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2012 4 Races for 4 PBs
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tailgunner wrote: »You make running in Glanmire sound far more interesting than anything I've ever experienced! I usually end up running out the other direction towards Brooklodge and on to Knockraha. Maybe that's where I've been going wrong...
Probably just because I don't run round Glanmire too often so there's an element of novelty for me.0 -
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39:06, PB remains at 38:54
No new PB today but I'm not particularly upset. The goal was to PB, even if only by a second. And I was going to target 3:52 [6:13] or 3:53 [6:15] pace. This would see me cover 10K neat in 38:40 to 38:50, hold that and a sprint finish should give me a good chance of PBing. And well I hit exactly 3:52 pace on the Garmin, but I also ran 10.12K on the Garmin so no PB, even with a sprint finish.
Early rise at 6:45 to leave the house at 7:20 and walk briskly to Abbey Street. Bus to Swords to arrive with plenty of time to spare. A nice leisurely stressless pre-race preparation. Go for a warm-up out and back along some of the last 2K of the route.
Back into town and stroll up by the starting gantry. Take in the atmosphere, but with around 10 minutes to go I realise I have to go all the way back to the start of the main street in order to get into the starting pens. I work my way slowly up through the busy crowd. Bump into Back in Black. If it feels like it's on he's going to have a shot at a PB. We chat a while, working our way further up the road. It's packed and there are quite a few runners ahead of us, it won't be a fast start. Wish each other luck and retire into our personal focus bubbles. Not too long later we're off.
K1 in 4:01.68 - Overall average pace 4:02 [6:29]
Not as busy as I'd feared. Most people were moving at an ok pace and there were really only 3 or 4 people who I got stuck behind and had to weave around. Part of me waiting to be clipped on the ankles from behind. I'd told myself not to worry too much about pace on the opening kilometre, all the same seeing 4:07 [6:38] pace after around 500ms was a little too uncomfortable and so I did push a little. I see BiB overtake me on the right. He looks comfortable and for a while I'm tempted to go with him but I opt not to, despite a flashback to the Jingle Bells 2 years ago when I didn't try to stick with BiB and regretted it afterwards).
K2 in 3:40.49 - Overall average pace 3:51 [6:12]
Lovely downhill kilometre. And we've loads of space now. Glancing at the Garmin I can see average pace rapidly heading towards target pace. I'm constantly overtaking people along here. Realise that average pace has reached 3:51 [6:12] so tell myself not to get too carried away and ease off a little, still a long long way to go.
K3 in 3:52.32 - Overall average pace 3:52 [6:13]
The mostly downhill profile continues into K3. I'm feeling very comfortable and I continue to focus on not going too fast. I also continue to overtake runners, I don't recall anyone overtaking me. I can see BiB around 100ms up the road. 3K down already, feeling ok, on target and running a little within myself. Things look promising.
K4 in 3:54.17 - Overall average pace 3:52 [6:14]
Another 800ms or so of gentle downhill. This section along the Swords Bypass really allows you to make hay when the sun shines, in terms of banked time or effort. The last 200ms though are an uphill drag and the legs immediately feel the gradient, honeymoon over. A fair few runners drop their pace considerably here and I continue to overtake. I'm aware that my breathing is pretty ok compared to others around me.
K5 in 3:56.63 - Overall average pace 3:53 [6:15]
We turn left off the bypass and suddenly it's like we're in a different race. Tight rolling country roads, hedgerows and fields on either side, trees creating little tunnels overhead. Overtake one girl who's breathing like she's on the last lap of full effort 3000m race. It's going to be a long morning for her. I continue to work my way up through the field, but I'm definitely starting to feel the effort now and the Garmin confirms this as average pace shows 3:53 [6:15]. I resist the urge to tuck in behind somebody and let them set the pace, instead I keep pushing past. Go through 5K in 19:25.
K6 in 3:54.98 - Overall average pace 3:53 [6:16]
Keep glancing at the watch to make sure I stay on target. I remember 2 years ago that I struggled a bit in the middle of the race but recovered later on, so I'm not overly concerned. The course profile now consists of short gentle downhills alternating with short gentle inclines. Just hold the effort steady. I'm not dying a death yet and this keeps confidence levels relatively high.
K7 in 3:46.27 - Overall average pace 3:52 [6:14]
A sharp left turn by the church onto the Ballyheary Road. I resist urges to slow down. This I take as a big positive from the race, I felt strong enough mentally and physically to hold the effort levels and not take a breather. And all the time I pass other runners and no one is passing me. I see 3:52 pace on the Garmin again and all is good in the world. Is that BiB up ahead?
