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2012 4 Races for 4 PBs
Comments
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MLR 14+ Miles
The sea was calling so instead of turning left for the Park I turned right and followed the tram tracks to the port.
At Heuston tram 4005 pulled ahead of me and my chase instinct kicked in. This was an MLR and I'd run a 10K tempo yesterday so I wasn't going to actually race the Luas but I did decide I'd try keep it in sight. I thought I might lose it by Smithfield but when I rounded the corner I could see it trundling off towards the Four Courts. From here to The Point it remained about one traffic-light stop ahead of me.
Logged a 6:3X during this chase and it felt easy. I pass the parked 4005 at the Point and continue on my way.
Around East Wall and East Point and then run alongside an exceptionally still sea as far as the wooden bridge to Bull Island. Take a photo and turn for home. Since the Luas the pace has remained steady but easy.
In DCM I'll be looking to put the sub 3:10 to bed. Comfortably running nearly 15 miles in early January at 3:06 marathon pace is surely a good sign.
M01 8:03
M02 7:01
M03 6:39
M04 7:01
M05 7:11
M06 6:53
M07 6:45
M08 7:02
M09 7:06
M10 7:13
M11 7:09
M12 7:20
M13 7:04
M14 6:57
Total 14.71M @ 7:06
WTD 40.37M MTD 35.35M YTD 35.35M0 -
You really should be going for sub-3. Anyway, loads of time to peer pressure you into this0
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6 Mile Progression Run
Work is cranking up. Jaded when I left the office. In no mood for 400s. I opt to skip the track and to open my Athlone-2019 account with a repeat of the run with which I closed Athlone-2018, a simple 6 mile progression effort.
The first three miles pretty much correspond with how my pace naturally picks up on an easy run. Then from mile 4 I need to start concentrating. I hit all my targets and I deliberately run the last mile faster than the 6:15 to 6:30 pace that I'd put into the Garmin.
Spend time thinking about what sessions I want to get done ahead of Raheny. I'm thinking of trying three track interval sessions, maybe a 10x400, a 5x800 and a 5x600. I want to try one more 10K tempo, and I would like to run a longer progression run, 12 mile instead of 6 mile, same pace blocks, but each block measuring 2 mile instead of 1 mile. Need to check calendar and see how best to fit these in. I'm thinking another 10K tempo this Saturday, then sessions on the following Weds/Sat/Weds, with maybe the progression run on Sunday week. I'll see.
M01 8:45
M02 8:16
M03 7:46
M04 7:20
M05 6:46
M06 6:02
Total 6.59M @ 7:36
WTD 6.59M MTD 41.94M YTD 41.94M0 -
outforarun wrote: »Maybe I should. But I know I won't. I'm happy to 'treat' myself to a sub 3:10. It'd be a PB and it would be the mental step I want to take before having my first shot at sub 3.
I think you should definitely get out of the mindset of the sub 3.10 being an easy/gimme (my words not yours I know!) effort, especially as you'd be using it as a mental step. At the end of the day it's still a marathon PB run so you should be preparing for it to feel tough after 20+ miles, when you bag it consider the box ticked and move on, (however it felt!!)
I've your head wrecked im sure but Sub 3 is within your wheelhouse so naturally 3.10 is well within; but all the same, it will likely require gritting the teeth at some point so get the head ready for that.0 -
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overpronator wrote: »I think you should definitely get out of the mindset of the sub 3.10 being an easy/gimme (my words not yours I know!) effort, especially as you'd be using it as a mental step. At the end of the day it's still a marathon PB run so you should be preparing for it to feel tough after 20+ miles, when you bag it consider the box ticked and move on, (however it felt!!)
I've your head wrecked im sure but Sub 3 is within your wheelhouse so naturally 3.10 is well within; but all the same, it will likely require gritting the teeth at some point so get the head ready for that.
Good point. I don't think it will be a gimme, but I am confident of hitting the sub 3:10. You're right - if I stumble over the line in 3:09:59 I still have to see it as job done, and then no excuses, move on and next time hope to stumble across the line in 2:59:59.0 -
November Review
Continue my prep for Jingle Bells.
I run repeats of my 1 mile TT route from back in January. That's 4 times I've run it this year and each one has been faster than the previous. My new PB for this mile route is 5:38.99. It's probably not the easiest mile route I could find, but I'm locked into it now for comparative purposes. I like these 1M TTs, short and intense. Interestingly when I ran the 5:38 I stopped checking the Garmin after around 300ms and ran on perceived effort (and on fear of not running fast enough).
Other speed work included another 10x400 session, and an easy 5x600 on the track. I ran a Waterstown Parkrun as a tuner race one week out from JB. I saw this as the key session ahead of race-day. It went well. I set a new Parkrun PB of 18:35, matching my current 5K PB. If I can run this in a lonely second place in Waterstown then surely I can run faster in a busy field of runners in the JB.
