Send in the Clowns - BAC 10K Challenge

Krusty_Clown

Kildare Half Marathon: 1:30 Pacer: 1:29:37
An early start to the morning (5:45am) left me tired and groggy, but thankfully Kildare's Curragh Race course is only a 40 minute drive, so we arrived at 7am to meet up with the other pacers. Some good organization and we had our balloons, belts, numbers etc. in no time. The marathon pacers headed off as their race was due to start at 8am, and we retired back to the car for some warmth, and rest. The half marathon was a little delayed due to traffic congestion coming into the Curragh, so it was good to chat to jbski and Brendan (the other half pacers) and the other runners who waited around for the start. An easy jog to the start line where I met some runners I had paced in previous races (S'funny how you get recognized when you're wearing a couple of balloons!). At about 9:25am we were off. Nice easy start until we turned into the wind on an open stretch in the Curragh. Bit of a head-wind, soon afterwards, but it wasn't anything too strong. the miles ticked by and we were slightly ahead of target for a 1:29 finish.

We caught up with the eventual winning female, and soon afterwards we caught the woman who finished second. Ironically, neither of the two runners knew they were in first and second place, until one of the women got a shout from a spectator on the side of the road. I ran with the girls for a while, until one of them pushed on, at about mile 8 (and went on to finish in 1:27), while the other girl dropped off the pace (finished in 1:31). Around mile 10, we turned towards home, and were chased by a tail-wind, which gave all the runners some well deserved relief. A mile later, most of the runners pushed on for home and I was left with a couple of runners who were sticking to the steady pace. Eventually these guys left me too (they grow up so quickly!), so I headed for home with a couple of stragglers who would still make it comfortably across the finish line in time. I slowed over the last 200m, but there was no-one else to abuse, so stepped over the finish line in 1:29:37 (around 1:29:58 gun time). I'm not sure if the the compére was trying to be funny, or was just clueless, but she announced over the PA system that I was 10 minutes late. :mad: When I heard her say it again when Brendan (the next pacer across the finish line) crossed the finish line, I figured she was just a bit clueless. Chatted to lots of the grateful runners afterwards and was delighted to help (in some small way) them achieve their PBs. Lots of excellent PBs, so I think the wind really really helped in the latter few miles of the race.

Summary: 13.1 miles in 1:29:38, @6:49/mile, HR=150

Krusty_Clown

Today: Nice handy 40 minute recovery run at lunch-time
Felt a little bit like running in Beirut with the high Gardai presence around the area (near Baldonnel Airport where her royal wrinkleness is due to land tomorrow). Ran with work buddy again, which kept the pace nice and comfortable at about 8:20/mile. Quite windy out there, but perfect conditions for a recovery run. Thankfully my body doesn't seem to have noticed yesterday's 90 minute half marathon (which was technically a PB by the way ), but three days of average 4.5 hours sleep has left me feeling quite drained.

Will try and catch up on sleep tonight, as I'm hoping to do my McMillan intervals tomorrow instead of Wednesday. unfortunately, the Dunshaughlin 10k is now off the cards, which is a big disapointment. I'll continue with the training regardless and hope I can find a 10k somewhere around that time-frame. Hope the wind dies down for the 400s tomorrow.

Summary: 4.75 miles in 41 mins

shels4ever

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Today: Nice handy 40 minute recovery run at lunch-time
Felt a little bit like running in Beirut with the high Gardai presence around the area (near Baldonnel Airport where her royal wrinkleness is due to land tomorrow).

Yep some crowd there at the moment, was dropping of some water bottles yesterday before my run and decided it wasnt a good idea to leave them around there.

Krusty_Clown

shels4ever wrote: »

Yep some crowd there at the moment, was dropping of some water bottles yesterday before my run and decided it wasnt a good idea to leave them around there.

You could just hand them to a member of the force, as they're just standing around doing nothing else. If you paint a yellow outline around them, they'll be fine.

aero2k

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

You could just hand them to a member of the force, as they're just standing around doing nothing else. If you paint a yellow outline around them, they'll be fine.

Things are even worse in the park - I get to add core workouts while moving and replacing barriers. The Park has never been so safe!

Shame about Dunshaughlin. Think I'll give it a miss this time round as well. Pity...

Well done on another successful pacing effort.

Krusty_Clown

aero2k wrote: »

Things are even worse in the park - I get to add core workouts while moving and replacing barriers. The Park has never been so safe!

Shame about Dunshaughlin. Think I'll give it a miss this time round as well. Pity...

Well done on another successful pacing effort.

Thanks aero. You're off to Edinburgh this weekend, right? Hopefully you'll finally get good marathon running weather for your trip. Looks good now, though there might be a bit of a head wind. Have you got a public target, or is it the race just too close to speak it aloud at this stage?

aero2k

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Thanks aero. You're off to Edinburgh this weekend, right? Hopefully you'll finally get good marathon running weather for your trip. Looks good now, though there might be a bit of a head wind. Have you got a public target, or is it the race just too close to speak it aloud at this stage?

