A Day at the Races

christeb

shels4ever wrote: »

Are they still doing hte 1500's down on the sea front? used to be great sessions.

Haven't heard of the 1500s, I'm sure they'll arrive...

theboyblunder wrote: »

wow - 14 miler in howth at 8am. what time did you have to get breakfast at? Sounds like a good session.

These raheny shamrocks sound like tough cookies.

Got a banana @ 7 and then some OJ just leaving the house, did the job. Although in reality I have to credit last nights carb loading, ice cream and chocolate while watching the W. Olympics did the trick.
They're decent lads, I need to be pushed

christeb

Tues 16th Feb
5.5m untimed home from college.

Fri 19th Feb
5m @ 6'40 pace HR 161
Tempo 5 around the Raheny 5 course. Only 3 of us out, so basically a solo run. Pace was 10 secs faster than 2 wks ago, so I'm happy with this, I was a lot more controlled and could have been slightly faster at the end if I wanted to kill myself. 1.5m wu / 1.5m cd. A solid session

Sat 20th Feb
5m @ 8.17 HR 134
1.5m down to Bull Island, 2m barefoot in the water and 1.5m home - 5 total. The 2m on the beach were tough, a few stones around and the calves / feet felt VERY tender afterwards, a recovery run this was not. Not to mention the cold of that water!

Sun 21st Feb
13.5m @ 8.46 HR 134 with the club.
Very tempted to turn over when I saw the snow, decided to HTFU and get out though. Nice to get out with a good group, pace was never tough but some of the hills helped, the views this morning over Howth and Dublin Bay were ever more spectacular than usual. The chat and banter was good, always helps. Happy to get the miles in, legs couldn't take a much higher pace after Fri's and especially yesterdays run.

A satisfying week, I've been very busy midweek and I don't see this changing any time soon. I've also booked the Summer hols - 16 days in Colombia with the lads at the start of June.

# Runs: 29 (3 races, 1 PB)
MTD: 87
YTD: 206

christeb

Tues 23th Feb
5.5m untimed home from college.

Wed 24th Feb - Raheny Winter League Rd. 6
Untimed, you had to call your own time.
I did the only logical thing, predicted a 1 sec PB - 11.40. Great runout, 55 people. Finished in 11.43, 5.47 1st lap (your time was called out @ halfway). I actually thought I was going so well in the second lap, I think I could have kicked earlier. Happy with the run though, felt very controlled throughout.
2m wu 1.5 cd

Fri 26th Feb[/URL]
7m with the club, was quite tired so cut the 8miler slightly short.

Not a great week, nothing at the weekend due to a serious 2 nights / days of booze. It's refreshing to know you can still get free beer if you know the barman in some places, in this day and age! And what a game on Sat, thank you Mr. Tommy Bowe

# Runs: 32 (4 races, 1 PB)
MTD: 105
YTD: 224

christeb

Tues 2nd Mar
5.5m untimed home from college.

Thurs 3rd Feb
7.5m solo, pace was around 8min IIRC. Was going very well for 4.5 then collapsed (not lieterally), I blame the Elephant & Castle chicken wings I had for lunch.

Fri 5th Mar[/URL]
5m @ 7.30. Set out on the 5m tempo run with a couple fo the lads from the club, but after a 6.39 / 6.52 miles I was in bad shape and jogged the rest home. I blame the other half of the wings I had for lunch.

Astroball on Sunday, I was pretty sharp if I do say so myself!

Was in college all day Sat AND Sun, so nothing else to report. Knocked out with a cold now, hopefully I can save the week by getting some half-decent weekend runs in, inc. an LSR. Frustrating enough not being able to progress as well as some on here, but time just doesn't allow, and won't until I've got this course done and dusted in June. Till then I'll keep ticking over, not regressing too much and be ready to launch into a solid 18 wk Mara plan then.

# Runs: 35 (4 races, 1 PB)
MTD: 18
YTD: 242

theboyblunder

tough week - sometimes the running gods just take aim and play havoc. Get well soon...

christeb

Sun 14th Mar

Only 1 run this week, was sick at the start, and other things took priority towards the end of the wk.
10m @ 7.54 HR 144 this morn with the club, found it tough going up the "corkscrew" in Howth. Some fast miles in there too though. Afterwards, the lads were short so had to play 90 mins up front, lost 1-0 and now I have 2 small sacks of concrete for calves.

