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Micilín's Mucky Miles

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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Thursday
    No cycling. Tube valve broke while pumping with air last night. Need to get a box of decent tubes.

    Running: 6.3km lunchtime run @ recovery pace. Calf about 90% back to normal. Half-marathon looks likely for Sunday :). Might do another 6km recovery tomorrow afternoon, or on Saturday morning. Still have to work out how I'm going to get down to Glendalough for Sunday 9am as my chauffeur is no longer coming to Dublin for the weekend.

    KMs|Cycling|Running
    WTD|89.66|30.87
    MTD|89.66|30.87
    YTD|1543.85|190.66


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,802 ✭✭✭statss


    for a man who likes to venture off to races all over the place you could really do with a car as a wedding present!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,759 ✭✭✭belcarra


    statss wrote: »
    for a man who likes to venture off to races all over the place you could really do with a car as a wedding present!

    Quick, invite Statss!!:D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Transport to Glendalough sorted. I'm bringing the rothar! 44k there and will take the long route home :-) Making the most of my weekend!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Friday
    Cycling: 52.3km commuting. Lots of Strava PRs and one KOM today. No tailwinds or anything, just feeling it easier to push harder in the higher gears.

    Yoga:
    45 minutes stretching before swimming plus some calf raises.

    Swimming: 1 hour including lots of drills. No cramps this week, wahay! Kicking felt easier, but would feel a lot easier if I swam more than once a week!
    KMs|Cycling|Running
    WTD|141.96|30.87
    MTD|141.96|30.87
    YTD|1596.15|190.66


    Weight down to 73.7kg from 74.3kg last Friday. Would like to be down to 72.x this day next week. No more chocolate bars from the vending machine at work.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Saturday
    Rest

    Sunday
    Cycling: 85km round trip to Half Marathon.

    Running:
    DEBRA Ireland Wicklow Mountains Half Marathon. Time was 2:27, in position 143/203. I faded big time towards the end. I knew the endurance wasn't there anyway, especially after a 44km hilly cycle to the race.

    Race report coming soon. Will be offline for a few days.

    KMs|Cycling|Running
    WTD|235.43|51.97
    MTD|235.43|51.97
    YTD|1689.63|211.75


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Pre-race preparation wasn't great. I had two travel vaccines on the Saturday which I was told would have no effect on my performance the next day, except that I might feel a bit tired on the Sunday evening. I felt nauseous on the Saturday evening and didn't get to sleep until about midnight.

    Got up at 6.30 for breakfast and felt fine. Hopped on the bike at 7.30am for the two-hour spin down to Laragh. I arrived feeling surprisingly fresh and did a few stretches before getting on the bus. Met Grahamor in the queue for the bus. Good to catch up with him and his ultra training. I tried a High-Five Zero tab for the first time, as I had already spent two hours sweating before the race!

    Race start was up past the Wicklow Gap and uphill for the first two kms on forest road. My pace initially felt OK but became out of breath after about 10 minutes so had to slow down. Once I got to the downhill I was passing everyone around. I seem to have become a downhill runner recently :confused:. At the bottom of the first downhill we joined St. Kevin's Road (all the way until near the end of the race). This first bit of trail was uphill and some of the people around me were slipping all over the place as they were in regular road shoes. Back on to the main Wicklow Gap road again to be greeted by Don.

    We then had another 3km of uphill trail and I was being passed out by quite a few runners. I never get passed out on uphills! Grand, sure I'll pass them again when we get to a downhill. Nope, even more people passed me when we got to the downhill, which was 6km long (Glendasan). One section was particularly muddy and lots of runners were slipping and sliding. My trail shoes were up to the job, although I did end up knee deep in a hole :rolleyes:. The rocky downhills were fun but quite dangerous!

    Arriving in Glendalough was nice and was surprised when the round tower suddenly appeared at the end of the trail :) Running down towards the village past the tower, all I could think of was the lovely ice creams with raspberry sauce I used to get on family trips to Glendalough. Surely enough there was a water stop here and I took a Mars bar and a Lucozade Sport. This is where the craic started. Steep uphill for 1.6km with 160 metres of climbing :mad: I walked the whole thing. Once at the top I found it hard to get going again, although the impending finish line was a bit of an incentive. I got passed out at the start of the final downhill but I managed to muster up some energy to speed up and overtake again, passing a few people with 100m to go with a semi-sprint finish.