Yes, heading off with Git101 on Thursday afternoon to get acclimatised.:D Temerature-wise it looks perfect, 10 degrees but feeling like 7, 62% cloud cover....the only problem is the 17-20mph winds, with gusts of 25-30mph. Still, they're forecasting south-westerlies so we might have a slight tailwind until around 18 miles.

Last year I made the mistake of not having a proper target, this year I have several... I'll throw them all up in the air at the start and see what settles after 5 miles or so. Seriously, I suppose I really want to beat last year's 2:54. (McMillan would say that's a stretch based on recent results) Trying to go much faster than that risks it all going pear-shaped; however I survived that experience in DCM '83 and DCM '08. Hopefully I'll feel good on the day, at the moment I feel old and decrepit, just like during all my other tapers!

Now if I could just find someone tall to run in front of me into the wind at 6:18 (6:14 on the Garmin) - any plans for Sunday morning?

Krusty_Clown

aero2k wrote: »

Now if I could just find someone tall to run in front of me into the wind at 6:18 (6:14 on the Garmin) - any plans for Sunday morning?

Wow, that'll be a cracking run. I wish I could be there to run at that kind of pace too (and enjoy a few pints with you guys afterwards!). Very best of luck to yourself and Git101. Really looking forward to hearing how you get on, and hope you bring back tales of great success!

RacoonQueen

aero2k wrote: »

Things are even worse in the park - I get to add core workouts while moving and replacing barriers. The Park has never been so safe!

I think Chapelizod was one of the safest places in the world to be running today. Gardai every few metres, bored out of their skulls but clearly enjoying the arrival of women running. Didn't even bother trying the park...heading there tomorrow after work though, reckon I'll have to figure out how to run home without the backpack :rolleyes:

[/log hijack]

Krusty_Clown

Tonight: 12 x 400m @5k with 200m easy jog
Started with a 2.5 mile warm-up, then hit the intervals in the local park. Garmin was mis-behaving, and was cutting corners on me when I was doing the intervals under the tree canopy, so towards the end, I shifted to the top field which is a little more open to the sky.
Average Interval pace: 5:27/mile.
Average HR: 161
As usual, lost count of the intervals, and thought I'd only done around 9 repeats, so like one of Pavlov's dogs, I was running merrily on my 13th interval, before I realized my mistake. Finished with just shy of a 2 mile warm-down, to make 9 miles for the night. Mizuno Precisions are proving to be a great shoe for these sessions (not as ideal for the Two Oceans, but at least they were well broken in). Highly recommended for anyone who wears waveriders and is looking for something lighter/cheap.

Summary: 9 miles, with a merry sprinkling of intervals.

Krusty_Clown

RacoonQueen wrote: »

[/log hijack]

Mi casa es su casa!

jeffontour

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Highly recommended for anyone who wears waveriders and is looking for something lighter/cheap.

Will give a pair of these a whirl I think. After our conversation regarding the latest wave rider incarnation on the ultra route recce my fears regarding the tighter toe box were confirmed with the blackening of a big toenail on a longer run. How do they compare in sizing to the wave riders, are you the same size in both?

Krusty_Clown

jeffontour wrote: »

Will give a pair of these a whirl I think. After our conversation regarding the latest wave rider incarnation on the ultra route recce my fears regarding the tighter toe box were confirmed with the blackening of a big toenail on a longer run. How do they compare in sizing to the wave riders, are you the same size in both?

Hi Jeff, yes, exactly the same size as I would have been in my Waverider 12s and 13s. They're very light (and not very supportive but they do have some cushioning) so wouldn't be great on trail or off-road, but smashing on the road and great for fast intervals. €80 from Wiggle.

jeffontour

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

but smashing on the road

Excellent

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

and great for fast intervals.

Intervals I don't do, fast or otherwise. Too much like hard work.

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

€80 from Wiggle.

None on there at the mo in my pixy shoe size. Discontinued apparently! Have ordered a pair with Amphibian King so will see what they're like.

Cheers for the info.

aero2k

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Wow, that'll be a cracking run. I wish I could be there to run at that kind of pace too (and enjoy a few pints with you guys afterwards!). Very best of luck to yourself and Git101. Really looking forward to hearing how you get on, and hope you bring back tales of great success!

Might as well dream on your log as anywhere else - besides, a wise man once said to me "if you don't build castles in the air, you won't build them anywhere."

I'm fairly sure I can manage that pace for the first half assuming I'm in good form on the day, and wind permitting, but after that it's a big leap in the dark.

We'll have a pint or two for you - might even do some sort of review...

