Last of the Summer Wine

Week of 17 May

This week, starting to turn towards thinking about the summer. Some club training. Hopefully some competition. Some marathon training, no doubt. Chicago entry has been deferred to at least 2022. Am still in for Galway Bay Marathon, which may or may not happen on October 2 as scheduled. That would see a fresh Hanson schedule starting in a couple of weeks time. All seems very soon, somehow.

Mon May 17

9.3k recovery plod during GAA hour.

Tue May 18

Rest day.

Wed May 19

Speed: 7 x 600 (90 secs standing recovery)

Back to St. Anne’s for a club session, the first since summer 2019. The club has a good few training sessions available, so I returned to the one I’d been in before. Most of the men seem reluctant to resume, so I was heavily outnumbered. Tipped along at the back of the group, trying to hold my own. It felt hard, but doing these sessions on grass with some tight turns is always going to feel harder than the track or the road. Suitably bonked after, so the effort was fairly decent.

Approx splits:
2:20 2:19 2:21 2:22 2:24 2:25 2:25

Definitely felt harder as it went along, and the recovery periods felt very short. But it was good to be running reps with people again. A lap of the park o cool down - total for the day: 11.8k

Thu May 20

8.5K recovery. Bumped into Ferris on the seafront and he joined me for the last few kms. Legs felt quite tired after last night, which is the way it should be.

This week: 29k (18m)
This month: 204 (127)
This year: 1,343 (835)

Week of 24 May

Mon May 24

One hour (10.6k) during the GAA run. Over the causeway to Dollymount from St. Anne’s. Quite the gale out - the relief when I turned right off the wooden bridge!

Tue May 25

9.4k recovery paced run to the end of the Port.

Wed May 26

Speed: 7 x 500, 2 x 300

Another club session. I wasn’t feeling great going in to this, tired after a day spent painting and decorating. A good few more people this week, and we were split into two groups. 500m reps seem to be a Raheny thing, and not a distance I have any real grá for. I found myself at the tail end of most of these reps, trying to keep in touch with the speedy young wans. The rep length felt not much shorter than last week’s 600s and my watch seemed to agree! Which maybe partly explained how gassed I was about halfway through. Being at the back meant shorter recoveries (supposed to be 85 secs) and I took the option, encouraged by the coach, to cut one short to catch up on some of the lost time, so the middle rep was less than 400m. I was bunched by the end and took the last of the seven long reps pretty easy. Full recovery, then two 300s (a full 3 mins in between). Enjoyed these last two.

Approx splits:

1:58 1:55 1:58 2:01 (1:26) 2:00 2:08
65 62

This was an odd session, and a tough one. Not particularly encouraging from a speed fitness point of view. Total 10.7k for the evening, with WU/CD.

Thu May 27

Rest

This week: 31k (19m)
This month: 272 (169)
This year: 1,411 (877)

Week of 31 May

This week, another 5k effort, this time construed not as a TT but a race with (or should that be against?) a couple of boards legends, as one of my opponents put it.

Mon May 31

Four easy miles during the lad’s GAA training. Very easy. Maybe too easy, as there was no long run to recover from.

Tue June 1

4.6k easy.

A short shakeout - trying to stay fresh.

May total: 312 kms (194 miles)

Wed June 2

5k race vs Laineyfrecks and Skyblue in the Phoenix Park. 3rd in 20:40 (approx - didn’t stop the watch)

This little challenge emerged after E’s last 5k TT when I suggested she should challenge someone to a race. Skyblue jumped in with a challenge to “race both of ye” and so a discussion of courses and dates followed. Google Earth was consulted and a 5.005 km course measured along Chesterfield, Ordnance Survey and Furze Roads in the Phoenix Park, with a Weds afternoon date pencilled in.

I am not one for hindsight (I hope) but I was generally not feeling great in running terms in the days leading up to this. I’ve been doing a lot of plodding and, apart from a couple of club sessions, probably not enough sharp stuff, so the prospect of ‘TT racing’ felt even more intimidating than it did the last time out, five weeks ago.