    Time: 2:27
    Position: 143/203 (70%).

    KMs|Cycling|Running
    WTD|243.43|51.97
    MTD|243.43|51.97
    YTD|1697.63|211.75


    The journey home was feckin tough, especially since I wanted to cycle the Military Road back to Rathfarnham. Saw parts of Wicklow I hadn't seen in years, including Glenmacnass Waterfall. Some very fast downhills, top speed of 60km/h :)

    Since the end of that cycle I have felt pretty awful. Muscles are a bit tender which is to be expected, but my heart rate has been considerably higher, a lot of stomach issues, chills, dizziness, waking up every 15 minutes at night. I can't even look at a bike or a pair of runners in this state! Moral of the story - don't exercise excessively after travel vaccines. I have two days off to attend a funeral in Belfast so at least I can recover a little bit while passengering.

    Garmin for race here
    Cycle to race here
    Cyce home from race here


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,196 ✭✭✭PaulieC


    Holy God! Cycling to Laragh would be enough for most folk, but you did that, then a hilly half and then cycle home again. I wouldn't be able to walk for a week, never mind just having tender muscles :D.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Monday - Wednesday
    (Attempted) Rest. Heart rate was still high until Wednesday evening. A combination of the aftereffects of the vaccines, plus some stress (had to deal with an attempted break-in at my father's house in Dublin while he was away at a funeral :mad::mad:). Heart rate was back to its usual low self by Wednesday night when back in Galway, although I'm still having stomach issues.

    Thursday
    Cycling: 50.77km commuting. Nice to be back exercising.

    KMs|Cycling|Running
    WTD|50.77|0
    MTD|294.33|51.97
    YTD|1748.52|211.75


    Don't feel strong enough to run yet. Maybe a 10km around Bushy or Marlay Park on Sunday morning might be nice if anyone's around?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Friday
    Cycling: 72.93km commuting
    Cycled into work. Had half day and went to get a professional bike fit after in Oranmore. Raised saddle by over 10cm! Went for a wee spin to Claregalway after and then on to swim session and then home. Getting a lot more power into each pedal stroke now. The KMs fairly rack up!

    Swimming: 1 hour
    Lots of kicking. And them some kicking too.

    Stomach back to normal.

    Saturday
    Rest

    Sunday
    Running: 18.82km medium-long run up Three Rock Mountain from Rathfarnham. Great to be back on my old trails :-)

    Lost lots of weight this week thanks to sickness. The run felt effortless!

    KMs|Cycling|Running
    WTD|98.3|18.82
    MTD|341.86|70.79
    YTD|1796.08|230.57


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Wicklow Mountains Half Marathon is now done and I have had a week to recover. Training was good and I'm quite happy with my training paces based on HR. The cycling has really helped with my fitness and to lose weight.

    I have less than 6 weeks to my wedding and honeymoon, so the next while will be mostly about trying to fit in what I can. I don't plan on doing any running or cycling while on honeymoon though!

    The Terenure 5-Mile will be on the Sunday after I come back and is a race I've been wanting to do for years as the course is near my family home and my old primary school etc. I'll dig out Road Racing for Serious Runners and try devise some kind of plan to keep me fit between now and then. I really have no idea what kind of time I'm able for, but I would love it to be around 38 minutes for 5 miles.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    My company is organising a fun run on April 11th. It's billed as 5km but is actually 2 laps of the racecourse here in Ballybrit (2.3km each). There aren't many runners here if the lunchtime runs are anything to go by. Let's just say I want to "do well" ;)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Monday
    Rest

    Tuesday
    Yoga: 15 minutes

    Cycling: 51.32km commuting. Passed a few bonfires coming into Spiddal, a local tradition whenever a local team has won a big match. This time the girls' school basketball team won the C division All-Ireland :)

    Wednesday
    Cycling: 32.96km commuting. Journey in was a breeze, literally - journey home into the headwind cut short at the availability of a lift :)

    Running: 10km with 4 x 600m at VO2 Max. A long time since I did one of these sessions, or even ran this fast. Last time was 2012 :eek:

    600m splits were:
    • 2:36 (4:20min/km or 6:58min/mile pace)
    • 2:30 (4:10 or 6:42)
    • 2:32 (4:13 or 6:47)
    • 2:26 (4:03 or 6:31)
    My HR hit about 95% peak on each split, which is about right for VO2 Max I think. Despite the strong wind this evening, none of this felt extremely difficult, although that could be the endorphins talking. 600m are quite short though.