Ran a 20 miler one Sunday just to check if I can still run for 20 without issue (I can).
Made a deliberate effort to shed 2kg before race day and to help with this I decided to keep a food log on here to keep me honest. Something I plan on doing in the 2 weeks prior to every race this year.
Month | Monthly Miles | Daily mileage for month | Weekly Mileage for month | Daily mileage for year | Weekly mileage for year | Predicted yearly mileage
January | 181.48 | 5.85 | 40.97 | 5.85 | 40.97 | 2150
February | 139.57 | 4.98 | 34.89 | 5.44 | 38.09 | 1986
March | 153.98 | 4.97 | 34.77 | 5.28 | 36.95 | 1927
April | 175.13 | 5.84 | 40.86 | 5.42 | 37.93 | 1978
May | 156.35 | 5.04 | 35.30 | 5.34 | 37.38 | 1950
June | 117.68 | 3.92 | 27.46 | 5.11 | 35.74 | 1864
July | 106.25 | 3.43 | 23.99 | 4.86 | 34.02 | 1774
August | 153.02 | 4.94 | 34.55 | 4.87 | 34.09 | 1778
September | 154.23 | 5.14 | 35.99 | 4.90 | 34.30 | 1788
October | 156.60 | 5.05 | 35.36 | 4.92 | 34.41 | 1794
November | 158.48 | 5.28 | 36.98 | 4.95 | 34.64 | 1806
December | | | | | |
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Easy 5 Miles
Slightly longer lunch run than usual. Enjoyed the Infirmary Road Polo grounds route on New Year's Day so ran most of it again Friday. I never trust the weather so I always put on a jacket just in case, and then end up wishing I hadn't. So mild outside. Legs were ok, took it easy.
M01 8:32
M02 8:08
M03 7:49
M04 7:25
M05 7:50
Total 5.15M @ 7:55
WTD 11.74M MTD 47.09M YTD 47.09M0 -
10K Tempo
Bed late last night. I then stalled as long as I could this morning before heading out. Rarely in the mood for a 10K tempo and this morning was no exception. Legs felt heavy as I head up Khyber. Fingers crossed today's run won't be too difficult. Get to the Furze-OS-Chesterfield loop and get to work.
It's one of those sessions where there is a session within the session. First time down Furze and it is immediately evident that this stretch will define how the run goes. A stiff head wind all the way down. Already on lap one I'm happy to turn onto OS Road. The ascent up OS and the descent down Chesterfield become recovery stretches (while holding tempo pace). OS doesn't really offer too much recovery, I spend quite a bit of OS trying to understand how the wind can still be blowing into my face. I swear the Furze headwind is bouncing of the trees and coming back down OS. Chesterfield is the friendliest stretch of the loop.
I start a little too fast, as always, and spend time tentatively easing of the pace. The headwind on Furze does a good job helping me do this. In my mind the session is navigated thinking "three more Furze stretches, just two more Furze stretches, and so on..".
Today is tougher than last Saturday and it's the wind to blame. Still, I'm encouraged by how strong the legs feel on OS and Chesterfield. I'm happy to tackle Furze for the fourth and final time, then try to finish strong back up to the duck pond. 10K completed in 39:25. That'll do. Good testing work-out. Glad I opted to do this this Saturday and not next, I think it would have been too close to race day.
03.75K @ 5:34 [2.33M @ 8:57]
10.00K @ 3:57 [6.21M @ 6:21]
04:50K @ 4:51 [2.80M @ 7:48]
18.26K @ 4:30 [11.34M @ 7:14]
WTD 23.08M MTD 58.43M YTD 58.43M0 -
December Review
A month book-ended with good 5K performances. The Jingle Bells 5K was the highlight of the month. Managed opening kilometre nerves, checked Garmin only at each split and ensured every kilometer was faster than the previous. 29 seconds wiped off my PB as I post an 18:06. If I had been targeting 17:XX I'd have been disappointed, instead the missing 7 seconds don't bother me (too much). New mug for the collection.
I don't ease up too much in December, I want to try close the year with a Parkrun PB in Milan. So between Jingle Bells and Milan Nord Parkrun I complete: 2 sub 40 10K tempos, another 10x400 session in 82s, a tricky 5x600 on the road in Athlone and a Strava Segment TT PB in Milan, 13:30 for 3.6K knocking 15 seconds off old PB.
One of the above 10K was a real mental test, run in dark and wet conditions around the Mardyke in Cork, lot of effort on this one.
