Chronicle of a race foretold

Mon 18/3 -- Ski - Day 4/5.

Tue 19/3 -- Ski - Day 5/5.

Wed 20/3 -- Travel back to Ireland.

Thu 21/3 -- Cycle commute

Fri 22/3 -- No running

Sat 23/3 -- BHAA K-Club 10k

Pre Race

Initially I had earmarked this as the ideal race to assess form levels at the end of the base-building phase and before starting a distance-specific training block but travel and the ski holiday disrupted that plan. With very little running done over the last few days I seriously considered canning the race altogether and, had it not been for the fact I had to collect my category prize for the BHAA Winter League (1st place in the Men D category - yay!) I probably wouldn't have bothered.

In the end I made my way to the K-Club on what was a beautiful cool sunny morning - near perfect conditions for running. With so few miles in the legs over the previous fortnight I decided not to aim for any particular time and just let the legs find their own pace, get to the end of the first loop (more or less halfway) then assess things and push on if possible. I still felt a new PB was on after the winter training but I'd be happy with anything inside 45 minutes.

KM 1-5

After a few minutes struggling to get the field to move back to the starting line we were finally off. The start was fairly congested but once we got onto the road outside the golf course space opened up and I settled into a comfortable pace. The first couple of kms come in at a steady 4:14 each and by this point I was in a small group of 3 or 4 pushing each other along. Onto the first loop trying to keep the pace steady while getting a feel for this section of the course. The next km was mostly a slight uphill drag and pace dropped a bit (4:22) but the downhill after the 1st sharp left turn allowed the pace to recover again (4:16). Another left turn and onto the last section of the loop. Working hard through this section and I remember thinking that the urge to stop you usually get a couple of miles into a 10k had not reared its head this time. A fairly flat km but the pace managed to slip a little (4:20).

4:14 4:14 4:22 4:16 4:20

KM 6-10

Just inside 21:30 through halfway and another sharp left hander to start the 2nd loop. Made a conscious effort to push through this next uphill section - the pace didn't really increase but immediately started catching and passing runners that were coming back to me. Onto the kinder sections of the loop and it was more of the same: pick the next target ahead, close down, pass, move on. Gained a lot of positions during a couple of faster 4:12 kms and the only runner that latched onto me was a lad in a white GT5k top that I caught somewhere around the 8 km mark, by which point I was starting to hang on a little bit. We ran together heading back towards the K-Club, trying to find the best racing line whilst negotiating a couple of vehicles on the roads. With about 1 km to go a very strong runner in a Bray Runners singlet went past and I tried to lift the pace to go with him, pulling slightly ahead of my GT5k friend. Finally turning off the road it felt like we were flying down the hill towards the small roundabout, still chasing the Bray runner, but the last uphill drag to the finish was a real killer - GT5k got past and sprinted ahead while I slowed down to a jog and plodded over the finish line completely empty and exhausted. 42 something on the clock - a shiny new PB.

4:20 4:12 4:12 4:14 3:58

Post Race
Bumped into Wubble Wubble at the finish, sounding very pleased with his new PB, and headed off for a short cool-down jog and a shower in the plush changing rooms. I'm not sure the food lived up to its pre-race hype (although it was mostly gone by the time I got there) but it was nice to socialise for a while and meet a couple of new faces. Eventually I headed back towards Dublin with a smile on my face and feeling very pleased with the bit of prize money and a big PB.

Chip time: 42:26 (PB)
Position: 196/491 (20th M45)
Splits (per km): 4:14 4:14 4:22 4:16 4:20 4:20 4:12 4:12 4:14 3:58
Splits (per mile): 7:00 7:07 7:02 7:04 6:51 6:39
Avg pace: 6:57/mi (4:24/km)
Avg HR: 166 bpm

Objectively, the time is below the level of my 5k and 5M PBs. It's slightly disappointing and makes me wonder how much fitness I may have lost over the last couple of weeks, but I don't think there was much more in the tank on the day and it's a good marker to carry forward into the next distance-specific training block.

Sun 24/3 -- No running. VB match.

Weekly total: 9 miles

Start of a 12 week distance-specific 10k training block based on one of the plans in the "Faster Road Racing" book by Pfitzinger & Latter. The plan increases the weakly volume from 30 to 40-odd miles, including two sessions and one long run per week. Even with the base-building phase behind me I doubt I'll manage so many sessions without additional recoverty time so I expect to have to adjust the plan as we go along.

In terms of target races, I have in mind either Dunshaughlin or Clonee at the end of June. Unfortunately they're too close to each other to race both so I'll have to choose closer to the time.

Mon 1/4 -- No running

Tue 2/4 -- 6.5 miles aerobic inc. 6 x 100m strides

Wed 3/4 -- No running. Cycle commute.

Thu 4/4 -- Session: 3x 8' @ LT with 3' jog recovery

Went down to Kilbogget track for this session an the conditions couldn't have been more difficult: cold, blustery and very wet. I had the Garmin on auto lap so it was tricky to track the distance covered during each interval but managed roughly 1800m per 8' interval (perhaps a bit more during the middle rep) so just outside the 7' mile pace I was aiming for.

Fri 5/4 -- No running. Cycle commute.

Sat 6/4 -- 1h easy inc. Cabinteely parkrun: 6.25 miles @ 9:38/mi

Just a few easy miles including the parkrun in about 28'. Followed that with a 5h hike in Wicklow (Camaderry loop) in the afternoon.

Sun 7/4 -- Long run: 7 mile recovery @ 10:48/mi

A few very gentle miles with D in Cabinteely Park and a bit further out towards the Tully Church to bring a good week to a close.

Weekly total: 27.4 miles

Mon 15/4 -- Long run: 10 miles @ 9:23/mi

Rainy and fairly breezy. Picked up the pace a bit from halfway, helped by a tailwind, then had to fight a strong headwind on the way back as the weather was getting wetter and breezier. Really enjoyed this run. Calves getting a bit tight towards the end.

Tue 16/4 -- Rest

Wed 17/4 -- Session: 7 miles inc. 6x 12s hills and 6x strides

Warmed up with close to 3 easy miles in the Park before tackling the hill repeats on a steep ramp between the trees. A jog recovery then the strides on the flat followed by another mile and a half warm down. A tough session and the calves still feeling a bit tight.

Thu 18/4 -- Rest

The tightness has turned into fairly significant pain in the back of the left knee / top of the calf so icing and rest. A clear sign of too many hard sessions and long runs without enough rest or easy miles - something to be mindful going forward.

Fri 19/4 -- Rest

Sat 20/4 -- 1h very easy inc. Cabinteely parkrun: 5.6 miles @ 10:17/mi

Legs still a little bit sore so approached today's run very cautiously and completed the parkrun in about 30'.

Sun 21/4 -- 1h very easy: 6.1 miles @ 10:44/mi

A very gentle lap of the Lower Vartry trail loop with D. Nice way to top up the weekly mileage.

Weekly total: 28.9 miles

Mon 29/4 -- Workout: 8 miles inc. 3x 3' hills @ VO2max effort

A couple of miles to warm up with the pace increasing steadily to around 7:30/mile or so, followed by a bit of light jogging, a few stretches then some more light jogging and two or three strides to get the heart pumping again.

Did the long hill reps on the Cabinteely Park hill, clockwise, starting at the small bridge over the stream near the Brennanstown Road. I was a bit uncertain about what pace or effort level to aim for so tried to go hard and managed to cover more or less the same distance (about 0.4 miles) during each repetition. Instead of jogging back down the same hill I went the long way around the park for additional recovery.

A tought session and only realised afterwards that the plan called for 6 reps rather than 3!

Tue 30/4 -- 3.6 miles @ 8:54/mi

The intention was to do a few easy recovery miles but got carried away trying to set a time on a long Strava segment in the Park, which I knew wasn't really a good idea without a proper warm up and with yesterday's session still in the legs but couldn't help myself.

Wed 1/5 -- Rest

Thu 2/5 -- 5 miles easy @ 10:19/mi (Avg HR: 139 bpm)

Just a few easy miles in Cabinteely Park.

Fri 3/5 -- Cycle commute

Sat 4/5 -- No running

Sun 5/5 -- 1h easy: 6.5 miles @ 9:30/mi

A few easy miles around Cabinteely and Kilbogget parks to round up another week with slightly light mileage.

Weekly total: 23.1 miles

Mon 13/5 -- Rest. Calves seem fine but the quads are still very tender.