K8 in 3:47.24 - Overall average pace 3:52 [6:13]
It's BiB alright and I'm gradually gradually pulling him in. I didn't see K7 and K8 splits on the watch and wasn't aware that I was running in the high 3:4Xs, like in the East Gate business park in Cork last Saturday, it definitely didn't feel as tough as last weekend. I reach BiB and overtake him near the end of K8. I'm secretly hoping he doesn't see me because if he does and if he tries to race me then the stress of that could prove too much. For the rest of the race I sense his presence behind me and this encourages me not to ease off.
K9 in 3:58.84 - Overall average pace 3:53 [6:14]
A disappointing kilometre. I knew I was tired and I could sense the pace dropping but didn't realise it had dropped so much. The spray from the firehose was a welcome sharp fresh shock to the system. I ran straight through the heart of it and for a second or two I could see nothing but white mist. Fabolous, wish there was one of these at every kilometre! The country roads are gone now and it's fairly uninspiring straight stretches of residential roads skirting the edges of estates. I want this to be over now. I'm still overtaking.
K10 in 3:49.88 - Overall average pace 3:52 [6:14]
Last push now. I don't think the hill at the end is as bad as some people make it out to be, but arriving at the last kilometre it really doesn't help you make any great gains with a final push. The pace is showing 3:52 [6:14] and I'm convinced that provided I don't slow down I should get my PB. Still this last kilometre is dragging. I take further heart from the fact that I'm still picking off some runners, although I can now hear some approaching from behind as well. Where is that last bend? I check the Garmin and see 38:12 showing. Hmm, that's not good is it? I speed up, another runner shouts encouragement as I go past him. Now 38:2X showing, push around the penultimate bend. 38:3X, there's the final bend, further ahead than I'd remembered. 38:4X becomes 38:5X as the finishing line finally comes into view. Too late it's not going to happen. I even ease up over the last 10ms as I see 39:0X on the Garmin.
Final time on Garmin and official chip time is 39:06.
I finish 158th of 2968 finishers (or 6th in a race of 100).
Chat with BiB afterwards, no PBs for either of us today.
I'm not terribly gutted. I'd hoped before this race that I was back to where I was on my first TT before CCM, when I ran 38:55 for a neat 10K on the Garmin. Today I ran 38:43 for a neat 10K, so I'm back where I was. I successfuly ran at the fast end of target pace. And while I was struggling for sure, I still wasn't 100% dying on my feet (maybe only 97%
).
If I get through the next weeks injury free and get in some good sessions then I'm confident of PBing in Blessington. Just need to be a bit more clever with my pacing.
Passed 1000 miles for the year as well.
K01 4:02 [6:29]
K02 3:40 [5:55]
K03 3:52 [6:14]
K04 3:54 [6:17]
K05 3:57 [6:21]
K06 3:55 [6:18]
K07 3:46 [6:04]
K08 3:47 [6:06]
K09 3:59 [6:24]
K10 3:50 [6:07]
Total 10.12K in 39:06
An excellently organized race over a fair and interesting course. I hope to run it again next year.
Toward Fingal Week 3 of 4: Session targets | Actual Results | Post Run Weight
Easy 8 Miles @ whatever feels easy | 8.39M @ 7:53 | 71.60 KG
VO2Max 8x400m @ 5K pace | 14.81K @ 4:46 [8.81M @ 7:40], with average 400 in 1:28.15 @ 3:40 [5:55] | N/A
General Aerobic 10 Miles @ 8:15 to 8:30 | 10.21M @ 8:30 | N/A
Easy 6-8 Miles @ whatever feels easy | 7.63M @ 9:02 | 71.65 KG
Fingal 10K - PB attempt (sub 38:54) | 10.12K in 39:06 | N/A
WTD 43.67M MTD 148.55M YTD 1004.91M0 -
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Back in Black wrote: »Well done yesterday. Good solid run. You looked in good shape as you glided past me Good to catch up yesterday
Thanks. Didn't feel like I was gliding at the time.
Just a thought on your own race - I remember you saying at the start line that you might have a shot at the PB if it felt like it was on. I wonder if this was a little too 'open' a race plan. That same plan implicitly suggests that if it doesn't feel like a PB is on then you don't need to run for one.
I wonder if you had a more concrete race strategy would it help keep focus. For example if you had set yourself a target pace for say the first 4K then another target for the 4K of country roads and then a final target for the last 2K. Would this have kept you more focused throughout the race and given you something concrete to aim? Rather than the more fuzzy goal of 'if the PB is on'.
I'm already thinking about race strategy for Blessington and in my head I'm breaking the race down into sections: the start to the hairpin / the hairpin to the start of the hill / the hill / the downhill afterwards / the last 1500ms.
I'll have mini-goals to try stick to through each of these sections so I'll always have a short-term goal to help keep me disciplined across the full 10K.
Just a thought - maybe I'm reading too much into what you said before the off on Sunday.0 -
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