A running streak to balance an eating streak in Milan. Freezing foggy conditions at times. Ended the month with my second consecutive 18:35 Parkrun, this one on the Garmin was a high 18:34 while Waterstown was a low 18:35, so I'm calling this a PB, also because I finished first in Milan, and second in Waterstown.
All in all a good month with which to finish the year.
Over the next day or two I'll post up final thoughts and some key stats from 2018.
Month | Monthly Miles | Daily mileage for month | Weekly Mileage for month | Daily mileage for year | Weekly mileage for year | Predicted yearly mileage
January | 181.48 | 5.85 | 40.97 | 5.85 | 40.97 | 2150
February | 139.57 | 4.98 | 34.89 | 5.44 | 38.09 | 1986
March | 153.98 | 4.97 | 34.77 | 5.28 | 36.95 | 1927
April | 175.13 | 5.84 | 40.86 | 5.42 | 37.93 | 1978
May | 156.35 | 5.04 | 35.30 | 5.34 | 37.38 | 1950
June | 117.68 | 3.92 | 27.46 | 5.11 | 35.74 | 1864
July | 106.25 | 3.43 | 23.99 | 4.86 | 34.02 | 1774
August | 153.02 | 4.94 | 34.55 | 4.87 | 34.09 | 1778
September | 154.23 | 5.14 | 35.99 | 4.90 | 34.30 | 1788
October | 156.60 | 5.05 | 35.36 | 4.92 | 34.41 | 1794
November | 158.48 | 5.28 | 36.98 | 4.95 | 34.64 | 1806
December | 169.83 | 5.48 | 38.35 | 4.99 | 34.95 | 1822
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Long Run 17+ Miles
Out in the dark on Sunday morning for this one. Legs feel very heavy for first couple of miles. I stick to short loops near home and then after 3+ miles I meet up with a mix of Donore and DDAC runners and head together for the Park via Chapelizod Road. Pick up some others and the group at its height is 9 strong. I float between the back, front and middle of the group. As always the miles disappear in no time as we chat our way around. Grey and at times drizzly conditions, a strong headwind to tackle whenever we are facing North-West. The early morning tiredness had left the legs after 5 or 6 miles and they started feeling much stronger as the run progressed. conversational at 7:1X pace.
Longest run of the year so far, and stamina wish that was fine.
M01 9:12
M02 8:33
M03 8:28
M04 7:46
M05 8:01
M06 8:14
M07 7:44
M08 7:36
M09 7:23
M10 7:16
M11 7:10
M12 7:12
M13 7:12
M14 7:12
M15 7:31
M16 7:21
M17 7:06
Total 17.63M @ 7:41
WTD 40.71M MTD 76.06M YTD 76.06M0 -
Easy 4 Miles
Started the running week after work on Tuesday evening. It's two weeks prior to race day so I've decided to pay extra attention to diet again, like I did for the two weeks prior to Jingle Bells. So I'll be posting a brief food diary again.
Nice conditions this evening. Dry and not too cold. I head over to Inchicore, swing round The Black Lion and follow Emmet Road and then onto SCR. I change things up a little here and divert through the site of the world's most expensive hospital build. Then head down Jame's Street before swinging left down Bridgefoot Street and onto the quays. Run past Guinness and back up home via Military Road.
Forgot to charge my watch so left it at home and recorded this one on my phone. Odd running without a watch, I kept going to my wrist to hit pause by traffic lights etc.
Monday 14th- Breakfast - Porridge with rice milk and honey
- Lunch - Veg soup (celery, potato and pea) grated parmesan and some brown seeded baguette.
- Dinner - Risotto (pea, green bean, spinach, broccoli, green olive and grated parmesan)
- Snacks - 2 bananas, 4 digestives, 4 multigrain crackers with peanut butter
- Alcohol - None
Tuesday 15th- Breakfast - 2 boiled eggs, small piece of brown seeded baguette
- Lunch - Alpro Strawberry yoghurt with almond flakes (too much work/meetings)
- Dinner - vegan pizza with olives and shallots added
- Snacks - 1 banana, 1 apple, 4 digestives, 5 multigrain crackers with peanut butter, almond flakes.
- Alcohol - 2 Guinness, 1 red wine.
M01 8:43
M02 8:27
M03 8:04
M04 7:28
Total 4.25M @ 8:10
WTD 4.25M MTD 80.31M YTD 80.31M0 -
10x400m in 82s
Been a while since I was on the track. Headed over this evening at 7:15. Fairly chilly outside. Then an easy warm-up before heading to AIT for the intervals. Two more warm-up laps. This evening's wind wasn't very strong and felt most like a headwind as it swirled around the home bend.
Quite a few fast runners in lane 1 tonight. We all were checking over our shoulders and moved to lane 2 where necessary on our respective recoveries.
