DSD Marlay Park Meet & Train

Declanr

Training for 10km,1/2 or Full Marathon. Then come and join us in Marlay Park (Mon-Thurs 6pm, Sat-Sun 11am). Reply to this post to see what we're at at present. (Tues&Thurs 6pm, Sun11am are the core training days, the additional ones will depend on response to this initiative, so best to reply to this post to see what schedule we're at presently.)

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=108242552549447
Location map here.

Cost is Free, however we would ask that you join DSD running club and pay the yearly membership of €85.00 this includes AAI registration, insurance etc. Try it out a few times 1st then if you'd like to continue, send in your membership form.

If you're training for the Dublin City Marathon (DCM), New York or anything else and live near here then come and join us.
If you're new to running and would like to run with a group then this is the place for you.
If you've run before and want to get back into it then this is the place for you.
If you're doing your 1st Marathon or want to improve a time for your 2nd,3rd,4th Marathon then this is the place for you.

If you've a pain in your AR*E seeing bootcamps charging small fortunes to people as you're out on your own training then join us and let's kick these guys out of our beautiful sport by showing them a group of runners running together for free.

We'll all start training together each day and let the field sort out who runs together. It's that simple no gimmics.

Advanced runners running standard 6.30-7.30 min miles and wanting to train together are also very welcome, if your tired of running alone and wish to tag up with a group then join us and lets get a few of you guys together. This will probably take a little longer to establish, but we'd encourage you to come along, give it a few months and see if you can gain a few training partners.

Regards,
Declan Ryan
DSD Marlay Park Meet & Train

Declanr

Training will commence Monday 8th June.

Rashers23

Count me in for the Tuesday after the bank holiday, think that is the 8th.

Declanr

Sorry you are right Tuesday 8th is the start date.
I think we'll start with Tues,Wed,Thurs, Sat, Sun and see where it goes from there.

selgal2002

Great work Declan. I am thrilled you are carrying on training groups in marley park. I ran with you guys a few times and as you are training more days it makes it easier for me to meet yeah at least twice a week. Where is the meet point?

Declanr

Car Park (lower) off College Road, Marlay Park.
Opposite new playground.
We'll be there next Tues, Wed, Thurs. Hopefully will have a sign on the top of my car as we'll meet in the field just opposite the car park so I want to get a sign for the top of the car to make it easier for people to find.

Rashers23

Hey Declanr,

Is Marlay park closed until after the Greenday concert or are there just restrictions in place?
Is our meet point today unchanged?

Need to put in a few miles today and dunno do I have the motivation today without you guys!!:)

Declanr

Rashers,
Training as normal this evening.
However, tmw the park will be closed for the concert, so we'll have a chat this evening if people want to meet up tmw.

Rashers23

Great news! C u later!

Rashers23

Hey Declanr,

Just to let you know I wont be around for training Thurs or for the 10 mile in the phoenix park Sat due to a death in the family.

Talk to ye next week.

Pisco Sour

Declanr wrote: »

If you're new to running and would like to run with a group then this is the place for you.

Is this really DSD calling here? Something is a bit fishy here :rolleyes:

I showed up to a DSD training session one saturday in Marlay Park and was told that there would be many people my standard (21min 5k, 45min 10k) there for me to run and train with.

Well, er, em, I was the only one there out of about 20-30 people who hasnt either:

A) Run for Ireland
Run a sub 35 minute 10k
c) has the ability to run at sub 40 minute 10k pace for a "warm up"

I ended up running on my own, and have never gone back. I can run on my own for free. No need to pay 85 euro to do that! :cool:

asimonov

I think you're missing the point, these groups are designed to be open and welcoming for people of all abilities who might be intimidated by full club sessions. They are actually doing something positive to encourage club membership in Dublin - where it appears to be needed most. Don't knock it so flippantly based on your one experience with their club sessions.

gerard65

I think Declan is running a 'meet and train' group for people who feel they may not be up to 'club' standard. It appears to be seperate from the club.

Woddle

gerard65 wrote: »

I think Declan is running a 'meet and train' group for people who feel they may not be up to 'club' standard. It appears to be seperate from the club.