I warmed up with a lap of the course and met up with the opponents. A quick conversation about start and finish points, the degree of corner rounding measured into the course, and we were off - none of us (in hindsight) looking or sounding very enthusiastic about the prospect. S had announced he'd be taking it out at a 19:59 pace but in retrospect (again) I hadn’t grasped that he was using the Garmin virtual pacer (or whatever it’s called these days). The upshot was I wasn’t sure how accurate his feedback, in pace terms, would be, as he said something about not really looking at the watch. Hmm - my mind already being messed with.

I counted down and we were on the way. No one seemed anxious to take the front and I found myself taking it out. It felt a bit slow, up Chesterfield and around onto OS, and I was surprised when I glanced down after about 500m and saw 4:00 average pace showing. I'd kicked into the pace naturally and was feeling OK, and knew from experience that S (and E, from what she'd said) would hold back in the opening stages. Past the 1k mark and the OS Office, I heard the footsteps behind and S took it up, taking the slightly longer road route as I stuck to the measured route on the footpath. This meant I was on the other side of the trees and so not really benefitting from S’s position, as it struck me it would be nice to be able to just tuck in behind. No sound of E at this point, and I wondered was she falling behind - wasn’t going to glance over the shoulder however.

On Furze, S had opened up about 10m in front of me and while I should have closed it up, I’m race rusty and found it too much of a chore. Didn’t back myself, worrying about blowing it. After the 2k mark - a glance at the split suggested we are still OK - I became aware of E behind, and she passed on my right, without getting away from me. I just held it steady, I thought, but was beginning to struggle once back on Chesterfield, and noted the slow split when the watch beeped for 3k. At this point S was well ahead, looking very comfortable. This didn’t bother me as I’d envisaged the scenario. Km 4 played out like the previous - a bit of a grind, but E still just in front, while S was disappearing in the distance. It was another slow split and I knew there was no chance of a good time, all that was left was the challenge to not get Laineyfrecked. Around the final turn and back onto Furze, into whatever wind there was (it wasn’t that strong, but noticeable enough to be annoying). I should have piled on some more pressure here, but was struggling and let her do the work so I could strike in the last 200.

And then I noticed S ahead, walking with hands on hips. Too race-fogged to think about it too much, but I assumed a twinge of some sort had persuaded him to opt out of the low-stakes event that was going down. Or maybe he'd just been a pacer the whole time and decided, with no pacees in sight, to just take a breather (mentioned something later about a stitch, but who stops for a stitch when you can walk it in?) Either way, E passed, then me. He offered some encouraging words, but then, a few yards later, was bounding by again. Maybe he’d decided to make sure his mentee got the job done, or just couldn’t stomach the idea of being passed by a sexagenarian. But he was past, and I was now closing in on E, who was obviously struggling as badly as I was. But as I got within touching distance, maybe 150 to go, she twigged and closed it out with plenty of class. S, of course, in possibly the showboateriest finish ever seen on the Furze Road, had passed both of us in those final metres to claim the prize.

Approx splits:
4:01 4:02 4:14 4:14 4:09

As the wooden spoon winner, I fulfilled my duty and bought the post-race tea and coffee. Not a great performance - by any of us - but it was good to run and race with some people again, and there will be better days for us all. Possibly quite soon, if anyone is interested in joining in. I didn't have much stomach for this today, which is a perennial problem in my racing history. I'm not one for overanalysis and flagellation (I hope) :eek: but possibly too late at this stage to do much about it.


Previous best: 19:40 (Bob Heffernan 2019)
Target: 19:59
Result: 20:40 (approx)
3rd place (of 3)
Age Grade: 77.3%
VDOT: 47.9
Verdict: Laineyed!