Having somebody up ahead to slowly chase down over a 400m interval was a good distraction and definitely helped keep the splits healthy.
The first one tonight was misjudged and was the slowest of the set. I was aiming for 82s, and over half the intervals were 1:22.XX. Pleased with this. As always I found this session fairly challenging. I hit my average 400 target, but what I'm more happy about is that my average 200m recovery was 68 seconds, the lowest I think I've managed in any of these 10x400 sessions.
Enjoyed that. A few drops of rain starting to fall as I finish my cool-down.
1:25.09
1:22.17
1:20.98
1:22.51
1:22.42
1:20.88
1:23.06
1:22.89
1:22.23
1:22.22
Average 400 in 1:22.45 @ 3:26 min/km [5:32 min/mile]
Wednesday 16th- Breakfast - Muesli with rice milk
- Lunch - Butternut squash soup from Centra Deli, no bread
- Dinner - Small Dominos veggie pizza, strawberry protein yoghurt
- Snacks - Cereal bar, 1 mandarin, peanuts
- Alcohol - None
WTD 12.77M MTD 88.83M YTD 88.83M0 -
Easy 4+ Miles
Logged off after 4 this afternoon and headed out for some easy miles before heading for Dublin. Forgot to hit start so another 400m unaccounted for, lucky it wasn't more. Legs are heavy. I travel up to Garrycastle and then follow the greenway into town. Back along the Old Dublin Road. Gloves on but absolutely no need for them, very mild. Shower with hot water. Glad to get this done this side of the commute.
M01 8:50
M02 8:15
M03 8:32
M04 8:05
Total 4.58M @ 8:21
Thursday 17th- Breakfast - Fruitscone
- Lunch - Butternut Squash soup, no bread
- Dinner - White pasta (tuna, cherry tomatoes, green olives, green beans, coriander, garlic and some passata), foccacia, some Alpro strawberry yoghurt with almond flakes.
- Snacks - peanuts, cashews, 1 mandarin, 1 flahavan's flapjack.
- Alcohol - None
WTD 17.35M MTD 93.41M YTD 93.41M0 -
Friday's fuel.
- Breakfast - Muesli with rice milk
- Lunch - tomato and roasted pepper soup with brown soda bread, at cafe
- Dinner - green thai veg curry (peas, mangetout, asparagus, baby corns) with wholemeal basmati
- Snacks - cereal bar, some milk chocolate
- Alcohol - 2 red wine
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5x800 in 2:52s
Late morning run today. Light running jacket on but really no need for it. Legs felt ok as I headed up the Khyber. I had been toying with the idea of running a pyramid session but in the end I opted for a more familiar 5x800, off 400m recovery. No strong winds on the Furze-OS-Chesterfield loop today but it was a little slippy underfoot in places. I had the Garmin set up with a target range of 3:35 [5:46] to 3:40 [5:54]. Start at my usual start line, the third newly planted tree on the righthand side heading down Furze.
The opening two intervals go well. I'm ahead of target pace for most of these though the effort feels about right. I spend most of these two 800s trying to slowly drop into pace. I only start to feel the pinch on the third 800 but complete it relatively comfortably. The fourth 800 was the toughest. It starts around 150ms from the end of Furze. A car is coming down OS so I cannot take the corner wide, I have to adjust my stride to cut tighter but it's tricky as the road is slippy at this point. The result is my first 'too slow' alert of the morning. So predictably I push and for the next 300m or so I'm travelling significantly faster than target pace, which made the last 200m of this interval very tough. Lungs working hard. The final 800 is mostly down Chesterfield, but here too the last 150m or so were tough. And that's it, job done.
I cool-down home via the S-Bends and Islandbridge. Had been toying with a 12 mile progression run for tomorrow but I'm not convinced it would be wise, at least not the one I have in mind where by the last 2 miles I'd be travelling at tempo, if not a little faster. I think it might be too risky on top of the two interval workouts already completed this week.
Passed 100 miles for the year.
2:50.75
2:52.40
2:49.73
2:54.56
2:52.88
Average 800 in 2:52.06
Average 400 recovery in 2:02.55
Saturday 18th- Breakfast - Porridge with rice milk and honey
- Lunch - steamed baby potatos, leek, cherry tomatos and red chilli pepper all oven stewed in coconut milk (tasty, to be repeated with a meaty white fish sometime)
- Dinner - Salad (gem lettuce, cherry tomatos, smoked cheddar, garlic, one hard boiled egg, olive oil) small piece of brown seeded baguette
- Snacks - 2 bananas, 1 choc croissant, small piece of milk chocolate
- Alcohol - 2 red wine (and shortly a Guinness West Indies Porter)
WTD 26.95M MTD 103.01M YTD 103.01M0 -
I assume those 800s on a track? I'd say you could the recovery closer to 1:50?0
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Mellow Yellow 26.2 wrote: »I assume those 800s on a track? I'd say you could the recovery closer to 1:50?