Tue 14/5 -- Cycle commute. Legs still a bit sore.

Wed 15/5 -- XT + 1h easy - 6 miles @ 10:08/mi (Avg HR: 129 bpm)

Cycle commute. Legs starting to settle down finally so went out for a very gentle evening trot around Cabinteely and Kilbogget.

Thu 16/5 -- Cycle commute.

Fri 17/5 -- Recovery run: 3.1 miles @ 11:55/mi

Very easy jog with D around Cabinteely Park in the evening.

Sat 18/5 -- 8 miles easy @ 9:32/mi inc. Cabinteely parkrun

Sun 19/5 -- Workout: 7.4 miles inc. 2x (5x 200m @ mile pace w/200m jog) & 4' jog btw sets

Conscious that running will take a bit of a back seat next week I wanted to get a speed session in before the end of the week so headed down to the Kilbogget track. Close to 3 easy miles to warm up then a few stretches and strides to get the legs fired up. This was a repeat of a workout a month ago but with one additional repetition per set. Aimed for 6' mile pace for the 200m reps and wondered afterwards if I should've aimed a bit higher as, although not easy by any means, I seemed to hit the target pace fairly consistenly: (44.3 44.1 44.9 45.3 43.3) (44.9 44.5 45.8 44.1 42.7). A couple of easy miles to warm down and complete the session.

Weekly total: 24.5 miles

Operation 10k - Week 9/12

Mon 27/5 -- Rest

Tue 28/5 -- Workout: 12/10/10 @ LT with 4' jog

Warmed up with a couple of gentle miles heading over to Foxrock, picked up the pace towards the end before launching into the first interval going up and down Torquay Road, then tried to get away jogged over to the perimeter path around Leopardstown race course, which was not as pancake flat as I expected and was fairly exposed to the breeze. Average paces for the 3 intervals were 7:06 6:57 6:56. A 15' jog back home brought the total for the day up to 8.7 miles.

Wed 29/5 -- Recovery run: 3 miles @ 10:31/mi

Thu 30/5 -- No running

Fri 31/5 -- No running

Sat 1/6 -- 7 miles easy @ 10:12/mi in Cabinteely Park

Sun 2/6 -- No running

Another low mileage week but this time no cycling to compensate. Found out that I will be away for work in the USA at the end of the month and will only get back to Dublin on the 22nd so Dunshaughlin goes out the window and Clonee, on the 27th, will be the target 10k at the end of this training block.

Weekly total: 18.7 miles

Operation 10k - Week 11/12

Mon 10/6 -- 6 miles easy @ 10:15/mi (Avg HR: 134 bpm)

Another early morning run before breakfast. Legs feeling a bit heavy but kept things nice and handy. Mostly around the lower sections of the Park and taking it very easy on the hills.

Tue 11/6 -- Bray Runners 1 mile time trial

Saw this event advertised here on the Middle Distance thread so thought I'd give it a try as I haven't raced a mile in a long time. Got to Shanganagh Park a bit tight for time so only managed a short warm up jog while I was trying to find the meeting point. Put my name down, got a number and we were immediately called over to the starting area by BeepBeep67, who gave us a short overview of the course before we were sent away.

A very small field with a mixture of ages including quite a few youngsters, which is always nice to see. Tried to get into a fast pace straightaway and after the first 400m the watch buzzed a 1:29 split, which I was happy with so tried to keep that going. The field spread out quickly and I was tracking a chap in a Bray Runners singlet a few metres ahead. The next split came in at 1:31 and I tried to maintain that pace over the critical next quarter mile (1:33) then kick for home and was closing on two or three runners ahead but just ran out of road a little bit.

The legendary Krusty was on timekeeping duty and was calling out the times at the finish line: 5:45 and a new mile PB. Happy enough with that considering the lack of a decent warm up and the fact this was a very laid back and friendly event, which in any case I really enjoyed. Total of 5.4 miles for the evening.

Wed 12/6 -- Rest

Thu 13/6 -- 5 miles easy @ 9:53/mi

I had been meaning to explore the UCD perimeter trail for a long time and, after an afternoon of 5-a-side football at the UCD pitches, the opportunity finally presented itself. The legs were feeling the footie a little bit and completing the entire perimeter became a bit of a grind but it was very nice to discover some lovely sections of the campus.

Fri 14/6 -- Rest

Sat 15/6 -- 6.5 miles inc. Cabinteely parkrun in 20:53 (PB)

The plan calls for a tune-up race a couple of weeks out from the main target race but a fast parkrun would have to do this time. Considered Shanganagh to get a more accurate feel for things on a flat course but in the end decided to stay in Cabinteely and aim to go sub 21' for a new PB.

Lined up at the front and let the hares go off but tried to stay aggressive from the start and, as expected, picked off a few during the first hill. A moderate breeze and a fairly thin field made the more exposed sections a bit of a challenge but slowly I was gaining on the next couple of runners ahead. At the start of the last lap I had closed on one of them and, at the same time, was being overtaken by a youngster. I decided to try and stay with him and he towed me along for most of the lap until he finally pulled clear on the last ramp.

A new PB of 20:53, lowering the 21:04 set on 1 January, is good but I was probably expecting to go a bit faster if I'm honest. Shouldn't read too much into it perhaps.

Sun 16/6 -- 1h cycle + 4 miles easy

A mini duathlon of sorts today. Took the bikes for a short spin near Roundwood (only 12 miles but included a few very sharp climbs) then set off on a loop of the Vartry trail but unfortunately had to abort the run after 4 very slow miles. Probably just as well because the legs felt really tired afterwards.

Finally signed up for the Clonee 10k!

Weekly total: 27.9 miles

Operation 10k - Race Week

Mon 24/6 -- No running. Short cycle to Shankill and back.

Tue 25/6 -- 4.5 miles including some speed work

A couple of days out from the race I just wanted to get a bit of race pace into the legs so did a 200-400-800 sequence (with matching length recoveries) on the track. Hit the target times (45" - 1'38" - 3'17") reasonably comfortably despite the relatively warm conditions: ~16C at 9 AM. That's the sort of temperature currently forecast for Thursday evening so it could make things interesting.

Wed 26/6 -- No running. Cycle commute.

Thu 26/6 -- Clonee 10k

Pre Race

Crawling along the M50 in rush hour traffic, munching on a peanut butter sandwich and a banana, any sane person should have been questioning the wisdom of abandoning a corporate-sponsored evening of free food and drink to instead go suffer for about three quarters of an hour along some unknown backroads in County Meath. The fact the situation didn't actually strike me as unusual until now probably says something about the insanity of this running lark.

In any case, and despite the traffic, got to Clonee with plenty of time to park in the official field, get changed and walk back the km or so to Race HQ chatting away with a runner from Cilles AC I met in the car park. Collected my number and strolled over to the start area, still fairly empty at this point. Jogged along the first mile or so of the course as a warm up, a few stretches and by the time I jogged back a crowd had finally gathered.

By 8 PM the earlier heat had subsided but the temperature was still in the high teens and there was a welcome breeze. Made a last minute decision to lose the cap but keep the shades on. Sporting a new singlet, I lined up a few rows from the front and felt confident of a good result to cap this training block. First time running this race but I knew the course consisted of a 3km outbound section heading roughly NE away from Clonee, a 4km counterclockwise loop then the initial 3km section in reverse back to the finish; a fair and fast course by previous accounts.

KM 1-3 (Out)

Set off at what felt like a decent-enough but still manageable clip and was perhaps a little surprised when the 1st km came in just inside 4'. The 2nd km was equally fast, I was still feeling good and I allowed myself to get carried away and start thinking that a sub-40 might be on ... way too early to get notions! During the 3rd km the fast pace started to bite and I was very slowly starting to drift off the back of the small group I was with, that I imagined were aiming for a 40' finish. Past the water station, still trying to hang onto the pace but the elastic was starting to give.

3:59 4:02 4:04

KM 4-7 (Loop)

Onto the loop section and I could clearly feel my pace slowing and the group drifting ahead steadily. A slight uphill drag that felt like a big climb at this stage (wasn't the course supposed to be flat?) added to the challenge. Reached halfway in 20:20 and boy was I working hard; breathing heavily already. Tried not to think there was still another 20' of pain ahead and instead focus on the fact that sub-41' (which before the race I would've been delighted with) was perhaps still on.