# Runs: 36 (4 races, 1 PB)
MTD: 28
YTD: 252

christeb

Sat 20th Mar
5m @ 8:09 with Greg around the Raheny 5 course. Toughter than it should have been, I;'ve regressed somewhat. Not least of all mentally!

Sunday game of astroball, the lads are learning not to buy what I'm selling on the pitch, so the goals are harder to come by. My excuse is I'm getting more attention which is freeing up my teammates!

Tues 23rd Mar
5.5m untimed home from college. Enjoying the slightly higher temp, there was a perfect drizzle for this one too, very refreshing. Legs felt surprisingly decent.

Mileage has been terrible this month, in college 2 out for the next 3 weekends too, so that shoots any potential LSRs to pieces. I've been eating better though, which is a +ve, and I'll keep trying to get out for a few miles where I can.

# Runs: 38 (4 races, 1 PB)
MTD: 38.5
YTD: 262.5

christeb

Fri 26th Mar
Really enjoyable run with the club, 8.5m in a decent time, ca. 7:35 pace (405 was dead)

Sat 27th Mar
4m @ 8.49 pace HR 131 pre-college. Mucky around the inside of St Anne's Park

Sunday - 1hr astroball this evening. Put a bit more effort in this wk, I'm going to try to do some morning runs this week. Try to get some momentum going into April. Although I'll have more college work to do then....:(

# Runs: 40 (4 races, 1 PB)
MTD: 51
YTD: 275

misty floyd

What are you studying Christeb?...if you don't mind me being nosy.

christeb

misty floyd wrote: »

What are you studying Christeb?...if you don't mind me being nosy.

Doing this MF: ACCA DipFM

christeb

Tues 31st Mar
5.5m home from college. Ran this in my retro purples Nike Cortez's with the waffle sole, trying to embrace the (almost) barefooted movement. Felt very comfortable the whole way, I may have purchased my last pair of expensive cushioned sneeks!!!

Weds 1st Apr - HOLLAND CUP
2.8m race, 1 lap of Raheny. Nice course, knowing it so intimately relaly helps with the mental aspect I find. Gave a good account of myself, 1st mile was 5.54. Was on my own on the Coast Rd, group of 3 ahead. Took 1 just before we got to Blackbanks (to turn up the Howth Rd for home), with the other 2 in front of me with a gap of 10m's each. Uphill and wind against us at this point, I ran up to the first and layed low to get some shelter for a while. Then picked it up to do the same to the other guy with ca. .5m to go. We had a great back and forth where I kicked too early then he kicked with pace which I didn't think I could match. Just before the line I did my classic "shallow breathing and light-footing so he can't hear me" approach and burst past him to the finish. A cleverly run race for once. 16.54 for the 2.8m, 13th overall. Avg pace ca. 6.05. Nice warm down with some of the elites, they're looking forward to the Natl Road Relays at this point.
A half-PB as I'd never run the distance before and not sure whether it would beat my 3m PB if extrapolated


# Runs: 42 (5 races, 1.5 PB)
MTD: 6.5
YTD: 287

misty floyd

christeb wrote: »

Doing this MF: ACCA DipFM

Sounds tricky. I thought you might be studying Science, was looking at the links in your signature.

Good run last night. Must of been rough racing in the wind.

christeb

misty floyd wrote: »

Sounds tricky. I thought you might be studying Science, was looking at the links in your signature.

Good run last night. Must of been rough racing in the wind.

A Scientician in a previous life, although not *that* long ago. I don't want to make theboyblunder feel old (he was 1 of our lecturers!)

theboyblunder

christeb wrote: »

A Scientician in a previous life, although not *that* long ago. I don't want to make theboyblunder feel old (he was 1 of our lecturers!)

too right - its wasnt that long ago - one of my research students told me the other day that he was depressed because he was turning 23. That made me feel old

christeb

Thurs 1st April
I'm carding an unorthodox 4m tonight, a jog home from town after a couple of beers. Hey, they all count! Finshed off the end of the "Born to Run" audio book - highly recommended. I'm even following @mcaballoblanco on twitter!

Fri 2nd Apr
9m @ ~7.45 pace (stopped during the rest jogs during hill reps. HR 147
Super run tonight with the club. Bumped into macanri and theboyblunder coming in the opposite direction, both looked in good form.
Tonights run offered 5m until we got to the corner of St. Anne's Park by the Coast Rd, whereupon we embarked on 10 x 200m hill reps. OK it's not THAT steep, but still....Having not done anything resembling a rep since late Dec, that was painful. A good group though, we helped each other on a lot. Feel healthily tired now - where is that chocolate....