    I think I'll aim for 1000m reps next time (too soon to do VO2 Max again this Friday? Physio this Friday will have me out of fast-pace action for about 4 days ...)

    KMs|Cycling|Running
    WTD|84.29|10
    MTD|451.55|80.79
    YTD|1905.74|240.57


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Have been reading up a bit about VO2 Max sessions. Daniels reckons it takes 2 minutes to build heart rate up to VO2 Max, meaning I got a grand total of 2 minutes 4 seconds at VO2 Max pace yesterday evening. Not exactly a great training stimulus.

    1000m reps would be better for my next VO2 Max session. If I do 4 reps again, I will get 8 minutes at VO2 Max pace which would be a lot more beneficial.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Thursday
    Running: 10.87km commute at recovery pace. Into the wind the whole way but pace hardly suffered. Nice evening for a run otherwise. Not much else to report :)

    KMs|Cycling|Running
    WTD|109.68|20.87
    MTD|476.95|91.66
    YTD|1931.14|251.44


    Won't have much time to log over the weekend. Plan for today is a long run after work, possibly 24km, followed by a cycle to the physio for dry needling on the other calf. I might get a recovery run in over the weekend too.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Friday
    Cycling: 55.63km commuting

    Running:
    25km Long Run. This was my only chance to squeeze in a long run over the weekend (in-law meet in-law weekend pacman.gif). Ate a big breakfast, hydrated well and a decent lunch at midday. Planned an exploratory run of the Rinville area just past Oranmore, following the P&D long run guidelines of a gradual heart rate progression.

    Left work at 2.45 and into the freezing rain. Natural instinct I think is to run fast to keep the body warm. After only two kms I had to stop at a chemist to get zinc oxide tape and a loan of a scissors (bleeding nips mad.png). Back on the road again and I headed towards Oranmore on the coast road. Still signs of damage from the sea surges back in the January & February storms.

    Felt quite fresh even 10km into the run and my pace was getting faster from the progression in heart rate. Logged some sub-5min/km splits here (8min/miles), well within the HR guidelines and no tailwind to aid me. A sure sign of increased fitness. At the turnaround point I was still speeding up and was expecting a slump, particularly because I brought no water with me, but it never came. Another sub-8 minute mile, into the windcool.png. Before long I was heading back uphill from the coast for the last few kilometres. No slump in energy but a slight decrease in pace from the incline.

    Finished the 25km in just under 2 hours and 10 minutes, average pace of 5:12min/km (8:22min/mile). A bit of a milestone run as I'm beginning to reap the benefits of my cross-training wink.png.

    KMs|Cycling|Running
    WTD|139.92|45.87
    MTD|507.18|116.66
    YTD|1961.37|276.44


    Physio was grand. Dry needling can be unpleasant, but the sessions being limited to 30 minutes is a nice incentive. Cycle home was very slow. Some one-legged drills while I tried keeping my right-leg stretched to stave off the tightening of the calf muscle.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Saturday
    Rest and stretching of calf. No sore muscles or joints following the long run on Friday :)

    Sunday
    Running: 10km at recovery pace up the bog road. A very clear day with the mountains visible on the horizon. They were calling to me but I ignored them ;) I really like those runs where it takes you a few kilometres until you break a sweat.

    KMs|Cycling|Running
    WTD|139.92|55.87
    MTD|507.18|126.66
    YTD|1961.37|286.44


    A very good week's running. I'm upping the mileage again next week. I seem to be on a roll now.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Monday
    Cycling: 50.78km commuting. Both commutes were into a headwind :pac: My PB over the commute is 43 minutes. Yesterday's commutes were 67 and 69 minutes each :eek:

    Running: Plan was a 10km recovery, but I felt the bike commute was enough for the day!