That's the impression I got also as I do see the club training a fair bit in Marlay and there way out of my league.

Sportsworld in Bushy park might be a more suitable option.

Pisco Sour

asimonov wrote: »

I think you're missing the point, these groups are designed to be open and welcoming for people of all abilities who might be intimidated by full club sessions. They are actually doing something positive to encourage club membership in Dublin - where it appears to be needed most. Don't knock it so flippantly based on your one experience with their club sessions.

Fair enough, I guess I'm holding grudges with them

To be fair though it is dissappointing that a club would have such an elite culture like DSD had that day I went up to train with them. Its hardly a good way of getting new people into the sport.

Maybe this new thing is a step in the right direction. Who knows.

myflipflops

04072511 wrote: »

To be fair though it is dissappointing that a club would have such an elite culture like DSD had that day I went up to train with them. Its hardly a good way of getting new people into the sport.
.

You went training to the 'elite' group though. You wouldn't head up to a Shamrock Rovers training session if you were starting to play football.

The issue I guess is that you were directed to the wrong group in the first place. First impressions into a sport are pretty important though and I'm aware of what a group of national standard athletes can be like to a beginner! DSD would never be my recommendation to a beginner adult athlete.

Pisco Sour

myflipflops wrote: »

You went training to the 'elite' group though.

The scary thing is that there was no other group in DSD. That was it. All elite.

asimonov

04072511 wrote: »

The scary thing is that there was no other group in DSD. That was it. All elite.

I see from your other posts you're really into athletics, are you a member of a club? Is there anything you can do to make it more welcoming to new members?

Pisco Sour

asimonov wrote: »

I see from your other posts you're really into athletics, are you a member of a club? Is there anything you can do to make it more welcoming to new members?

I'm not part of a club, but am keen to join one. I'm heading off travelling soon though so when I get to Melbourne I plan to join one (there are so many of them down there).

DSD is the closest club to where I live and the training times suited the best. There were other clubs that probably had more of a non-elite culture but the training times/ location didnt suit.

When I get back though I could be living in a different part of Dublin so hopefully I'll be nearer to a more ideal club then.

asimonov

04072511 wrote: »

I'm not part of a club, but am keen to join one. I'm heading off travelling soon though so when I get to Melbourne I plan to join one (there are so many of them down there).

DSD is the closest club to where I live and the training times suited the best. There were other clubs that probably had more of a non-elite culture but the training times/ location didnt suit.

When I get back though I could be living in a different part of Dublin so hopefully I'll be nearer to a more ideal club then.

In fairness, its probably a little easier down here in the country, clubs are just happy to get any members. That said, there is still no one to hold your hand though, and being the new guy / girl in school is always a little tough.

Declanr

Guys,
Thanks for the recent comments.

To explain the background to this will hopefully throw some light on past and recent experiences with the club.

I ran with the club in the 80's as a juvenile and came back with my kids about 4 years back and started helping out with training the juvenile middle distance group.
Our club DSD as you may know are the organisers of the Ladies Mini Marathon. I found it most strange that the club that founded the Ladies Mini Marathon and has done so much great work in this regard had no meet and train group for people trying to run the WMM. On inquiring it was evident that there was no opposition to me doing this for the club they were delighted with the thoughts of it, they just simply had no body to do it. So we ran and 8 week M&T group for ladies wanting to do the WMM and had between 8-12 Ladies doing it.
From there it was obvious a few wanted to keep running and I asked the club if would be possible to start a regular M&T group. the club have again supported this and are delighted to include everyone who wants to run.
The coaches in the past have had to contrate their efforts on the elites as it's the life blood of the club. However, now DSD are open to the hackers like me who want to run with a group.
My PB's don't laugh 1/2 Mar (PB 1.38) Full (PB 3.29) so you can see I'm no elite.
Regarding club membership. Yes you are correct you can run for free on your own. I've do it myself for Marathon training and it's so mind numbingly boaring. In the past I've paid 500e for Gym membership and used it for 2 months. In our culture and society now even voluntary organisations like DSD have to be covered from every angle on the insurance front. Therefore members must pay an annual sub to support this. So for €85.00 I'm happy to pay it if it means I can run and train with a group of like minded people.