# Runs: 44 (5 races, 1.5 PB)
MTD: 19.5
YTD: 300

RacoonQueen

I think it's time someone pointed out that Thursday was the 1st, Friday was the 2nd and Saturday is the third, unless you're 365 days ahead of the rest of us. :pac:

theboyblunder

christeb wrote: »

Thurs 2nd April
I'm carding an unorthodox 4m tonight, a jog home from town after a couple of beers. Hey, they all count! Finshed off the end of the "Born to Run" audio book - highly recommended. I'm even following @mcaballoblanco on twitter!

Fri 3rd Apr
9m @ ~7.45 pace (stopped during the rest jogs during hill reps. HR 147
Super run tonight with the club. Bumped into macanri and theboyblunder coming in the opposite direction, both looked in good form.
Tonights run offered 5m until we got to the corner of St. Anne's Park by the Coast Rd, whereupon we embarked on 10 x 200m hill reps. OK it's not THAT steep, but still....Having not done anything resembling a rep since late Dec, that was painful. A good group though, we helped each other on a lot. Feel healthily tired now - where is that chocolate....



# Runs: 44 (5 races, 1.5 PB)
MTD: 19.5
YTD: 300

Good to see your getting a bit more time to get out. I like the new 'drunken run' category . Not quite recovery, not quite aerobic i'll bet

Saw a group of runners heading up the howth rd on the other side - must have just missed you - was in a tempo part of my run and was worried about where my next breadth was coming from.....

christeb

Tues 6th April
5.5m untimed home from college. Felt strong after a lazy 2nd half to my weekend which included a lot of hungover time. I did play 1 hr of astroball on Sunday though, I may have still been under the effects, but I played pretty decent.

Wed 7th Apr - Raheny Winter Legue - Rd 8
1m in 5.16
Delighted with this, started very fast (ca. 4.50 pace for the first 300m) but hung on for the rest. Was battling with a girl who beat me comfortably in last weeks 2.8 miler, I thought I was stronger than her over a shorter distance though. She got 5-10m ahead of me in the end but I reeled her in nicely at the finish line. A solid night's work, a certain Mr. Robben adding a cherry on top!
First time doing the mile, lung are still burning now 3 hrs post-race....
2m wu / 2m cd

# Runs: 46 (6 races, 2.5 PB)
MTD: 30
YTD: 310.5

tisnotover

nice one on the PB, very good time, me jealous !

kennyb3

tisnotover wrote: »

nice one on the PB, very good time, me jealous !

+1 on that you defo seem to have an aptitude for the shorter stuff

christeb

Fri 9th April
Intervals w/ theboyblunder. I've changed from being the guy who drinks outside the Pav on sunny Fridays to the guy who runs outside the Pav on sunny Fridays!

Had arranged to meet tbb in Trinity after work for some intervals and accompanying warm down job to Raheny. A session of 1m's w/ 2.30 rest was teh plan. I picked him up mid-way through his first interval, completed the 2nd with him (5.57 pace). On the 3rd I dropped out halfway, and completed the first / last qtr of the last interval. Tough pace on the grass and my legs still were pretty shot from Weds race. tbb produced a heap of sugary stuff after which was much welcomed. Nice 5m warm-down to Raheny, good chat and it flew by. He is trying to convince me to concentrate on shorter stuff for a while, I can see where he's coming from....
9.6m @ 7.24 (moving pace) overall, (inc. ca. 2.5 ints @ 5.55 pace) HR 153, it got up as far as 175

Sat 10th Apr
4.5m @ 8.54 HR 130 through St. Anne's Park and down onto Bull Island. Very slow, legs were shot from yesterday. The mile on the beach was barefoot.

# Runs: 48 (6 races, 2.5 PB)
MTD: 44
YTD: 324.5

christeb

Mon 12th Apr
5m @ 7.51 with the club. Calf was niggling at me, so I called it a day after the first lap of St. Anne's Park

Tues 13th Apr
5.5m untimed home from college

Fri 16th Apr
Exact same as Monday, albeit slightly faster.