This week: 24k (15m)
This month: 18 (11)
This year: 1,469 (913)

Week of 7 Jun

This week, getting back into a bit of structure with a mini-plan concocted by a couple of mystery coaches. The intrigue!

Mon Jun 7

11.3k recovery

Seven very easy Donegal miles down to Kilaghtee and unusually along the main road to loop back through Dunkineely (usually avoid that bit because of the narrow hard shoulder, but survived today).

Tue June 8

Travelling back to Dublin, no obvious running window, so a rest day instead of the planned easy day.

Wed June 9

Club session: 7 x 500m (<85 secs rec)

Small group tonight as several had run last night’s 2-miler in the Lord Mayor Series and the club coach, to his credit, is good at sending anyone who raced off for a recovery run. More 500s, a session I’m starting to dislike, neither 400s nor 600s, both of which I usually enjoy! Go figure. I was doing these in just under 2 mins, bringing up the rear again and so getting shorter recoveries - not a practice I agree with but the way the session is run so I went with it, taking one shorter rep to compensate.

I’m not sure I’ve chosen the right training group but will stick with it a few more weeks and see how it’s panning out.

Lap of the park to cool down, total for the evening about 10.7k

Thu June 10

8.9k recovery. I named this one ‘Soupy Plod’ on strava after the muggy evening it was on the seafront. No other way to describe it.

Fri June 11

Tempo Friday: 10 mins T, 8x hills, 10 mins T

This was definitely my first time doing a split tempo with hills, and I enjoyed the freshness of it all. Chose Griffith Ave as it’s fairly flat, but with side roads that offer an uphill option. I found it hard to get into the rhythm of the first half, not helped by looping around an uphill/downhill section at Mobhi Road.

Three mins recovery before doing the hills in the housing estate at Courtlands - short 30 second bursts, trying to think of form and turnover. Eight times up and down the same bit of road provided some entertainment for the local dog walkers and chatting doorsteppers. I was hitting these with plenty of effort but felt good and think I was pretty consistent. Then another three mins jog before the second tempo. Juiced from the hills, I tore into the start of it, before realising my error and dialling it back, closing things out up and down the Avenue with a couple of annoying 180 degree turns (that section of Griffith Avenue is short when you're at tempo pace).

10 mins @ 4:31/k (7:21/m)
8 x 30s hills @ ~3:41 (5:58)
10 mins @ 4:29 (7:13)

A good session, despite the midday heat. I’d respected the weather by donning a singlet. Wore the Speeds too, they felt good on this kind of outing. No HRM unfortunately - left the strap in Donegal.

This week: 44k (27m)
This month: 96(59)
This year: 1,547 (961)

Week of 14 Jun

This week, the mini-plan continues…

Mon Jun 14

10.5k recovery.

A gentle hour around the Marino Institute and connecting St. Vincent’s GAA grounds. Muggy out, but it was good to get most of the recovery miles in on the grass.

Tue June 15

11.9k easy

Another warm one. You’d swear it was summer or something. You can be guaranteed the first night I go out for ‘outdoor pints’ it will p1ss rain. :rolleyes: Out to St. Anne’s via the Howth Road and back along the coast.

Wed June 16

Speed: 2 x400, 2x1600, 4x200

Couldn’t make the club session tonight, so jogged across the Liffey to the TCD track instead. Good to see the place opened up a bit more, although visitors are still heavily restricted.

One of the mystery coaches had dreamed up this replacement session for me. The advice was to concentrate on the 1600s, which should feel comfortably hard.

Eased into the first 400 which came in a few seconds slow. All good the second time around. First 1600 was a few seconds behind the guided 6:50. The short recovery didn’t feel like enough and I struggled during the second half of the second 1600. Finishing off with four fast 200s is something I’ve gotten fairly used to over the years and I was confident I could hit the generous 45 secs.

Splits (approx):

1:43 1:40
6:52 6:59
43 43 44 44

A bit of a confidence deficit during the longer, tougher stuff, maybe. Or maybe the track is measuring a bit long this year - Garmin seemed to think so!