Nope on the road, so a bit lumpy, slippy and with some 90 degree plus turns. 1:50? Not quite yet but it'll head that way. All in good time.0 -
MLR 13 Miles
Finished last week's running on Sunday morning with an overcast south-side loop. Ran along the canal and turned right for Harold's Cross. On to Rathgar. I follow Orwell Road further than I have done before. Feels like you're leaving the city as you traverse Milltown Golf Course. Turn left and wonder where it'll bring me. Down a hill and arrive by the Dropping Well, that's some more parts of Dublin joined up. Stay on more familar territory for the rest of the run, following the Dodder path to Donnybrook then through Ranelagh to Portobello, down Heytesbury Street and back toward Kilmainham via Cork Street, Rialto and Heuston.
I kept the pace very easy the whole way round. Enjoyed the little bit of exploration over the opening miles, something I should try a little more often.
Weigh in at 68.2 kilo after this one, so weight is more or less where I'd like it to be.
M01 9:03
M02 8:27
M03 8:21
M04 8:05
M05 7:55
M06 7:42
M07 7:52
M08 7:58
M09 8:00
M10 7:49
M11 7:47
M12 7:36
M13 7:29
Total 13.33M @ 7:59
Sunday 20th- Breakfast - 1 banana
- Lunch - hake, steamed sweet potato and green beans, leeks all baked in a pot.
- Dinner - reheated leftovers from lunch
- Snacks - Alpro Strawberry yoghurt with digestives. Multigrain crackers.
- Alcohol - 3 red wine (Half a Guinness West Indies Porter)
WTD 40.28M MTD 116.34M YTD 116.34M0 -
Easy 4 Miles
Race week, so nothing too tasking. I start the week Tuesday after work. Wrap up well and make sure I take it very easy. Gentle pace. Don't fancy heading over to Chapelizod so I stay closer to home. Slight variation on local loop. Head along the canal a little before cutting back in via Rialto. Through Children's hospital site again, finding myself cutting through here quite a bit of late. Back home bringing up a little over 4 miles. Hungry today.
M01 9:22
M02 8:51
M03 8:36
M04 8:28
Total 4.14M @ 8:49
Monday 21th- Breakfast - Porridge with rice milk and honey
- Lunch - Shop bought soup - pea and mint with some brown seeded baguette
- Dinner - soya sausages, sweet potato mash, tenderstem broccoli, garlic, yellow bell pepper.
- Snacks - 1 banana, 1 apple, Alpro Strawberry yoghurt with digestives. Multigrain crackers.
- Alcohol - half a Guinness West Indies Porter
Tuesday 22th- Breakfast - Muesli with cashew milk
- Lunch - Salad of little gem lettuce, yellow pepper, cheddar, cherry tomatos, some pesto and a whole meal bagel
- Dinner - shop bought vegan pizza with cherry tomatos added
- Snacks - Alpro mango yoghurt with digestives. Multigrain crackers.
- Alcohol - 2 Guinness and 1 red wine.
WTD 4.14M MTD 120.48M YTD 120.48M0 -
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Easy 6 Miles with 1 Fast Mile
I opted against the track on Wednesday evening. Decided instead I'd run a short distance at race pace on the road. Out a little later than planned. I run my East Athlone loop the wrong way round, clockwise. This allows me to arrive near Garrycastle near the end of the loop. Plan was to run a mile at planned opening race pace, so 3:44 [6:00] or 3:45 [6:02] around my short Garrycastle Bridge loop. For some reason I wasn't looking forward to this mile.
The fast mile instead goes well. I get a too slow alert near the start so I speed up and over-compensate. Stride feels good though and I just decide to go with it. I won't start this fast in Raheny, but it acted as a nice confidence builder. This loop is one that the Garmin doesn't like, I always seem to expend extra effort for to hit any target pace along here, tonight instead I was ok travelling faster than target. Log a 5:49.86.
A race plan is taking shape - negative split running first 5K at 3:44 [6:00] or 3:45 [6:02]. Then hopefully will feel strong physically and mentally to push down the average over the remaining 3.0467K. Spanner in the works could be opening mile congestion.
