extra loop was about as the original course always seemed to be spot on at 10K .

Finally, the downhill and the reward for the previous 5K. But of course the wind was still blowing strong in all directions and it was still hard work even with the benefit of gravity. Spotted annapr who looked extremely comfortable and didn’t appear to even be out of breath when she told me I was in the top ten ladies. Woo hoo ! A reason to try to hang onto my place and not give anything away on the downhill. At one point on the way down the wind was so strong it almost stopped me in my tracks. Felt pretty good on the downhill, abs were a bit sore, but I had overtaken a few runners at this point including one woman (who had passed me on the way up ). Was very tired by the time it came to the last climb but knowing it was all downhill or flat after made it more manageable. Hit the 8K sign and put the boot down. Saw (& heard!) FD and Dubgal supporting close to the finish and think I managed a smile of relief to be almost home. 300m to go they said and the course veered on to a grass section along the sea, with the spray from the waves coming over the wall to cool us down as we approached the line. 47:48 on the clock. Way off last year’s time but I gained a place overall vs. last year (64th vs. 65th). 9th F and 4th in AG. Happy with that. Think my downhill running is improving, I need to strengthen up against the wind though, it doesn’t seem to affect some people at all. Aquinn raced across the line just after me, happy with her time and Anna finished in a state of exhilaration having thoroughly enjoyed her race.

Walked back to the club as a cool down and had a very welcome cup of coffee, a random croissant and some biscuits as well as chats with clubmates and boardsies. Didn’t stretch. Will pay for that. Garmin announced 3 new ‘PRs’ after the race: a 1Km (3:52), a 1 mile (6:20) and, Murph_D will appreciate this, a 5Km of 21:01 :rolleyes:.

• 7.2 miles incl. Fat Turkey 10.2K race @ 7:34 avg.

Km Splits (4:37, 5:46, 4:57, 5:09, 5:15, 4:38, 4:09, 4:20, 4:16, 3:59, (46.5)

Tuesday - Recovery

Felt yesterday’s run in my legs (and hips, and glutes, and back :rolleyes:) so kept to the grass as much as possible and ran very easy. Got this done just as Frank was making his presence felt.

5 miles @ 9:08 (grass, path)

laura_ac3 wrote: »

Well done missus! Impressive in those conditions. Nice way to round off a very good year for you.

Last race of the year, woo hoo! Thanks Laura, it has been a super year, couldn't have asked for better really. Hoping 2016 sees you injury-free and smashing your PBs!

Murph_D wrote: »

21:01. FFS G, surely on the downhill you could have found a couple of seconds!

I know, right ? 'Sake.

annapr wrote: »

When I shouted out to you that you were 10th, I said to the woman next to me, I hope I haven't lost count, I'm not sure if she is... Ah sure, it'll keep her motivated, she says

Ha ha,brilliant. It did! There was no way I was letting anyone overtake me after hearing that. And I did overtake one more just to be sure. Thanks Anna!