The mind was having a tought time though. All through this loop section I was stuck in a dreadful pattern of hearing footsteps behind me getting closer, eventually being overtaken and left behind. I must have lost about 10 or 12 places in all but the negative mental impact of feeling you are inexorably going backwards, completely powerless to react, made this a very difficult stretch.

4:08 4:08 4:12 4:21

KM 8-10 (Back)

Once we got back onto the return section I finally managed to stop the rut and get the legs going again. I latched onto a couple other lads that had just caught up with me and clung onto them for dear life. Eventually one of them pushed on but I managed to leave the other behind. Running on empty I was desperately looking for the '800m to go' sign I had noticed during the warm up, only this time it felt like the finish line was miles away. Not much of a sprint left in the legs but still tried to push all the way to the finish, even though the chance of a sub-41' had also evaporated. Stumbled over the line finally and needed a few moments to steady myself.

4:16 4:09 4:04

Post Race

Managed a short cool-down jog, on very tired legs, before walking back to Race HQ for a more than delicious slice of pizza and a cup of tea. The official results were up quickly: 41:31 is a 55" PB and a great result but the poor execution left me disappointed and feeling I might have done better. In reality, the result is probably a fair reflection of where I am in terms of shape, having missed a few sessions too many during this training block and averaged only a relatively low 24 miles/week.

Chip time: 41:31 (PB)
Position: 71/398 (8th M45)
Splits (per km): 3:59 4:02 4:04 4:08 4:08 4:12 4:21 4:16 4:09 4:04
Splits (per mile): 6:25 6:33 6:39 6:50 6:55 6:37
Avg pace: 6:41/mi (4:09/km)
Avg HR: 171 bpm
Age grading: 70.90%

Fri 28/6 -- Rest

Sat 29/6 -- Recovery run: 4 miles @ 10:18/mi

A few very gentle miles, on grass, around the Park. Legs OK.

Sun 30/6 -- Recovery run: 5 miles @ 10:03/mi

Legs feeling a bit heavier this evening.

Weekly total: 23.3 miles

Mon 8/7 -- Rest

Tue 9/7 -- 1h easy: 6.1 miles @ 9:27/mi (Avg HR: 135 bpm)

Another evening run up and down the beach. Legs had a bit more zip today.

Wed 10/7 -- 5 miles @ 9:38/mi (Avg HR: 148 bpm)

Out at 10 AM and it was already very warm. Just about bearable in the shade of the pine forest but really tough-going when out in the open. I was sweating buckets and was glad to just wrap it up after 5 miles and cool down with a deep in the pool.

Thu 11/7 -- No running. Travel.

Fri 12/7 -- No running. Cycle commute.

Sat 13/7 -- 4 miles easy @ 9:30/mi inc. Cabinteely parkrun

Legs feeling a bit heavy today so took things very easy on the parkrun (28:20).

Sun 14/7 -- Long run: 11 miles

A long run split in two parts: first up 3 very easy miles with D in the Park (11:30/mi) followed by 8 faster miles (9:40/mi) up towards the Lehaunstown Road, over the M50 and across towards the Brides Glen Road, onto Cherrywood, Kilbogget Park and back towards Cabinteely. Feeling fine for the first 4 miles but struggling a bit from Cherrywood onwards.

Weekly total: 26.1 miles

A recovery week before starting to work towards the HM in September so plenty of easy miles. Sleep suffering a bit of late.

Mon 22/7 -- Rest

Tue 23/7 -- 5 mile recovery @ 10:04/mi

Out after breakfast for a few very easy miles around the flatter bottom section of the Park. Fairly muggy even that early in the morning.

Wed 24/7 -- 5 mile recovery @ 9:56/mi (Avg HR: 137 bpm)

Out more or less at the same time as yesterday but it felt even warmer so really had to back off the pace to keep the effort easy.

Thu 25/7 -- 4.3 miles easy-ish @ 9:40/mi

Evening run under slight time pressure so ended up pushing the pace a bit. Warmer again so effort level was certainly at the upper end of easy.

Fri 26/7 -- No running

Sat 27/7 -- 6.5 miles easy inc. Cabinteely parkrun @ 9:40/mi

My brother (not a regular runner) was visiting for a few days and joined me on the parkrun so kept things handy then carried on afterwards for a few extra miles on my own.

Sun 28/7 -- 90' long run: 9.3 miles @ 9:35/mi (Avg HR: 144 bpm)

Out first thing before breakfast. A few laps of the Park then headed towards Foxrock, did a complete lap of the Leopardstown racecourse perimeter road then headed back along Brighton Road, enjoyed the long downhill along the Brennanstown Road before easing off to complete the 90'. Long walk to Lough Dan in the afternoon.

Weekly total: 30.1 miles

Mon 5/8 -- XT

A 22 mile spin from Skibbereen to Baltimore and back. Very undulating terrain with some seriously steep sections around Lough Hyne. Long drive back in the evening.

Tue 6/8 -- 4.25 miles @ 8:51/mi (Avg HR: 144 bpm)

Headed out early evening with the intention of doing a few laps of Kilbogget Park and maybe a hill or two on the way back. Felt good to be back out running after the long weekend and had settled into a decent pace when, all of a sudden, a couple of miles into the run the left calf started hurting. Stopped to stretch it out but the pain wouldn't go away so decided to cut the run short and head back home. Really sore afterwards.

Wed 7/8 to Fri 9/8 -- No running - nursing the calf.

Sat 10/8 -- 80' easy: 8.1 miles inc. Cabinteely parkrun @ 9:44/mi (Avg HR: 147 bpm)

The calf was still a little bit sore but decided to test it with a very easy parkrun. The pace was slow but the muggy conditions made it a higher effort than planned. The leg held up well so decided to run a few more miles and went to the Tully Church and back.

Sun 11/8 -- No running. 2h cycle near Roundwood.

Weekly total: 12.3 miles

Mon 19/8 -- Long cycle commute

Tue 20/8 -- No running

Wed 21/8 -- 1h easy: 6.3 miles @ 9:41/mi (Avg HR: 150 bpm)

Just a few laps around Kilbogget and Cabinteely Parks in the rain.

Thu 22/8 -- No running

Fri 23/8 -- Cycle commute

Sat 24/8 -- Frank Duffy 10 Mile

I was really looking forward to racing in the Phoenix Park again, and actually racing this distance for the first time, so really disappointed that it turned into a bit of a horrow show.

The first couple of miles, mostly downhill, were absolutely fine and I felt comfortable but as soon as we reached the first undulations in the 3rd mile I felt the effort increase significantly and the pace take a big hit. The next few uphill miles became a tough slog, getting slower and slower, and finally stopped paying any attention to my watch. Got to halfway in 37' (7:24 avg) and at this point I might have felt that sub-75' was possible but the pace just continued to drift. Things didn't get any better even when the course flattened out and I struggled down Chesterfield Avenue, going past the interim timing point at 7 miles in 53:21. A minimal respite coming down Acres Road, narrowly avoiding the temptation to just head for the car as we were passing the Papal Cross car park, before a seemingly never-ending and painful crawl up the last mile to the finish. Crossed the line completely empty and was still feeling very deflated when I bumped into Wubble Wubble handing out snacks on volunteer duty.

The fact that many people struggled with the conditions doesn't really make me feel any better. Failure to re-adjust my ambition of a sub-70' in light of the course and especially the conditions is inexcusable; even if there might have been other issues at play, setting off at that pace and expecting to hang on was foolish to say the least. Still, trying to take away some positives from the day: I did finish(!) and I now know what the course for the Dublin Half is like; just need to ensure an honest and realistic assessment come race day.

Chip time: 1:18:21 (PB)
Position: 720/3930 (116th M45)
Splits: 7:05 7:03 7:20 7:42 7:49 8:02 8:10 8:06 8:00 8:31 0:34 [0.08 mi]
Avg pace: 4:52/km (7:50/mi)
Avg HR: 164 bpm
Age grading: 61.63%

Weekly total: 20.4 miles

Mon 2/9 -- Progression long run: 12 miles @ 9:01/mi avg

Tried to find a local route to more or less replicate the profile of the Dublin Half. Started with a couple of flat easy miles on grass to warm up, added a few undulations for the next mile and a half, then a long steady climb over the next 2 miles and a bit towards Foxrock via Mart Lane, Westminster Rd and Hainault Rd; slight downhill via Brighton Rd to Foxrock village then hit the drag up Hainault Rd again, back down Brighton Rd, Westminster Rd then Gordon Ave and the steeper Kilteragh Rd back to the top of Hainault Rd before returning back down via Cabinteely Park. Pace increased steadily over the first 9 miles, from about 10' per mile at the start of the run to inside 8' pace for miles 8 & 9 then eased off for the rest.