Krusty_Clown

Today: 4.89 miles in Corkagh Park at lunch-time
Another nice easy run with my work buddy, however this time we recognized the svelte form of Shels4Ever enjoying a run in the sun before heading to work, so it was good to have the extra company for a couple of miles around the park. A solid recovery session from yesterday's intervals, though the body seems to be holding up fine, so far (*touches skull*).
Summary: 4.89 miles (I'm told!) in 40.23.

tunguska

Are you going for Berlin again this year?

Krusty_Clown

tunguska wrote: »

Are you going for Berlin again this year?

Sadly Tunguska, I'm not. I'm headed to Chicago in October though.
How about you? Autumn marathon on the cards?

tunguska

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Sadly Tunguska, I'm not. I'm headed to Chicago in October though.
How about you? Autumn marathon on the cards?

Was out for 3 months with an achilles injury, only getting back to running now. The hope is to run dublin in october. I was aiming for a big one this year but I think at this stage I'll have to be happy with just beating last years time.
Are you aiming for sub 2:48?

Krusty_Clown

tunguska wrote: »

Are you aiming for sub 2:48?

Oh yes, definitely. No point in going out and aiming for a slower time, is there!

shels4ever

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Today: 4.89 miles in Corkagh Park at lunch-time
Another nice easy run with my work buddy, however this time we recognized the svelte form of Shels4Ever enjoying a run in the sun before heading to work, so it was good to have the extra company for a couple of miles around the park. A solid recovery session from yesterday's intervals, though the body seems to be holding up fine, so far (*touches skull*).
Summary: 4.89 miles (I'm told!) in 40.23.

Have to say its the first time i've been called that.

TheRoadRunner

shels4ever wrote: »

Have to say its the first time i've been called that.

50 miles a week will do that to you

Krusty_Clown

Today: Mini tempo 10k run.
I won't get to run later, due to some work and dinner stuff, so decided to pick up the pace for today's lunch run. The wind wasn't playing ball though and hampered my best efforts to keep a consistent pace. Still, the overall pace was pretty good for a second session in three days, so I'll count it as a mini-tempo run. The area is really great for running, with lots of entirely unused cycle tracks around the place and the flat surface of the canal paths, though unusually I encountered four vehicles on the canal path (using it as a shortcut to get to the Grange Castle Industrial Estate).

Summary: 10k in 39:44, @6:31/mile, HR=161

Krusty_Clown

Mile 7 (all still together):



Mile 13 (everyone's pushed for home):

pgmcpq

I see they didn't thrust you with the ballons this time ... no wait on closer look you've lost them again

My club mate returned from the Two Oceans ultra. Interesting comparing his description to yours. That climb at mile 18 which you enjoyed so much he described by pointing vaguely upwards at a 45 degree angle with his tounge rolling out of my mouth and "**** me". I think he enjoyed it a little less.

Krusty_Clown

pgmcpq wrote: »

I see they didn't thrust you with the ballons this time ... no wait on closer look you've lost them again

I actually held on to them until the end; they're just stream-lined behind me! (proof). I handed them to a kid afterwards who was bawling his eyes out and he was delighted. Balloons really do hold magical powers!

Krusty_Clown

Lunch-time: Nice easy 5 miles in Corkagh Park
It had to happen. I broke my lunch running buddy. Pushed him too hard. Sorry Keith123! No more coaching for me. So an easy run in the park, dragging the dead-corpse of Keith around for the last mile or two. Will bury him later.

Summary: 5 miles in 40:13

Krusty_Clown

Today: 13.1 Mile 'recce of Leg 7 of the WW Relay
Nice run with D'pop, though he was acting quite strange. Every few strides he'd wink, or smile, or nudge me with his elbow, until we passed some bushes further up the first trail, when he started ignoring me completely. I decided it was best to try and keep my distance, so whenever I heard heavy breathing, I picked up the pace and tried to leave him behind.

A lovely route - leg 7, and the perfect length for a weekend hilly run. Pity it's so damn far from the urban sprawl, though that's probably what makes it such a nice run. Quite a few more opportunities to take a wrong turn than other legs, but a couple more practice runs should minimize the risk of going wrong on race day. Looking forward to having a few more runs on this route over the next few weeks.

Summary: 13.1 miles in 1:52 (I think. D'pop wouldn't talk to me).

Emer911

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Today:
Nice run with D'pop, though he was acting quite strange. Every few strides he'd wink, or smile, or nudge me with his elbow

...hmmm, I think I'll have to start sending a chaperone with you two!?

Slogger Jogger

I'll join ye next time to keep things decent. You need to be careful on the sections where there could be tractor traffic (e.g. before ford. Last year one was parked in front of an arrow and runners went the wrong way. Hence, additional recces advised to get used to it, almost without having to think about it.