Jogged home, hitting 1,000 miles at my front door.

This week: 36k (22m)
This month: 158 (98)
This year: 1,609 (1,000)

Week of 14 Jun cont.

Thu June 17

Rest.

Fri June 18

Tempo Friday: 12 mins T, 8x hills, 12 mins T

Building on last weeks 2x10 mins split tempo. Was on the coast this time, into wind for the first 6 mins before turning and feeling the heat on my back. Hills on Watermill Road (not too steep, nicely attackable). Second tempo in St. Anne’s. Target pace 4:27-4:33/k.

12 mins @ 4:28/k (7:11/m)
8 x 30s hills @ ~3:36 (5:48)
12 mins @ 4:31 (7:16)

Unusually I did this one in late afternoon and it felt great from the start, reminding me of a recent radio piece I heard about the ideal exercise time being somewhere between 4-8pm or thereabouts. Must look into it more because this genuinely felt far easier than last week’s shorter session.

Sat June 19

7.1k recovery @ 5:56

Met up with G at St. Anne’s for a few pre-coffee recovery miles. The park is always full of clubmates and one of them joined us for a sociable lap of the perimeter.

Sun June 20

The ‘HK Half Marathon’ @ Steady - 5:01/k (8:04/m)

Was emailed a few weeks back about this event, which was a carryover from one of the cancelled marathon options last year. A small race in the Ashbourne environs, on a course divided between the old N2 and some quiet secondary roads. Open roads of course, so an 8am start. I drove down, forgetting my phone, then a bit of a hiccup when I discovered the car satnav had never heard of Curragha, Co. Meath. Quick stop at an Ashbourne garage and I was given excellent directions, arriving in time to register and bum a bottle of water from the registration table (I was parched). Bumped into RossRunner from around here - I know him as he trains with my former club, Crusaders - and chatted on the jog down to the start line. Joined by Ronan from MyRunResults, who was unusually running the race as well as timing it. Luckily he won, meaning if the RFID wasn’t working he’d have time to fix it before the likes of me came in.

The mystery coaches had reluctantly allowed me to run this as long as I treated it as a long run, so I kept the pace at a comfortable ’steady’, 5:03 (8:10), running the first seven miles just behind a group of wimmin who were chatting away about triathlons etc. We went past a couple of stragglers, then the group started to break up when one of them had a water bottle mishap and stopped on a hill just past the halfway mark. At this point I offered to do some of the work and took the front, keeping to the same pace on the now undulating territory. I felt great to be honest, and was soon alone as the ‘ladies’ fell behind.

With about two miles left I spotted a runner up ahead walking up a hill and spent the rest of the race just keeping steady and reeling him in, passing in the last 400m to claim 23rd place out of 34 finishers in a time of 1:46:23.

This was a very well organised little event. Markers every mile, a steward on every corner and plenty of water available in the second half from a mobile waterboy. Really enjoyed the morning. It felt great to be pinning on a race number in a carpark in the middle of nowhere again. Decent goody bag too.


This week: 80k (50m) / 444 mins
This month: 203 (126)
This year: 1,654 (1,028)

Sat June 26

7.1k recovery

Same as last week - a lap of St. Anne’s at a leisurely pace. Joined by a clubmate for the last mile, which is always a pleasure.

Sun June 27

LR 23.2k @ 5:32

How could June be nearly over already?

The plan has me aiming at seven hours of running a week. I was surprised to see the total only at four and a half up to and including yesterday - the coaches told me to cap it today around two hours and write off the difference. Met up with 'bad coach' for a pleasant and relatively lively outing by my LR standards, to Sutton and back. Tired afterwards, feel asleep on the couch trying to catch up on some TV viewing!

This week: 71k (44m) / 402 mins
This month: 273 (172)
This year: 1,724 (1,072)