Really enjoyed this run and gave me time to mull over how I might approach the Half in three weeks. Also tried a Hi5 gel for the first time ever halfway through the run; a bit of a sticky mess and found it a bit tricky to gulp it down at speed but it didn't cause any upset.

Splits: 10:01 9:41 9:45 9:25 9:03 8:32 8:20 7:50 7:54 9:06 9:05 9:26

Tue 3/9 -- Rest

Wed 4/9 -- 7.1 miles aerobic inc. 6x 120m strides @ 9:21/mi avg

A few easy loops around the Cabinteely and Kilbogget Parks including a half dozen strides on the track.

Thu 5/9 -- Rest

Fri 6/9 -- 30' easy: 3.1 miles @ 9:48/mi

Sat 7/9 -- The Lakes 10k (Blessington)

This time I put a bit more thought into how to approach the race. The objective was to use this as a tune-up and confidence builder ahead of the Dublin Half. The plan was to go with the 45' pacers for the first 2-3 km, in order to keep the early pace under control, increase the pace slightly to the 6 km point, work the hill then go hard to the finish for the last 3 km. It's not a PB course so just race by feel and don't focus on time, although I calculated that with this strategy I'd probably be in around 43'.

Pre Race

Got to Blessington about 10 AM, in plenty of time to park up and collect my number without any hassle. By the time I got kitted out and nipped across to the loo the queues at the registration desk and on the bridge had picked up significantly. Started the warm up with 30' to go; a few dynamic stretches then a light jog towards the finish line and beyond, to re-acquaint myself with the last km of the course: a slight uphill drag for the first 500m then dowhill to the finish. Cut things a bit tight and by the time I got back to the starting area everybody was already on the bridge - a bit of a rush but found my way to the 45' pacers and still had a couple of minutes to settle down before the start. Very good conditions: a tad warm (14-15C) but a bit of cloud keeping the sun at bay.

KM 1-5

A small field of less than 300 runners (I expected that being part of the KIA race series would attract a few more people this year) so no congestion to worry about and very quickly slotted into the 45' group; behind the pacers initially but then decided on a more confident approach and moved up alongside them, even if it meant having one of the baloons bounce off my head every now and then.

Anecdote of the day: partway through the first km we came across a flustered Hiko Tanosa -obviously late- rushing towards the starting line, and it wasn't long before he flew past us again, heading in the right direction this time. Eventually he finished 6th, about 3 1/2 minutes down on Sean Hehir, which is probably less than the head start he'd given the rest of the elite field. It would have been interesting to see what his actual time was but unfortunately the results only have his gun time.

Feeling comfortable at this pace, as soon as we hit the 2km marker I decided to push ahead of the pacers and opened a small gap. By the 3km point I could still hear their chatter not far behind me but I kept pushing and eventually their voices died off. This is a very nice section of the course, along undulating country lanes, and having a few runners ahead to aim at helped keep focused and avoid letting the pace slip on the drags. Reached halfway still feeling strong and with plenty in the tank.

4:23 4:32 4:26 4:27 4:23

KM 6-10

This year the water station was just after the sharp right hander. Felt guilty picking up a water bottle just to take a couple of sips and poured some of it over my head

At this point I had caught up with a group of 3 or 4 runners, including a tall well-built lad and a female in a DSD singlet running very strongly, and stayed with them for the next km, a fast downhill section towards the Liffey. Past the 6 km marker on the bridge and, almost immediately, hit the dreaded hill at the front of the small group. It's a long climb so tried to go hard at it but keep the effort controlled. Gained a few positions on the hill but a couple of runners -one of them the tall lad- went also past me at some point. Once we reached the flat section at the top of the hill I tried to bring my breathing back under control as quickly as possible without letting the pace drop. I noted that by the 7 km sign the tall lad was about 10s ahead.

The next couple of km are mostly downhill and I tried to take advantage of this to pick up the pace as much as I dared, slowly reeling in the odd runner, but the tall lad stayed stubbornly a few seconds ahead. By the time we reached the 9 km sign we were closing on a larger, disjointed group of 5 or 6 runners. Strongly carving through this group on the last uphill section was, despite the intense effort, a great feeling. Past the "500m to go" sign and kept pushing all the way to the finish, still chasing a couple more bodies ahead. The bridge and then the gantry came into view and finally crossed the line just outside 43'.

4:15 4:42 (hill) 4:07 4:07 3:54

Post Race

Tired, but not feeling completely exhausted, I sat down for a few moments to enjoy a glass of water and some fruit. A cool down jog, then changed into dry clothes and treated myself to a coffee to go with the nice muffin while the brief presentations were taking place.

Delighted that the race went almost perfectly to plan. Great injection of confidence ahead of the Dublin Half. Looking at the splits afterwards (I didn't even glance at the watch during the race) I might have hoped to go slightly faster in a couple of places but overall it was a very solid and controlled hard effort from start to finish. I also reflected on the nice progression achieved at this event over the last 3 years: 46:06 - 45:11 - 43:13. At this rate it'll be sub-40 next year (I wish!). I think this has to be my favourite event of the year: well organised, a lovely challenging course, and it has been kind to me so far.

Chip time: 43:13
Position: 44/272 (12th M40)
Splits: 4:23 4:32 4:26 4:27 4:23 4:15 4:42 4:07 4:07 3:54 (0.59 mi)
Avg pace: 4:19/km (6:57/mi)
Avg HR: 164 bpm
Age grading: 68.22%

Sun 8/9 -- No running. Short 90' cycle in Roundwood.

Weekly total: 31.8 miles

Wubble Wubble wrote: »

That's great progression for 10k in the space of a year.

Cheers. My 10k times were soft compared to 5k so I've been trying to focus the training on that distance this year, although I'd say most of the improvement is mainly down to increased mileage more than anything else.

Pity you didn't get to sample a parkrun in Cork.

Quite. We were actually staying a 5' stroll away from the Clonakilty parkrun venue but I only realised on Saturday morning that it was cancelled because the Circus was in town. Mind you, it was absolutely bucketing down that morning so I wasn't perhaps entirely disappointed.

Best of luck with the HM. I plan to be out supporting this time.

Hope to see you there ... and banish the bad memories of the FD10. And good luck to you in Ratoath!

Mon 16/9 -- Race pace + speed: 8.5 miles inc. 4 x 100m strides and 2 miles @ HMP

Last meaningful session before winding things down ahead of Saturday. Off I went before breakfast into a fine drizzle: 3 easy miles up and down Cabinteely Park feeling good and controlled, discarded the light jacket at home and took a Hi5 gel (just to see how it would sit on an empty stomach) then off to Kilbogget Park. A few strides along the way then a couple of laps round the mile loop in Kilbogget Park. Hit the target pace of 7:30/mile fairly quickly and locked onto it for the duration - a reasonably comfortably hard effort and glad to see both miles come in at 7:28.

Tue 17/9 -- 45' recovery: 4.5 miles @ 10:00/mi (Avg HR: 134 bpm)

A few very easy laps of the bottom part of Cabinteely Park in the evening.

Wed 18/9 -- No running. Day trip to London.

Thu 19/9 -- 30' recovery: 3.1 miles @ 9:47/mi (Avg HR: 133 bpm)

Just a gentle leg stretch at lunch time. Very warm (17-18 C) and a bit breezy -the sort of conditions forecast for Saturday morning- and could clearly feel the heat despite the low level of effort.

Fri 20/9 -- 30' recovery w/ strides: 3.2 miles @ 9:27/mi

Another few very easy miles to keep the legs ticking over, this time with 4x 100m strides. Noticeably breezier than yesterday.

Sat 21/9 -- Dublin Half Marathon (Phoenix Park)

Pre Race - Once bitten, twice shy

My second half marathon, virtually one year to the day since the debut in Clew Bay, the event that actually triggered the start of this log. Planning in the lead up was heavily conditioned by the debacle at the recent Frank Duffy 10. With the forecast predicting another warm day (16C at 9 AM rising to 18C by noon) plus a moderate SE breeze I was keen to adopt a more sensible race strategy. Initially I was thinking of setting off at 7:30 pace for the first couple of miles, drop to 7:45 (or even slower) on the long uphill section to mile 8, then pick the pace up again at that point with the goal of coming in under 1h40m. In the end, though, I decided it would be easier to start with the 1h40m pacers, let them push on ahead if necessary on the uphill, then start reeling them in after mile 8. Pretty much the same strategy and having the pacers as markers would take some of the thinking out of it. That's a plan!

