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Berlin or bust...
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banner_phoenix wrote: »Sounds like you're having fun at the club Emer. Have you brought the bike out yet
ah now, don't go jumping to conclusions! :rolleyes:0 -
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Saturday
Went out to the 50k in Donadee as support crew, but once the lunatics had set off on their epic run, I took the time to get a few miles in.
I set of in the same direction as the racers, but it was getting a bit confusing for the marshalls who assumed I was the rear guard! So after a couple of miles I reversed direction. This meant I was meeting the racers head on, so I spent the second half of the run stopping and starting to let them pass.
It was a bit mucky, but otherwise it was a perfect spot and a perfect day for a run.
Finished off the day cheering on the 50k gang and handing out the various drinks and gels for his Krustiness. Some savage running and some great guts and courage shown by all. Mega kudos to Marthastew for a fantastic record breaking performance, and all with a smile on her face! She IS a super hero
Summary 4.8 miles in 43:36
Avg Pace: 9:05 min/mi0 -
Sunday
LSR day. Was in the west so had arranged to go for a run with my SIL but when the morning after the night before came, she begged off. So I had to head out into the cold, breezy morning on my own-e-oh
I didn't have a route planned, so I just went in the direction of the Forest Park, taking a few turns here and there and running up some roads I haven't been on in years (seriously!) Got to the park and decided to run a trail that I hadn't been on before, but that turned into a trudge though the mud. I still enjoyed it though. Nothing like a change of scenery and terrain every now and then.
A nature call was required but I decided to forego the lure of the trees :eek: and called into my SIL on the way back instead (well she's only a mile from the park) A brief stop, a brief chat and off again to complete the run. Called it a day when I reached the house, rather than going on to get the watch to 10miles, but I'm happy enough with that. A good enough week for me.Summary 9.57 mi in 1:35:16
Avg Pace: 9:57 min/mi
Period | Miles
This week|25.97
This month|51.15
This year|126.81
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Monday
Pilates at lunchtime and this week the legs were getting the love with squats and lovely lunges. Followed those up with a wonderfully evil plank sequence. :cool: Ouch! but Good! :P
Tuesday
Some unexpected visitors popped in so I was the consummate hostess and made dinner for all instead of going for a run. Sometimes other important stuff takes precedence :rolleyes:
Wednesday
Ran home from work this evening, so even got some running in daylight - which was nice. Felt like I was going at a fairly even steady pace, but looking at the watch, it was a bit all over the place?!
Must try harder.Summary 4.00 mi in 37:31
Avg Pace: 9:22 min/mi0 -
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Sunday
LSR day.
Or not!
Headache all day yesterday and woke up with what felt like something sitting on my chest (there wasn't!). Not good. Executive decision was to forego the run today. So a pretty abysmal mileage week.
Ah well.
Period | Miles
This week|10.81 :mad:
This month|61.96
This year|137.62
Not to be a complete shut-in, I joined the OH for a climbing set this evening - just to get something active done in the day. Great fun, even if me arms were hanging off me at the end of it. 0 -
The review of the week
Bad week running... Headache on Saturday, feeling rotten Sunday, started to feel a bit better on Monday but the cough was still annoying. Tuesday was more of the same.
I decided to try a run on Wednesday. Packed my bag and went to the gym after work only to find I'd forgotten to pack my runners! Doh
I did have my swimming togs with me so went to the pool instead. 34 lengths (850mt) in 30 - 35 minutes and the breathing coped well enough.
Today was the club run, and hill repeats was the plan. Didn't really know if I was going to be able for it, but seeing as Ballycotton is this Sunday I kinda needed to try to get the heart rate going and test the running / breathing.
So yea. 2 groups, and given my condition I opted to go with the not so fast guys. The repeats were actually fine and there were a couple of others in the group about my pace, which was nice. Breathing coped ok too, so hopefully I'll be grand for the race on Sunday. Plenty of fluids and Vit C for the next few days
Rep | Time| Distance | Pace/mi
1| 63.5| 0.13| 7:51
2| 70.4| 0.16| 7:24
3| 86.1| 0.18| 7:59
4| 76.4| 0.17| 7:25
5| 70.7 |0.16| 7:28
6| 82.0| 0.20| 6:55
Including the warmup and cooldown it was about 3.5 miles in total for the day in around about 35 minutes.0 -
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Not the best lead into a race. I ran a total of 3 miles in the week before it and just 13 miles the week before. But the cold had abated - more or less - so I reckoned I'd be grand.
We spent Saturday at a gymnastics competition where the little miss did us proud taking 5th place in a very tight competition that saw less than 0.8 separating 1st and 5th! We dropped her and granny home and headed to the 'real capital' (shh don't tell krusty I said that) Got to the hotel, checked in, and headed to a little village bistro for some very tasty grub. Fed and happy we wandered back to the hotel for a sound sleep before the big day.
I didn't really have a plan for the race. My 10 mile PB was 1:28:00 from the Frank Duffy race in 2012, and my previous 2 Ballycotton times were 1:29:13 (2011) and 1:28:19 (2012), but the 10 mile in Dungarvan just 5 weeks ago was 1:30:47. So no high expectations for this one, especially given the lingering cold.