So guys if you'd be kind enough to pass the word that DSD is indeed open for hackers like me who want to improve. I've a 5 year plan for myself to go sub 3, give up the smokes, loose weight and find Authur Lydiard at the end of the rainbow I'm chasing. CARE TO JOIN ME.

Krusty_Clown

So are there other groups within DSD like your own Declan? Or has it become a case of 'elite runner' or 'hacker'. Is there a middle ground?

Declanr

Krusty,
In my minds eye it will go that way in years to come.
We're trying to encourage this group initially and I believe from that group there will be people who can develop into a Middle of the road group over time.
Currently we have a few guys who join us from time to time who are in their 40's and 50's who are National Indoor Champ over 50 at 1,500. Another guy can run a 38 10Km so these guys cold be considered Middle Guys.
So I need to keep my efforts on the Hackers group and develop this and as guys & girls join with us over the years the idea is that if you have 30 runners going out on a Tuesday night we'll have a mix of all levels within that.
Also during the winter months we have Juveniles out on the roads running and adults are welcome to join in with them and find a place in the pack of 40 that suits them.

So yes and no is the actual answer, but we're starting and hopefully we will.

Pisco Sour

Jaysus, if 1:38 and 3:29 is the general standard of people in the "Hackers Group" I'd hate to think what group 1:49 and 4:07 would get ya into :eek::D

The "Almost Hackers Group"

Declanr

04072511,
Please Please don't think you wouldn't make the grade mate please.
Those times are my own recent PB's and I'm coaching guys who are hoping to do around the 4 mark for DCM this year.
My fault on the Hackers name can we all agree to call it the Adult Meet & Train group in DSD.
We had a group of Ladies for the WMM who were all around the 60min mark for the 10K.
Listen 2Yrs back I was running a half in Connemara in 1.48 so we're not that different in times.
The more people we get the more levels can be catered for.
I swear you'd be welcome.
Now that we're heading into the winter DSD have a great meeting place in Ballinteer COmmunity School, 6pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We've showers etc and a huge hall for warmup and core work. We'll be heading into this facility over the next few weeks. If you want to run wit a group this is most certainly the place for you.
When I started running back with the club 5 years back with the juvenile group I was out the back after a mile or so and I've worked at it and kept with it to improve.

myflipflops

A functioning meet and train group is a great addition to a club like DSD. It offers a comfortable joining group for beginner adult athletes and the club obviously have other groups and coaches to move to for those who develop and show a talent for the sport. I would happily recommend the club to a beginner athlete with this initiative. I'll be down for a run next time i'm in the country!

Also encouraging to see a meet and train group not aimed specifically at females.

Best of luck with it Declan!

misty floyd

Fair play to you Declan.

Declanr

Still in Marlay park Tues & Thurs 6pm, Sat & Sun 11am.
Will update further on changes later.

W.B. Yeats

Declanr wrote: »

Still in Marlay park Tues & Thurs 6pm, Sat & Sun 11am.
Will update further on changes later.

Declan

Are ye training tomorrow?
LSR?
What distance? I'm training for the half- did the 10 last week but have only run 3km and 5km (this morning) this week but was hoping to do somewhere 15-18 tomorrow depending on how I feel.
Would be great to join ye if possible

THanks

Rashers23

W.B. Yeats wrote: »

Declan

Are ye training tomorrow?
LSR?
What distance? I'm training for the half- did the 10 last week but have only run 3km and 5km (this morning) this week but was hoping to do somewhere 15-18 tomorrow depending on how I feel.
Would be great to join ye if possible

THanks

Hi W.B.

Sorry didnt see your post last night.
Not sure who will be around Sunday but I am def up for a bit of company on my LSR also if you haven't managed to make it out today, would be planning on doing about the same distance.

W.B. Yeats

Rashers23 wrote: »

Hi W.B.

Sorry didnt see your post last night.
Not sure who will be around Sunday but I am def up for a bit of company on my LSR also if you haven't managed to make it out today, would be planning on doing about the same distance.

Hey-
Did my LSR this morning so will be in recovery mode tomorrow- knees quite stiff
Might head up anyway for a chat- depending on the baba and the missus to play ball though so won't make any promoises