Sun 18th Apr
11m @ 8.15 with teh club. Took it very easy, I could have went further but didn't want to strain the calf any more. It's feeling slightly better. I had a free entry for the GIR today but I gave it away, didn't fancy the crowds and not sure I'm in sub 40 shape

# Runs: 52 (6 races, 2.5 PB)
MTD: 70.5
YTD: 351

theboyblunder

christeb wrote: »

Mon 12th Apr
5m @ 7.51 with the club. Calf was niggling at me, so I called it a day after the first lap of St. Anne's Park

Tues 13th Apr
5.5m untimed home from college

Fri 16th Apr
Exact same as Monday, albeit slightly faster.

Sun 18th Apr
11m @ 8.15 with teh club. Took it very easy, I could have went further but didn't want to strain the calf any more. It's feeling slightly better. I had a free entry for the GIR today but I gave it away, didn't fancy the crowds and not sure I'm in sub 40 shape

# Runs: 52 (6 races, 2.5 PB)
MTD: 70.5
YTD: 351

Just as well - no point in racing a 10k with a dodgy calf. Hope the projects are going well and the calf is ok

Macanri

Sorry to hear about the calf. Take it easy on it for a while, time is a great healer.

I won a free entry to GIR also through Sub4.ie, how did you get a free entry as a matter of interest, would be a coincidence if you got it through Sub 4 too.

christeb

Macanri wrote: »

Sorry to hear about the calf. Take it easy on it for a while, time is a great healer.

I won a free entry to GIR also through Sub4.ie, how did you get a free entry as a matter of interest, would be a coincidence if you got it through Sub 4 too.

Yeah got it through Sub 4 - via my Mother Looked good but glad I did the long run instead

christeb

Mon 19th Apr
8.5m @ 7.48. HR 149. A good run with the club, very enjoyable once I pushed it a bit through halfway (where I run past my house!)

Tues 20th Apr
5.5m untimed home from college

Weds 21st Apr
IMRA Howth. My report from the IMRA thread here.
Pics 1 2. Thoroughly enjoyable. I'll chalk it down as .5 of a PB.

Sat 24th Apr
Howth Cliff Run. 8m @ 8.53 HR 142. Great run with a buddy, the cliff bit was the first 4.5m. It's a different beast, very undulating and you have to concentrate the whole way around. 1st time doing it, its spectacular.

Sun 25th Apr
7m @ 8.08. HR 140. Legs were still tired from yesterday. Astroball later.

# Runs: 57 (7 races, 3 PB)
MTD: 105.5
YTD: 386.5

christeb

Mon 26th Apr
5m @ca. 8.10 with the club around St Anne's Park. Legs were very tired

Tues 27h Apr
5m untimed home from college

Fri 30th Apr
8m @ 7.18 with theboyblunder. We got hammered in the rain, I was happy with the pace. Good to chat and nice to have the company in the rain. 1hr football with their gang after in the Park, I just had runners so I was slipping all over the place. The boots will be out next time!

]Sat 1st May[/URL]
5.5m @ 8.39 into town to collect my bike in work. Took it as easy as I could, half to train for pacing Kildare next week and half to rest up for the LSR tomorrow.

Sun 25th Apr
13.5 @ 8.12 (M)LSR with the Shamrocks. Cold, windy and raining up to the Summit in Howth. My running buddy is doing Prague next week, he turned around to me at the half-way point and those distinctive red streaks were on his top - nipple bleed. EEEEWWWW :eek: One of those mornings. Feet were blistering up quite badly at the end but happy with the distance and pace overall.

# Runs: 62 (7 races, 3 PB)
MTD: 19
YTD: 423.5

christeb

Tues 5th May
5m untimed home from college.

Weds 6th May - Dublin Duathlon Series - May
42.57 for 39th place / 261.
Great event, legs didn't feel great on the first run. Bike went pretty well, passed out a few guys and had some great back and forth tussles with the others. Was weak on the last run, finished @ ca. 6.20 pace but ~6 people took me on that last lap.

Sat 8th May
8m @ ca. 8.55 with my buddy around the cliffs of Howth. That run is food for the soul, it's class. Easy pace, didn't want to take too much out of the legs for the Kildare Half.

Sun 9th May
Run Kildare Half Marathon - 2hr Pacer
1:59:35, job done. Report here
Ran this in my Nike Lunaracers (hey - they look good ), knee is quite sore now. Doesn't feel like anything serious though.

# Runs: 66 (8 races, 3 PB)
MTD: 49
YTD: 453.5

RacoonQueen

How did you find the pacing?

christeb

RacoonQueen wrote: »

How did you find the pacing?

It was super, great vibe on the way around, good chats and I think it really helped out a few people too. The first of many such experiences I hope