The days before the race weren't ideal by any means: a 5 AM start on Wednesday for a long day trip to London, another 5 AM start on Friday and an evening out with a friend visiting for the weekend; it wasn't a late night but I foolishly had a fairly heavy dinner and didn't sleep well as a result. Still, come Saturday morning I was feeling in good shape and eager to go. Underestimated just how much bigger an event the Half is and, as we were queueing to drive into the Park and crawling up the Avenue, I was starting to get a bit concerned that I might miss the start. Finally found a parking spot near the cricket club, quickly got ready, squeezed in a few dynamic stretches and by the time I started jogging towards the starting line it was already 9:18. Eventually I made my way past most of the assembled field and slotted in behind the pacers. Just in time ... barely a couple of minutes to settle down and we were off.

Miles 1-8

The start was a lot more congested than the FD10 and being in such a large pack was a new experience for me. There was a small bit of weaving involved trying to settle within the group but most people seemed to have started in the right place and we were all tipping along at roughly the same pace. About 1k into the race, running too close to the outside edge of Ordnance Survey Rd, I stepped onto the grass verge and rolled my right ankle quite heavily. Ouch! (I may have used a different expletive. ) I managed to stay upright and keep going, took a few slightly tentative steps and it seemed to be fine, but I did wonder if it would come back to bite me later in the race. (And thank you to the fellow runner who asked if I was ok!)

The first couple of miles, mostly downhill and surrounded by the big pack, were otherwise uneventful and came in at 7:43 and 7:35. Feeling very comfortable at this point but I knew full well we were a long way from home. The pacers were just a handful of seconds ahead and it was too crowded to try and close the gap any further so I just tried to concentrate on staying out of trouble.

Mindful of the heat and the distance, I had planned to make good use of the water points: pick up a bottle at the first station (mile 3) and carry it with me, top up at the second station (mile 5.5), swap for a full bottle at the third station (mile 9) then see how I felt at the last one (mile 11). I also had with me an out of date zero tablet and a caffeine gel I found in a kitchen press at home and a small packet of Haribos. I could probably just about get through the half without eating anything but it was also a chance to experiment a bit under race conditions.

Ahead of the first water station I fished out from my back pocket half a Zero tablet and got ready to pick up a bottle. Even though I was looking out for it, I didn't actually spot the station until we were on top of it ... and I was on the wrong side of the road. Cue a frantic attempt to cut across the pack to grab a bottle, which I just about managed.

During the FD10 the uphill miles had been a real soul-breaking slog. This time I found myself tipping along faster yet much more comfortably. Spaces started to open up somewhat so it was easier to try and follow the racing line and find the odd bit of shade. Keeping the pacers in sight, about 10-12 seconds ahead, the miles kept ticking down: 7:42 7:39 7:34 7:49.

Ahead of the second water station I took the caffeine gel and popped the empty wrapper back into my pocket. I didn’t really need the gel but I was curious to see if the caffeine would deliver a little bit of a boost a few minutes later, at the point I was planning to lift the pace. Grabbed a cup of water at the station and slowed down slightly to pour it into my bottle (much easier than trying to drink from the cup) then carried on having lost a handful of seconds at most. Remarked again on the stark contrast with the FD10; instead of the dreaded uphill, this section almost felt like running on the flat for the most part. Would I push on? Long way to go ... stick to the plan!

The amount of support -always welcome- increased as we approached Chesterfield and turn onto the footpath. This section was narrower and a bit more crowded so I stepped (very carefully!) onto the grass to get a bit more space. U-turn onto the Avenue and the headwind became instantly obvious. Just tuck into a group and keep the head down. Off the Avenue and onto White’s Road, bracing myself for the next uphill section. Tried to keep the effort going over the sharpest ramps and finally past the 8 mile marker near the top of White’s Road in 61’ flat. Bang on target from the pacers.

7:43 7:35 7:42 7:39 7:34 7:49 7:30 7:42

Miles 9-13.1

Sharp left at the top of White’s Rd and time to step it up a notch. I used the downhill to help lift the pace and started closing quickly on the back of the pacer group, still quite large and taking the width of the road. It was going to be impossible to cut through the middle of the group so I jumped onto the pavement and started to make my way past them. By the time we reached the left turn at the bottom of Tower Road I had just about completed the overtaking manouver and jumped back onto the road just ahead of them.

Pace had increased to low 7’ miles and I tried to carry that forward onto the next uphill section. My calves gave me a gentle reminder that they were there but otherwise the legs seemed happy with the pace increase. Mile 9 in 7:13. Exchanged my water bottle at the next station and kept pushing. Back on Ordnance Survey Road I was making my way past another large group and came up to a fellow Cabinteely parkrun regular, exchanged a few words of encouragement and kept gliding forward.

Back onto Chesterfield Avenue and again into a strong headwind so I tried to seek as much protection as possible whilst moving up through the field. Mile 10 in 7:18 for a cumulative time inside 66', nearly 3 minutes faster than my FD time and feeling I wasn't going full throttle yet. Once we turned off the Avenue I fished out a couple of Haribo from my back pocket, thinking they might give me a small boost for the last couple of miles but found it difficult to chew them at this point so didn’t bother with the rest of the small packet.

Still carrying a half full water bottle I ignored the water station and kept motoring down Acres Road, buffeted by a fairly strong cross wind. Mile 11 in 7:16. A female runner from Ashton AC asked if we’d be finishing into this breeze and I said “nah ... it’ll be behind us, slightly to the side”. How wrong was I! Next mile in 7:14 and reached the mile 12 marker working hard but still feeling in good shape. This is it ... last push. Next to the Ashton AC lady and one or two others also running strongly I tried to maintain the pace and as a result breathing became louder and more laboured – a clear sign that I was finally operating at maximum effort. Remarkably I found myself able to keep pushing at this pace all the way along this last uphill drag. The finish line finally came into view and I was still going strong and picking up plenty of places. Eventually the Ashton AC lady sprinted ahead in the last few metres and I went through the line as the clock was ticking down towards 99'. Eventually the results would confirm a chip time of 1:38:03 - a PB of over 12 minutes!

A few moments to catch my breath next to the barriers then a very welcome glass of water and a banana. As soon as I stopped to chat with a few folks my ankle started hurting but it was just about OK for the easy cool-down jog back to the car.

7:13 7:18 7:16 7:14 7:12 0:39 (0.1 mi)

Post Race

Very satisfied with this race. It went absolutely according to plan and was a really enjoyable experience. A big PB, a negative split and also an unofficial fastest 10 mile time (I reckon inside 1h15m for the last 10 miles). Could I have pushed a little more, earlier? In hindsight perhaps yes. It's normal to think that way having finished feeling there was a bit left in the tank. Do I regret it? Not at all. There was sound logic behind the slightly conservative approach and, in any case, the discussion is slightly academic because it’s impossible to know where that fine line of optimal performance was on the day.

Bottom line is that this race has given me a lot of confidence in terms of endurance running and I doubt it’ll be another year before I have another crack at a half marathon.

Chip time: 1:38:03 (PB)
Position: 792/6936 (96th M45)
Splits: 7:43 7:35 7:42 7:39 7:34 - 7:49 7:30 7:42 7:13 7:18 - 7:16 7:14 7:12 0:39 [0.1 mi]
Avg pace: 7:29/mi
Avg HR: 164 bpm
Age grading: 68.22%

Sun 22/9 -- 3.2 miles recovery @ 10:16/mi (Avg HR: 121 bpm)

Still on a slight high I couldn't help going out for a few very easy recovery miles. The ankle was still a little tender so kept it short to round off a great week with another total mileage record.

Weekly total: 38 miles

Mon 30/9 -- Hike in the Montsec

A long 3 1/2 hour solo hike in the Montsec following this loop: Àger - Ermita Mare de Déu de Pedra - Font de Gabrieló - Cova d'en Rosell - Ermita i refugi Mare de Déu de Colobor - Àger. About 800m of climbing, mostly exposed to a very warm sun made for a good workout. Decided to run the last couple of miles back to Àger, slightly downhill on a fairly wide trail, and it was nice to see the legs happy to oblige.