4.75M @ 8:40
1.00M @ 5:50
Total 7.11M @ 8:14
Wednesday 23rd- Breakfast - muesli with cashew milk
- Lunch - cashew nuts and 2 bananas
- Dinner - Domino's small veggie pizza, strawberry protein yoghurt
- Snacks - cereal bar, oatie flapjack
- Alcohol - none
Thursday 24th- Breakfast - fruitscone
- Lunch - butternut squash soup at deli, no bread
- Dinner - risotto (pea, cherry tomato, ginger, sugar snaps, mushrooms) some olive bread
- Snacks - peanuts, 1 choc cream biscuit, Alpro mango yoghurt with digestives
- Alcohol - none
WTD 11.25M MTD 127.59M YTD 127.59M0 -
2018 Race History
A race light year. Just 4 races. Cork City Half Marathon was a DNS thanks to a molar that started acting up 48 hours before race day and woke me up during the night before the race. DCM was missed due to the early sell out.
4 races and 3 PBs. First time ever I haven't hit 4 PBs in a year. To make up for this I did run 4 Parkruns and set course PBs on two of these, both 18:35, finishing 2nd in Waterstown and 1st in Milano Nord.
Best result on paper was the Jingle Bells, really surprised myself and still cannot understand how I averaged 5:49 min/mile. But I think the race I enjoyed the most was the Frank Duffy, felt I executed my race plan very well on the day and I still fondly remember feeling strong and seeing the average pace increasing along Balheary Avenue.
Other informal PBs:- my OS-Chesterfield-Furze 1M TT [5:38.99]
- my Ponte Valsecca - Mezzeno Vertical K [7.36M in 1:16:59]
- clockwise lap of Parco di Trenno Strava Segment [2.24M in 13:30]
(paces are calculated against standard race distance, not pace for distance covered as captured on Garmin)
No|Race|Time|Pace(M)|Pace(KM)|Position|Finishers|% of Field|Vdot|PB
01| Raheny 5M | 0:30:53 | 6:10 | 3:50 | 294 | 3528 | 09 | 53.8 | No
02| Frank Duffy 10M | 1:04:08 | 6:24 | 3:59 | 112 | 2775 | 05 | 54.0 | Yes
03| Dublin Half Marathon | 1:25:23 | 6:30 | 4:02 | 202 | 6647 | 04 | 54.2 | Yes
04| Jingle Bells 5K | 0:18:06 | 5:49 | 3:37 | 152 | 1194 | 13 | 56.0 | Yes
PB Details
Distance|2010 Best|2011 Best|2012 Best|2013 Best|2014 Best|2015 Best|2016 Best|2017 Best|2018 Best|Current PB Set
Marathon|3:51:53|3:41:30|3:40:31|3:39:30|3:24:49|3:18:43|3:13:43|3:13:42|DNR|Dublin City Marathon 2017
15 Mile|1:56:59|1:55:49|DNR|DNR|DNR|1:42:24|DNR|DNR|DNR|BHAA Cork to Cobh 2015
Half Marathon|1:40:50|1:37:59|1:37:52|DNF|1:28:52|1:28:18|1:26:57|1:26:13|1:25:23|Dublin Half Marathon 2018
10 Mile|1:17:52|1:15:57|1:13:11|1:09:14|DNR|1:06:43|DNR|1:05:57|1:04:08|Frank Duffy 2018
10K|DNR|DNR|DNR|0:40:16|0:39:01|0:38:54|0:38:38|38:52|DNR|Blessington Lakes 2016
5 Mile|DNR|0:35:26|0:34:35|0:33:10|0:31:48|0:31:56|DNR|30:26|30:53|Raheny 5 Mile 2017
5K|DNR|DNR|DNR|DNR|0:18:40|0:18:46|0:18:35|DNR|18:06|Jingle Bells 2018
Parkrun|DNR|DNR|DNR|DNR|DNR|DNR|0:18:57|DNR|18:35| Milano Nord 118
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Love these graphs, solid year for you
Still getting my head around how little food\calories you take in though0 -
Easy 4 Miles
Managed to get away from the desk just in time to fit in 4 miles before travelling back to Dublin. Legs a bit heavy and feeling a bit stiff for this. Maybe because it was straight from desk to road.
Simple loop along the Old Dublin, Retreat and Cartrontroy Road. Back to IDA park and back to office. Hot shower and I'm done. Probably just run 7 or 8 miles tomorrow morning with some strides thrown in.
Total 4.10M @ 7:58
Friday 24th- Breakfast - muesli with oat milk
- Lunch - cafe for leek and potato soup, no bread, side of sweet potato fries
- Dinner - white pasta with garlic, chili flakes, anchovies and a little passata, some focaccia bread
- Snacks - peanuts, milk chocolate, some olive bread
- Alcohol - 2 red wine
WTD 15.35M MTD 131.69M YTD 131.69M0 -
Duanington wrote: »Love these graphs, solid year for you
Still getting my head around how little food\calories you take in though
A part of me wonders if the 3 week enforced break in the summer and the absence of a marathon block may have worked in my favour.0 -
Easy 6+ Miles with 6x100m Strides
Out yesterday morning at 9:00 for another easy few miles. Up Infirmary Road and into the Park at the NCR Gate. Through the Polo Grounds and from there I had for the Papal Cross. Stop a while to take in the view then head down to toward the Hospital, exit at the pedestrian gate by the village then turn left to run a small set of strides along Chapelizod Road. Unusually the wind isn't at my back for these. I make a little diversion into the Kennedy Wilson apartment complex before heading for home.