    Tuesday
    Running: 25.27km Long run commute to work. First time I've run all the way to work. The route is quite undulating so it can be hard to keep HR under control. Average pace of 5:22min/km (8:38min/mile).

    KMs|Cycling|Running
    WTD|50.78|25.27
    MTD|557.96|151.92
    YTD|2012.16|311.71


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Wednesday
    Cycling: 35km commuting. Got a puncture on the commute in. Rang a taxi rather than deal with the stress of fixing a puncture while half of the population of Connemara stare at me as they drive by :pac: Taxi driver put the bike in the boot so I could fix it up after work for the ride home. Driver was from the same area of Rathfarnham as me!

    Running: 13.35km with 5 x 1000m @ VO2 Max
    My first time setting up my Garmin for an interval session. It makes things soooo much easier. Did 4km of a warmup first and a few km of a cooldown. Splits were:
    • 4:00
    • 3:53
    • 4:02
    • 4:05
    • 3:54
    Very happy with this. Next session will be 5 x 1200m, which is likely to be 5:00min per interval, the max recommended by Daniels.


    KMs|Cycling|Running
    WTD|85.78|38.62
    MTD|592.96|165.27
    YTD|2047.16|325.06


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Thursday
    Cycling: 50.8km commuting. Left the house at 5:50am as I had to leave work early. What a glorious time of the morning to cycle. Only 14 cars passed me out on the 14km stretch to Kingston Road compared to the usual 70-100 cars. Pity about the journey home. Every muppet in the county was out picking up their kids from school. Lost count of the number of times I got buzzed :mad: To be fair, there are a lot of good drivers about, but it's the minority that pi$$ me off.

    Running: 6.4km recovery run at lunchtime around the racecourse at Ballybrit. Pace was nice, around 5:22min/km which is a good bit faster than a few weeks ago. Felt nice and recovered ;)

    KMs|Cycling|Running
    WTD|136.43|44.99
    MTD|643.61|171.64
    YTD|2097.80|331.43


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,759 ✭✭✭belcarra


    Running: 6.4km recovery run at lunchtime around the racecourse at Ballybrit. Pace was nice, around 5:22min/km which is a good bit faster than a few weeks ago. Felt nice and recovered ;)

    I remember back about 10-15 years ago when my Uncle used to announce with astonishment that the Galway wing back Sean Og de Paor used to do laps of Ballybrit racetrack as supplementary GAA training and thinking my God what an athlete!
    Nowadays even fools like you are doing it!:rolleyes::D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Friday
    Cycling: 69.22km commuting. No run as I was travelling to Dublin.

    Saturday
    Rest. Travelling to and from Dublin & Belfast.

    Sunday
    Cycling: 20.2km with 413m elevation.

    Thanks to Daylight Savings Time and my lack of sleep over the past week, I had to catch up on sleep this morning. I also wanted to visit my mother's grave up in Bohernabreena so I hopped on the bike and went up there and then on up to the Military Road and back home again. Tough but short.

    If I get back to Galway early enough later, I'll go for a short recovery run. Plan is to run home from work all the way tomorrow.

    KMs|Cycling|Running
    WTD|225.84|44.99
    MTD|733.03|171.64
    YTD|2187.22|331.43


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    No recovery run Sunday evening.

    Monday
    Cycling: 25.5km commute.

    Running: 27.4km Long run home. Took a different route home today which was much quieter than the main Cois Fharraige (South Connemara) road. Headed out the Rahoon Road towards the new windfarm in Poilíní area and back down to the main road again after Na Forbacha. I was enjoying this so much I could have done another 20km if I had the time!

    27.4km in 2hr 23mins.

    Had the Bruce Springsteen Live 3 CD boxset pumping through the earphones. Love these lines here:
    I don't give a damn,
    for the same old played out scenes,
    I don't give a damn,
    for just the in betweens,
    I want the heart, I want the soul,
    I want control right now
    Talk about a dream,
    try to make it real
    You wake up in the night,
    with a fear so real,
    Spend your life waiting,
    for a moment that just don't come,
    Well, don't waste your time waiting.