Tue 1/10 -- 8 miles @ 9:02/mi (Avg HR: 139 bpm)

A nice run following the Canal de Pinyana, from near the Hospital to Gualda and back, alongside fields and fruit tree orchards. Sunny and fairly warm again (low 20s) but the legs found a bit of zip.

Wed 2/10 -- 7.25 miles @ 9:05/mi (Avg HR: 141 bpm)

I had intended to explore an interesting trail near Alpicat that I spotted on Strava but I was a bit pushed for time and ended up just heading to La Mitjana and slightly beyond. Out a bit earlier today so the temperate was only in the high teens. Picked up the pace a little bit in the middle section but after 6 miles the legs had had enough so eased off and jogged back home. Didn't mind as I should still be in recovery mode and careful not to overdo things.

Thu 3/10 -- Rest

Got back to Dublin in the early hours and had a long day catching up with work so no running today.

Fri 4/10 -- Rest

Another long day at work and still feeling a bit fatigued so didn't push the issue today either.

Sat 5/10 -- 5.8 miles inc. Cabinteely parkrun in 26:13

Was meant to be a few easy miles but got carried away and the parkrun turned into a bit of a progression run. A decent effort but afterwards felt fairly tired for the rest of the day.

Sun 6/10 -- Ride in Wicklow

A 2h spin between Roundwood and Moneystown. A good bit of climbing as usual.

Weekly total: 21.1 miles

Mon 14/10 -- No running

Up early to catch a flight to Boston. Got there mid afternoon and actually changed into my running gear but felt a bit too jaded after the travel and decided to park the running until the morning and just go for a stroll along the river. Lots of runners out and about as one would expect in Boston.

Tue 15/10 -- 80' aerobic: 9.1 miles @ 8:38/mi (Avg HR: 142 bpm)

Woke up very early due to the time difference. Waited until shortly before sunrise then set off from my hotel on Boylston St (overlooking the Boston marathon finishing line!) along the river to Harvard University and back. Nice sporting facilities on campus by the way, including both outdoor and indoor running tracks. A beautiful sunny morning and the miles went by quickly at a nice pace. Again lots of runners out and about. Evening flight to Seattle.

Wed 16/10 -- 8.6 miles aerobic @ 8:27/mi (Avg HR: 143 bpm)

With the day's work commitments over, decided to explore a new area of Seattle and set off for a lap of the Cheshiahud Loop around Lake Union. Rather wet and gloomy conditions, and a bit more tarmac than I would have liked, but still a scenic run nonetheless.

Thu 17/10 -- No running. Return flight to Dublin in the evening.

Fri 18/10 -- Rest

Sat 19/10 -- 5 miles easy inc. Marlay parkrun @ 8:25/mi (Avg HR: 147 bpm)

Fancied a bit of a change so gave Marlay a go for the first time. Really liked the course and it didn't feel as crowded as I expected. Easy-ish pace the whole way round.

Sun 20/10 -- Spar Cross Country Xperience

Signed up for this event (part of the Autumn Open) after last week's BHAA race was cancelled, as I really wanted to see what the Abbotstown course is like. Got there early enough to catch the senior races, including Wubble Wubble's valliant effort in the masters race, then a gentle warm-up and got ready to give the spikes their first outing of the winter. The event was only 4k and designed to give recreational runners a taste for XC but it was still a good opener for the coming XC season and decided to give it an honest effort: stampede off the wide starting area, jostling for position as the course narrows at the end of the straight, settle into a hard pace going round the field at the far end then a couple of very soft mucky sections before the ups and downs round the back of the lap. Tried to maintain the effort during the second lap but could feel the pace dipping slightly towards the far end of the course, as I was swapping positions with another two or three runners. Picked it up again, trying to find a good line through the muddy sections, then kept pushing over the last uphill drag ... sit on somebody's shoulder round the final bend then kick. I could sense one or two others right on my heels but was pleased to find enough strength in the legs to sustain the long sprint to the line and keep them at bay. Finished 27th in 16:41 for what was a very enjoyable low-key event. Total of 6.9 miles for the day.

Not a bad return for the week considering the amount of long-distance travel.

Weekly total: 29.6 miles

Mon 28/10 -- Travel back to Dublin

Tue 29/10 -- No running. A bit hesitant to go out first thing then the day just ran away from me.

Wed 30/10 -- 8 miles aerobic @ 9:05/mi (Avg HR: 141 bpm)

After reading so many positive DCM race reports my mind was all pumped up to get back into the running but sadly my body wasn't feeling the love this morning and the run was a bit of a grind. Hopefully just a bit of rustiness after last week. Still, stuck to it and -on the plus side- I reached 1000 miles for the year! :cool:

Thu 31/10 -- No running.

Fri 1/11 -- 5.1 miles easy in the rain @ 9:49/mi (Avg HR: 141 bpm)

A bit of a sore throat first thing but it seemed to have gone away later on, so finally got out late afternoon for a few laps in the park. Very wet and got dark so quickly ... Legs felt fairly heavy on the soft ground and the pace over the last couple of miles just got over the 10' mark.

Sat 2/11 -- No running. Must admit I was a bit lazy to go out early on then the heavens opened and didn't really fancy getting soaked again.

Sun 3/11 -- Long run: 10 miles aerobic @ 9:20/mi (Avg HR: 142 bpm)

Sore throat still lingering but it was such a beautiful day that I just had to get out. Decided to try a long run and repeat the loop from 3 weeks ago. Have heard a few people talk about Scullion's podcast so downloaded a few recent episodes and stuck that on. It was an interesting listen: he can ramble on a bit in places but it certainly helped pass the time on the long run and a few things actually resonated, especially today when he talked about getting the training done even when slighly under the weather. His thoughts on the marathon, and Dublin in particular, were also very interesting for somebody who is pondering whether to give it a go. Back to the run ... tried to keep the effort easy and under control throughout but I could feel straightaway that I wasn't as comfortable as last time, particularly on the uphills, and my right leght was also a bit tight from the off. Took a whole 3 1/2 minutes longer than last time for a marginally higher effort overall.

Reaching 1000 miles was the highlight of an otherwise poor week but hopefully this bug will clear soon and I can start ramping things up for the Clontarf Half.

Weekly total: 23.1 miles

Mon 4/11 -- 5.1 miles recovery @ 9:51/mi

Still a bit congested but I felt that a short recovery run during the day would be OK. Checked the weather forecast whilst having breakfast and it was heavy rain for most of the day with the only dryish window ... erm ... now. That made up my mind and off I went for a few very easy laps of the flat section at the bottom of the park. Very soft underfoot including some completely waterlogged sections. Love this sort of conditions and it put me in a good frame of mind for the rest of the day.

Tue 5/11 -- Workout: 6x800m @ 3k-5k pace

Over to the Kilbogget track for an early morning workout. Dry and not too cold but a moderate northerly breeze to keep conditions challenging. The legs felt sprightly-enough during the two warmup miles (8:45 8:26) then a few more stretches and drills to get ready for the session. I gave myself a wide target to aim at for each interval: 3:02 to 3:12 (equivalent to 19:00 to 20:00 for 5k) and expected the jog recoveries (a lap around the infield of the track) to be at the upper end of the prescribed duration (50-90% of interval time). The first interval was as usual a bit faster but the rest were fairly consistent, albeit slightly outside target. Halfway through the session it felt like I might not make it but glad I persevered and got it done. Fairly wrecked but pleased afterwards and jogged home as a cool down. Total of 8 miles for the day. Looking at the last few speed sessions, which have been a bit infrequent, I seem to be stuck at this sort of pace - perhaps a more speed-focused training block would be needed to break through this plateau.

Splits: 3:09 3:13 3:16 3:15 3:15 3:13

Wed 6/11 -- No running. Volleyball session.

Thu 7/11 -- 3.6 miles easy @ 9:47/mi

Jogged over to Dalkey for a VB training session then felt a bit lazy/tired to run back afterwards so got a lift home.

And that was it for the week. Long drive to Cork on Friday for a VB tournament on Saturday, then Sunday was busy with family stuff.

Weekly total: 16.7 miles

Mon 18/11 -- No running. Tougher than expected VB session in the evening.