Raheny with its 15:00 Sunday afternoon race start, hangs over you the whole weekend. My confidence is up and down. I don't think I'm in the same form I was in heading into Jingle Bells, close on 2 months ago. I will be disappointed if I don't pick up a PB, and I do harbour cautious hopes of breaking 30:00 for the first time. If the latter happens it will be off a negative split, so I'll need to hold my nerve for the first 5K and then hope the legs and lungs and resolve will stay strong for the remaining kilometres.
I'll be splitting every kilometer, and with the exception of K1 I'll be checking the watch only on the split.
Total 6.66M @ 8:27
Saturday 26th- Breakfast - fruitscone (with jam)
- Lunch - salad of little gem lettuce, cherry tomatos, garlic, cheddar, carrot and mixed seeds, olive oil dressing, some focaccia bread.
- Dinner - quiche (with roast parsnip, potato, squash, onion, oregano thyme and parsley)
- Snacks - small piece of milk chocolate, multigrain crackers, some brown bread and honey, Alpro coconut yoghurt with digestives
- Alcohol - 1 red wine, 1 Guinness West Indies Porter
WTD 22.01M MTD 138.35M YTD 138.35M0 -
Raheny 5 Mile 2019
Old PB 30:26 Raheny 2017
New PB 29:56 Raheny 2019
Started race day with a bowl of porridge cooked in oat-milk with honey and sliced banana. Drink several glasses of water during the morning and have one more banana. I leave the house over two hours ahead of the race start. Walk to Abbey Street and hop on a 32 to Raheny.
My expectations? I reckon I have a really good chance of claiming a PB, that is really my first goal. If I don't come home with a PB I will be very disappointed. To ensure I record a PB I'm going to have a cautious shot at going sub 30. I plan on holding 3:45 pace for the first 5K (18:45) and then for the remaining 3.047K I will push and try to complete them at around 3:41 pace (11:13). That would total 29:58, a good racing line and a sprint finish and I could be thereabouts over the final 400ms.
I get changed and put on the gloves which I'm glad I decided to pack. The sun has retreated and it's become chilly in the last 30 minutes. I run close on 2 miles of warm-up trying to get mentally braced and ready for the task ahead. Tell myself to try enjoy it whatever happens, try not to put myself under too much pressure but still run with the commitment required to ensure an honest shot at carrying out my race plan.
I get back to the starting straight with 15 minutes to spare. I know from previous years how congested it gets at the start here. I work my way up through the gathered runners until I realise I'm only around 8 rows back from the front. That's probably too close to the front. I stay put. Anxious to get going. The chill is kept away by the warmth of surrounding bodies. By the time we move forward in anticipation of the gun somehow the number of people ahead of me has more than doubled.
A few moments later we're off.
K1 in 3:42.33 predicted finish time 29:49
Dodge left, dodge right, slow down, speed up, watch the heels ahead of me, avoid the car driving into the race field! Look for open spaces. Brush elbows as I squeeze between runners. I stick to the road and refuse to hop on the pavement at the bends. And then, much sooner than previous years the worse of the congestion is over and I can settle into a steady pace. The first split shows as a 3:42. Pleased with this and surprised. My fear ahead of the race was that I would be forced to run a really slow opening kilometer and would then have to push too soon. I'm 3 seconds ahead of target already so I just need to hold steady and be careful, remember the negative split plan.
K2 in 3:42.89 predicted finish time 29:51
After K1 I'm only allowing myself check the Garmin at each split. I try to find runners to pace myself off but mostly I'm overtaking. Some people are breathing hard already. My stride feels good and the Asterias, despite close on 700 miles completed, feel light and and are producing a neat footfall. We double round back near the starting area before heading out along All Saints' Road retracing some of the route I ran on my warm-up. I'm still overtaking and I don't remember anyone overtake me. The Garmin buzzes, I check and see another 3:42. Too fast slow down.
K3 in 3:48.96 predicted finish time 30:08
So I've 6 seconds in the bank. I'm feeling good. Breathing is good, legs are good. A little bit of traffic again as we run inside the cones along the roadside, but this time it's welcome, it should help me keep my pace in check. Bit of an uphill drag along here. Stewards ensure we take the pavement when turning onto Sybil Hill. Near the start of this descent the Garmin buzzes and shows a 3:48. Ok that's what I wanted, 3K in and 3 seconds up on my 3:45 target for the first 5K.