After a hearty breakfast we drove the few miles to the carpark and got on one of the many waiting shuttle buses. We were at the Race HQ in plenty of time to use the loo and acquire a nice (rare) spot on a couch. From experience, I know it can be a wee bit chilly hanging around this exposed southern coastal village, so the nice warm spot on the couch in the hall was a welcome find. We sat there chatting, sipping on drinks and enjoying the pre-race atmosphere until it was time to prep for the race. I bid his Krustiness adieu as he left me to change and warmup, and I left to wander up to the baggage drop field (yes, it's a field). Got rid of my outer layers (birr), found a spot to park my bag, and joined the throng amassing at the start.
At 1.30 on the dot the lead runners were off and at about a minute and a bit later I passed the start line. It was a bit crowded - it always is - but I settled in and didn't stress. The first mile was all about patience. Weave and stress too much and you just waste energy. So I skipped along, enjoying the scenery and the crowds. The first 2 miles are mostly downhill and I felt very comfortable. I knew the second half of the course would be slower so I didn’t fret too much about my pace at this point.
There was a bit of weaving - well, it’s inevitable, but by the time we got to the 3 mile mark everyone seemed to be sorted out and everyone around me was running at more or less the same pace. I stayed well wide at the water station to try to avoid the carnage and once we rounded the bend we were onto the 4 mile loop that would bring us back to the same spot for the 3 mile leg home. Lots of great support - whenever the roads allowed - and I went through the 5 mile mark and the clock showed 44:53. I wasn’t checking my watch but a quick tot had me running sub 9min miles, so I was happy out. I was still feeling strong and in control, and I was enjoying the race way more than I had a right to be.
We turned a corner at about 5.5 miles and the breeze became an annoying headwind. I must admit that I was a bit cheeky and started ducking in behind other runners for a bit of a wind break. It’s lucky that there were loads of people to pick up, cause as soon as they realised they had a shadow the automatic reaction was either to move to the side (but I wasn’t looking to pass them out- sheesh!) or to speed up/ slow down. I kinda moved from person to person, which distracted me from the pace and the distance so before I knew it we had passed the 8 mile mark and were on the last stretch back up (definitely UP) to the village and the finish line. I heard the Marshal call out the split time and though I might be inside the 88 minutes, but didn’t take too much notice. Mile 8 to 9 had the biggest incline and was a bit of an energy sapper, but theres still the last mile after that and it’s a gradual incline for most of that. Ouch! Passing the 9 mile mark I heard the split time again and my oxygen starved brain calculated that I’d just done a 10 minute mile (my maths was a bit off!) so fleetingly consoled myself that I’d be under the 90mins at least.
The organisers have 1k, 800mt, 600mt, 400mt, 300, 200, 100 written on the road, and as I passed the 800mt - dying and looking anything but ‘in control’ - I heard Krusty give me a shout out as he was meandering back to the HQ. A few more meters on some of my club mates gave me a holler, but all I could do was grimace at them. D Y I N G at this point, but only a few minutes left I pushed with whatever I had left and crossed the line with 1:28:21 on the clock. I walked a few steps and had to go hug the barrier as the coughing took over for a bit. Lovely! When I actually looked at my watch and saw 1:26:26 I was a bit taken aback to be honest. I didn’t understand how that happened! I’d taken over a minute and half off my PB and I wasn’t quite sure how! But hey, I’m thrilled!
Picked up my mug, my bag and a banana, mars bar and some water, before strolling, still in disbelief, to HQ for the meetup. Met JCsMum outside the hall and she’d had a great race too and was all smiles. I queued up for a lovely cup of tea before spotting Krusty and a gathering of FAST people all chatting and recounting the details of the day. It seemed to be PB’s all round ( I know it wasn’t but I think I had my rose tinted glasses on at that point) and once my tea was gone we bid our adieus and headed to the bus for the trip back.
Fantastic day - made all the sweeter with the unexpected PB. Great organisation, lots of lovely marshals, spectators and competitors and it’s cemented in my brain as one of the best 10 mile races in the calendar, not to mention the value for money!
...and did I mention I got a new PB?Summary 10.04 mi in 1:26:26
Avg Pace: 8:37 min/mi
OFFICIAL CHIP TIME 1:26:240 -
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Lovely to meet you on Sunday Emer, albeit a fleeting one (it was difficult trying to keep track of all my fellow club members at the time!)
Loved your race report, a lot of it applied to my experience too. And well done on the (unexpected) PB - sweet! 0 -
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Monday
Rest and recuperation
Tuesday
A very slow 4 miles to ease out the legs a bit.
Wednesday
Another slow run. The legs are still a bit tight after Sunday, so after 3.2 miles I took out the foam roller and spent some time giving my calf muscles some love <ouch!> 0 -
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Thursday Social engagement. Nice dinner in town with some girlfriends instead of the club run.
Friday A swim with the little miss. Something different. We had great fun and I must admit I loved it. Might make this a regular Friday thing. :rolleyes:
Saturday Decided to head over to Marlay to check out their first Parkrun. Thought I'd recognise a few faces, but didn't see anyone I knew. Well managed and everything got underway quite promptly, after a briefing from the race co-ordinator and some dude from the council.
The first bit is across the grass, which was really sloppy, but it was tarmac or trail paths from there. A bit mucky on the trails but once the shoes are wet and the legs all muck splattered, puddles don't really have to be avoided
- plough on! Got a bit of a stitch around the 3 to 4 km which I just had to slow a bit for, but other than that it was a great run. Not the fastest, but happy enough, and I'll definitely be back.
With warmup and cooldown it was about 4.8mi.0
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