Tue 19/11 -- Endurance run: 10.65 miles @ 8:36/mi (Avg HR: 147 bpm)

Legs still feeling the previous night's session but I decided to press ahead with today's planned run so after breakfast I headed for Kilbogget and Clonkeen parks. Milder day but with a fresh southerly breeze. The target pace was between 8 and 9 minutes per mile whilst keeping the effort under control. Felt good and really enjoyed the run but the stretches into the wind had me working perhaps a bit harder than intended. Fairly tired and legs fairly sore afterwards. Left knee showing some signs of discomfort so a bit worried I might have overdone it the last few days.

Splits: 9:09 8:34 8:41 8:23 8:24 8:18 8:29(w) 8:40(w) 8:16 8:29 9:34 (for 0.65mi)

Wed 20/11 -- No running. Cycle commute. VB session.

Thu 21/11 -- 1h easy: 6.2 miles @ 9:38/mi (Avg HR: 134 bpm)

Out late evening, dark and rainy so threw on a waterproof cycling jacket for added visibility. After standing in the rain for a few minutes stupidly waiting for the Garmin to sync up, I decided to forget about the watch, pace, HR and just run easy for an hour focusing on form and breathing instead. I was genuinely surprised to see the paces afterwards as I felt I'd gone very easy and would be around the 10' mile mark. Loved being out in the rain just tipping along the quiet wet roads.

Fri 22/11 -- Rest

Sat 23/11 -- 1h easy/med: 7 miles inc. Cabinteely parkrun and 6x30" strides

Intended to keep the parkrun easy but ended up running it at roughly 9' mile pace then headed home via Foxrock, throwing in half a dozen strides along the way. Should really do a few more strides on easy days.

Sun 24/11 -- 5.2 mile recovery @ 10:34/mi (Avg HR: 128 bpm)

Just a few very easy miles looping around the bottom section of the Park. Went out before dinner so it was already dark but still bright-enough to see where I was going. Very soft underfoot with some fairly mucky sections. Lovely stuff to end the week.

Have started mulling over running-related goals and plans for next year. Still undecided about following a similar pattern to this year (shorter stuff to start with, maybe even focus on 5k, then go longer after the summer) or trying something different. As usual, thoughts of dipping my toe in the scary world of the marathon enter my head in the aftermath of DCM but I'm still daunted by the commitment required. Just the other day my wife had a dream that I had entered the NY marathon and her reaction was why couldn't I just enter one closer to home ... maybe it's a sign.

Weekly total: 29.1 miles

Wubble Wubble wrote: »

Glad you enjoyed the Irish Life. From reading your report, I'd say you were ahead of me throughout - I finished just ahead of your friend. Best of luck with the Clontarf half.

Loved the course and the conditions. You weren't far behind in the end - another hundred metres and you would have been on top of me I reckon!

I've disregarded the log of late so another bumper update to bring it almost up to date, starting with what turned out to be one of the highlights of 2019 ...

Sat 30/11 -- Clontarf Half Marathon

Pre Race

I really enjoyed the Dublin Half Marathon in September and felt there was a bit more to give, so when a few days later the running club at work offered a subsidised entry to another half marathon, I jumped at the chance. With another couple of months of endurance training under my belt, the prospect of a flat course and a reasonably decent weather forecast, I felt quietly confident I could take a chunk off my 1:38:03 PB so on Friday I nailed my colours to the mast and updated the log with the target: 1h35m.

Race Day

Woke up shortly after 4 AM with anticipation but stayed in bed trying to snooze and rest until it was time to get up and tuck into some race-day breakfast: a bowl of porridge, a banana, a cup of tea and a glass of water. Got the gear ready, bundled up and set off on a gentle 45' spin to Clontarf. Got there around 9 AM, collected my number fairly quickly and paid a visit to the loos before the queues built up. Conditions were as forecast: 5-6°C, a moderate Southeasterly breeze, cloudy but dry. It was too early to start warming up before the 10 AM start so just huddled with a few others under some trees near the start trying to stay warm. A couple of lads next to me were discussing the course and the sections where the wind would hit us most: going out on the wooden bridge and coming back on the causeway. Good to know.

Eventually got rid of the outer layers, changed into my racers, checked in my bag and -after a few dynamic stretches- set off on a short 1 mile warm up jog. Managed to cut it a bit too fine again and by the time I got back, discarded another couple of layers and risked a last-minute visit to the urinals, the race was about to start. Rushed to the starting line and made my way to a spot a few rows behind the 1h30m pacers, where I bumped into a work colleague. A quick handshake and good luck wishes exchanged as the starter was finishing the countdown and off we went. The plan for today: steady 7:15-7:20 pace for the early miles then at some point pick it up to low 7 minute miles.

Race

A little bit of congestion off the line on the narrow promenade but kept patient and very soon space started opening up. A few glances at the watch to check the pace and very soon the first mile beeped at 7:17.5 - bang in the middle of my target range. Still on the promenade, I found myself running alongside a chap in a white Decathlon cap (I have the exact same one so it caught my eye). We ran side by side for a short while but the pace started dropping towards 7:2x so I decided to push on. Half way through the second mile came the sharp right turn onto the Wooden Bridge and into a fair headwind, which I was expecting but still managed to get to that point a bit isolated. A few seconds ahead was a female runner in a tri suit tucked right behind a tall guy that was striding along comfortably and seemed to be pacing her. I had a decision to make: bridge the gap or face a mile-long stretch into the breeze on my own. Decided to go for it, picked up the pace and, although it took me a few hundred metres, I finally reeled them in wondering if I would pay for this spurt later. Second mile in 7:18 - so far so good.

Settled in behind them but I was still being hit by the headwind. Tried to position myself slightly to their right, then slightly to their left, but it just didn't seem to make any difference so I just gave up trying and kept going with them for the rest of the stretch on the Bull Wall. Shortly after we reached the hard sand on Dollymount beach the female runner went past the tall guy and started pulling ahead. Hmmm ... not a pacer then - just a very handy wind shield. I followed and, running almost side by side but half a stride behind her, we started making our way up the field on the long beach section.

The breeze had become a crosswind here but we were still running into it and having to work hard. Missed the third mile split (7:15) but from glancing at the watch every now and then I could tell we were right on target pace. At some point I edged slightly ahead of her and she immediately tucked in behind me; so suddenly I almost thought she had stopped but I look over my shoulder confirmed she was right behind. Must say I didn't mind at all and, in fact, this last section on the beach was one of the highlights of the race: taking a pull at the front into the wide open space, pushing hard to stay on pace was a fantastic feeling.

The first thing I noticed as we finally turned off the beach was how quiet it was; almost as if somebody had suddenly turned off the wind machine. Declined the offer of a bottle at the first water station and completed the fourth mile (7:13) as we turned onto the Causeway Road. Without any noticeable change in effort, and with a tailwind behind us, the pace shot up to below 7' miles and my immediate reaction was to slow it down a bit. At this point my female companion pulled up alongside me and I took the opportunity to ask if she was aiming for a particular time. I had to chuckle when she said her only goal was to get back home to Trim in time for the babysitter. She hit the front again, we continued making good progress down the causeway and the fifth mile beeped in 6:54 shortly after the right turn onto the promenade. Back into a slight crosswind for the very long stretch to the turnaround, the pace for the next mile dropped to 7:14 but I was still feeling good.

Three very smooth-looking leaders went past heading the other way, then a bit of a gap before a steady flow of small groups and solo runners ahead of the large crowd with the 90' pacer. Eventually we hit the turnaround point and immediately the pace jumped to well inside 7' miles (~6:4x or so). Grabbed a water bottle and struggled to swallow much of it but at least managed to rinse my mouth a bit. My companion took a gel, put her foot down and started pulling ahead. At this point I decided it was time to run my own race and not give chase but at least try to keep the effort going.

After the pace increase, the 7th mile beeped at 6:58. I was working hard, still feeling very much in control but thinking that a small boost might be beneficial, I tore open the small packet of Haribo I had with me and popped two or three into my mouth to let them dissolve slowly. Probably a phsychological boost more than anything else.

Enjoyed the counterflow section and getting the odd shout of encouragement from work colleagues heading the other way, and completed the 8th mile in 7' flat shortly before the sharp left hander back onto the causeway and again into a headwind. Here I found myself behind a Naas AC runner and decided to follow him, mainly to get some shelter from the wind and partly because he seemed to be running strongly. The wind made this section tough-going and as a result the next mile came in at 7:18.