K4 in 3:32.76 predicted finish time 29:44
I'd forgotten how fast this section is. A steady descent for the next kilometre with just one 90 degree left turn to take. Lots of open space now. I keep effort levels at what I think is around 3:45 pace. I continue to move past runners. The Garmin sounds again and I'm really surprised to see a 3:32 split! This was the easiest kilometre so far and by far the fastest. Suddenly I am 18 seconds ahead of target time for 5K.
K5 in 3:39.95 predicted finish time 29:41
I'm buoyed by the fact that I have passed half-way and feel largely ok. The road profile continues to be favourable along Mount Prospect Avenue. I feel I'm travelling at the same effort level. Legs are starting to feel the pinch, lungs are good. Mental boost when I see 3:39 flash on the Garmin. 24 seconds ahead of schedule at the 5K mark. I can afford a slow kilometre, but that's something I hope not to have to avail of.
K6 in 3:37.15 predicted finish time 29:36
Starting to feel like I'm in a race now. Legs are tiring but stride is still good and I don't think I'm slowing. We enter St.Anne's park. Good support in here, good support everywhere. I'm conscious that the wind has not been a factor so far, least not a negative factor. I know we'll shortly be turning onto the central avenue and I fear the wind will start to work against us. We make this turn and yes there is a breeze to tackle, but nothing very significant. The incline is immediately noticeable instead. I take encouragement from the fact that I am still overtaking and that others seem to be in more difficulty than I am. Another boost when I see a 3:37 split. Target split is around 3:41 now so I'm up on this, 28 seconds ahead of schedule overall.
K7 in 3:45.54 predicted finish time 29:41
Starting to become tricky now. I remind myself to keep my resolve strong. The climb is sapping energy from the legs. I'm looking ahead to see how much further to go to the hairpin. Stay strong. Part of me is settling for a PB, another part of me tells myself I'm in a great position to go sub 30. Just stay honest. I take the hairpin wide. The temptation is to take a break now as we descend again, I force myself not to ease off. Tell myself there's not too far left. I'm conscious that my negative split plan has been turned on its head so I know that I could still be on for sub 30 even if I log some 3:45s. Over the bridge the Garmin shows a 3:45. I knew I was slowing and this confirms it. Just a kilometre and a sprint to go.
K8 in 3:51.51 predicted finish time 29:51
I'm still slowing. The legs don't have too much left. I try to keep the pace steady but I can feel my form worsening and I'm concerned. I surely have a PB, don't I? But I'm losing hope of the sub 30. I want this to be over now. I try find runners to pace off, I overtake some and this helps. I'm struggling though. We're back near the starting area. Two more turns. At last up in front I can see the finishing gantry. Garmin buzzes but I don't look at the split. With less than 100m to go I can see 30:1X showing on the clock, I know the PB is save and I up the pace, there's still a chance of the bigger prize. Over the line.
I check the Garmin and see 2X:XX. The first digit is the only one I notice. I check again and see 29:51. Controlled elation. Surely that's enough buffer. I don't want to celebrate yet but surely I've done it. I'm happily anticipating a lot of satisfied reflection on this performance. I meet overpronator and amk, exchange our immediate race impressions, everyone is happy.
Later in the afternoon, showered and on a goodie bag sugar buzz, the results are in. 29:56:):)
Thrilled. This feels like a proper milestone I've passed. A great way to start the year. Really pleased with my run. The fact that my last kilometre was my slowest of the day tells me I didn't leave a lot out there.
I definitely have a 37:XX 10K in me, and that is the focus now. I hope to run the K-Club 10K in March. I don't think I'll change too much training-wise ahead of this, probably add a few 1K intervals and maybe some mile intervals. But I'll keep the 10x400s and I'll keep the tempos, probably shifting them up to 11K or to 45mins. If I can stay consistent then I will be very confident of picking up a 37:XX.- Chip Time 29:56
- P228 of 3889 finishers or 6th in a race of 100.
- Went through 5K in 18:26, that would have been a 5K PB less than two months ago.
- Mile splits: 5:59, 6:01, 5:49, 5:55, 6:05
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Brilliant running and that's a huge chunk of your PB. Great to see your consistency and dedication paying off so handsomely.
I predict a great year for you with loads of PB's. Your 5k PB already seems soft based on that result!!0 -
Impressive. Enjoyed the report. Congrats!0
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Super controlled racing D, you're going to have a great year.
BTW - I cant believe you ate anything from that goody bag - all that disgusting sugar and chocolate0
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