Back onto the sand still tucked behind Naas AC. The field was well spreadh out here but slowly, with his quick choppy stride, he managed to reel in a couple of lone runners along this long stretch. Missed the 10 mile point but I could see the pace struggling as the effort started to bite and by my reckoning the 1h35 target was going to be touch and go. Feeling the pinch, I popped another couple of the emergency Haribo into my mouth hoping they'd have an effect, but it was really having metronomical Naas AC to hang onto that was absolutely crucial during this section and I just tried to focus on simply staying with him until the end of the beach. Just about managed it, and in the process completed the two sandy miles in 7:11 and 7:14.

Climbing the short steep bank was cruel on the legs but finally turning off the crosswind and back onto tarmac was a relief. Naas AC said the hard work was done and we were on for 1:34 if we could just keep the legs ticking over. As we were approaching the wooden bridge again, I caught a second wind (probably quite literally) and I started to pull ahead. With strength returning I said to myself 'let's go for it', poured the rest of my water on the back of the neck and on my legs, spat out the Haribo fragments I still had in my mouth and lifted the pace. Shap turn off the bridge, discarded the water bottle next to a bin and felt like I was flying it. Mile 12 beeped in 6:56 and I just kept pushing, chasing one or two runners ahead that had blown and were clearly going backwards. Kept waiting for the inevitable fade but the legs were still going strong when mile 13 beeped in 6:42 and stayed strong all the way, taking one more scalp just before punching the air and crossing the line just inside 1:33 on the clock. Job done!

Post Race

Waited to thank Naas AC for his pacing and his help dragging me along the tough section. Looked around for the female runner who had also been instrumental in my great race but she was probably on her way home already. Threw on some layers and met up for a short chat with a couple of people from work, then set off on a very ginger cool-down mile before wrapping up some more and tucking into a more than welcome bowl of soup. The ride home was a slow affair but gave me time to reflect on the race and make a couple of decisions I had been pondering: one, to sit out Jingle Bells and give the legs a break; two, to not enter the ballot for next year's DCM.

Delighted. A true runner's high. The chip time of 1:32:47 is a 5 minute PB and is of course a fantastic outcome but the real highlight was the overall experience and the feeling during the race, the sustained hard effort, the 'racing' ... difficult to put into words.

Further analysis shows a negative split and another strong finish, with the last 10 (whole) miles the fastest of the race and well inside 71', which is my lowest 10 mile time ever by far. Was there much left in the tank? Perhaps a small bit but I think it was a well-judged effort and not far from the tipping point.

Chip time: 1:32:47 (PB)
Position: 103/1453
Splits: 7:17 7:18 7:15 7:13 6:54 - 7:14 6:58 7:00 7:18 7:11 - 7:14 6:56 6:42 0:19
Avg pace: 7:05/mi
Avg HR: 164 bpm
Age grading: 68.98%


Sun 1/12 -- Rest

Weekly total: 29.5 miles

Mon 9/12 -- 5.1 mile recovery @ 9:57/mi (Avg HR: 136 bpm)

Still in recovery mode so stuck to a few easy miles on the flat sections of the park and to the far end of the village. Was planning on 1h but wrapped it up after 5 miles. Still a bit breezy out there after the storm.

Tue 10/12 -- 1h aerobic: 6.6 miles @ 9:13/mi (Avg HR: 140 bpm)

Early start after a late night. Out after breakfast and, finding the park closed, decided to loop around Foxrock and Brennanstown. Blustery but luckily managed to hit a dry window in what was otherwise a very wet morning. Feeling of strength returning to the legs. Lowlight of the run: two people asked me for directions (one to a street across the road from my house) and I managed to send both the wrong way!

Wed 11/12 -- No running. Cycle commute. VB session.

Thu 12/12 -- No running.

Fri 13/12 -- 1h easy: 6.4 miles @ 9:57/mi

More easy miles around Cabinteely and Kilbogget parks.

Sat 14/12 -- No running

Sun 15/12 -- No running. Spin to Enniskerry.

Weekly total: 18.1 miles

Time to bring the old log out of cocooning with a little 'race' report ...

Boards 1 mile TT

I’ve never been an early riser but these last few weeks my body clock has developed some kind of malfunction and wakes me up at 5:30 AM pretty much every single day. Must be the longer summer days or the warmer weather but I can hardly recognise my activity feed with all the early morning runs and spins lately. Some days I’ll try and squeeze in a bit of a snooze but today I thought may as well get on with things before the temperature climbs too much. Didn’t fancy tackling the TT on a completely empty stomach so just munched on half a banana and a small bit of toast with jam, a glass of water, a few drills and out the door by 6:30 … at 14 °C already!

The chosen venue was a mile loop in Kilbogget Park, which I hoped would be fairly empty early on a Saturday, with the fallback option of using the track if I didn’t get out early enough. The loop is one mile exactly, so zero net elevation, and fairly flat. When run anticlockwise it ends on a slightly uphill drag, although to me it always feels like it’s uphill the whole way around.

I cut across Cabinteely Park on the way and was half-tempted to just stay there and do the TT on a flat grass field that was nicely shaded but decided to go check out Kilbogget as planned. Just one or two walkers in sight so OK on that front but already heating up nicely in the sunshine. Incorporated a fast sharp uphill burst into the end of the warm-up to get the heart pumping, then a few stretches and a couple more strides on the track before a slow walk to the starting line, trying to get a bit of a breather and settle down. Mile workout programmed on the Garmin, path clear up ahead, deep breath, go.

Target was 6:15 based on the recent 5k TT but was of course hoping to do better, and secretly hoping to get close to 6 minutes. A slight downhill start coupled with the initial burst of adrenaline and the Garmin was showing a 5:4x early pace; not to worry - very soon the gradient changes and a gentle drag puts the brakes on and leaves the legs in no doubt they'll have to do a bit of work. A 90-degree left hander and shortly after, by the next bench on the right, is the first quarter mile marker. Quick glance at the watch: 1:33. So far so good – now keep the effort going this next quarter mile. Conscious attempt to stay relaxed and controlled. Coming up to the slightly narrower chicane between the playground and the small astro pitch, and of course the only dog walker in the whole park is here, with his small pooch off the lead. Thankfully the mutt isn’t interested in a passing runner and I manage to negotiate this section safely. Next target is the half-way point by the exercise machine on the left. Quick glance at the watch: distance covered = 0.45 miles!? Cue brief moment of confusion until I spot another exercise machine a bit further on, but when I eventually get there I fail to register my split. Only half way and the brain already struggling.

Onto the third quarter and the make or break section of a mile race. Pace biting and form starting to go but try to keep it flowing – remember all those YouTube videos of middle distance races you’ve watched and how smooth the pros looked. As if! Now heading towards the only sharp corner of the loop; normally you’d swing wide to the right side of the path then cut across the apex and slingshot the other side, using up the full width of the path on both entry and exit to the corner. Already some distance away I spot trouble ahead: a lone walker heading towards the corner from the other side and, of course, we’re going to converge right on the corner. I can’t hog the path this time so have to cut the corner, across the grass, in order to maintain a sensible distance. Hopefully no significant time lost but could have done without the worry.

Well over half way and really working hard now. The 3/4 mile marker is by the next bench on the right but I’m under too much pressure to register my time. With 300m to go I power up a short ramp and onto the final straight, a gentle uphill drag all the way to the end of the loop. Breathing gone into overdrive and no point looking at the watch now - just bl**dy push. Past the bench on the right that is the 100m to go marker and push, push, push. It feels like something is going to give in any second when finally, and thankfully, the Garmin beeps the end of the workout and I just collapse onto the grass by the side of the path panting heavily: 6:18.87.

Very tough but very enjoyable at the same time. A bit disappointed with the time but probably a fair reflection of where fitness is at the moment. Around this time last year I ran a mile TT comfortably inside 6 minutes. That was coming to the end of a 12 week 10k-specific training block but I'm a long way from that level now ... and also a year older!

Still, as I mentioned on the TT thread, the enjoyment of race day has helped restore the motivation that had been waning a little these last few weeks, so glad I got on with it in the end instead of pulling the plug as I was seriously tempted to do during the week.

What's next? Spend the rest of the month topping up the base building I've been doing for the last while then jump onto a middle-distance specific training block for the next 8 or 12 weeks (need to put together a suitable plan) to focus on shorter distances for a change. Hopefully getting the log re-started will help keep things on track.