    No particular significance to me personally, just good motivating lyrics and music :)

    KMs|Cycling|Running
    WTD|25.47|27.4
    MTD|758.50|199.04
    YTD|2212.69|358.82


    The view out in Poilíní today:
    6952884cb90811e3887b12988cb1b71a_8.jpg


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Tuesday
    Running: 6.3km @ recovery pace. Legs were very stiff, but heart rate was low and pace was decent. Felt better by the end of the run.

    Cycling: 31.43km commute home via Moycullen. Nice weather so I took the long route home. It's actually a viable alternative to the main Cois Fharraige road, except that it's 6km longer. Big wide hard shoulders, tough hills and a quiet road to Spiddal from Moycullen. Felt like one big downhill from Galway "up" to Moycullen though :confused: Must have been a tailwind.

    KMs|Cycling|Running
    WTD|56.90|33.73
    MTD|31.43|6.34
    YTD|2244.12|365.16


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Wednesday
    Cycling: 56.91km commuting. Came home via Moycullen again which was tough as I was quite tired from the interval session below:

    Running: 13km with 5 x 5mins at VO2 Max pace.

    5-minute splits were:
    • 1260m (3:59min/km pace)
    • 1260m (3:58)
    • 1240m (4:02)
    • 1260m (3:58)
    • 1240m (4:02)
    Very tough session, had to "dig deep" for the last couple of hundred metres of each interval.

    Tempted to do the Claregalway 5km next Tuesday evening!

    KMs|Cycling|Running
    WTD|113.82|46.74
    MTD|88.34|19.34
    YTD|2301.03|378.16


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,759 ✭✭✭belcarra


    Running: 13km with 5 x 5mins at VO2 Max pace.

    5-minute splits were:
    • 1260m (3:59min/km pace)
    • 1260m (3:58)
    • 1240m (4:02)
    • 1260m (3:58)
    • 1240m (4:02)
    Very tough session, had to "dig deep" for the last couple of hundred metres of each interval.

    I'm confused about this session!
    VO2Max are usually at a pace between 3km - 5km pace. However the duration of this session was 6.26km.
    So, to me either the session was at least one split too long or the pace was too quick.
    Do you have thoughts on this? Where is the session taken from? (I forget which plan you are following:o)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,866 ✭✭✭drquirky


    belcarra wrote: »
    I'm confused about this session!
    VO2Max are usually at a pace between 3km - 5km pace. However the duration of this session was 6.26km.
    So, to me either the session was at least one split too long or the pace was too quick.
    Do you have thoughts on this? Where is the session taken from? (I forget which plan you are following:o)


    6x1000m or 8x800 / 5x1200 3-5k pace are classic 5k workouts belcarra….That 6th K is a great way to build strength!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    belcarra wrote: »
    I'm confused about this session!
    VO2Max are usually at a pace between 3km - 5km pace. However the duration of this session was 6.26km.
    So, to me either the session was at least one split too long or the pace was too quick.
    Do you have thoughts on this? Where is the session taken from? (I forget which plan you are following:o)

    I'm not following any plan at the moment, just borrowing bits and pieces from P&D and Jack Daniels.

    I just checked out Jack Daniels and it's recommended that quality running in these interval sessions shouldn't exceed more than 8% of total weekly mileage. So with my current average weekly mileage of 50km, I should have only done 4km of quality running, or somewhere between 3 and 4 reps of 1200m. So I pushed myself too hard yesterday :o Thanks for pointing it out!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,759 ✭✭✭belcarra


    I'm not following any plan at the moment, just borrowing bits and pieces from P&D and Jack Daniels.

    I just checked out Jack Daniels and it's recommended that quality running in these interval sessions shouldn't exceed more than 8% of total weekly mileage. So with my current average weekly mileage of 50km, I should have only done 4km of quality running, or somewhere between 3 and 4 reps of 1200m. So I pushed myself too hard yesterday :o Thanks for pointing it out!

    As DQ says it's not a waste and should stand to you for shorter races but probably not a good idea to be going for that tough a session too often as they'll take their toll eventually, either through fatigue and missing other important runs, or even worse, injury. But sure ya know all that yourself!;)


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Thursday
    Cycling: 59.71km commuting. Again took the locally-named Mountain Road (Moycullen-Spiddal) home, calling into a friend on the way. Another cyclist passed me here :eek:. He was actually going faster than me :confused:;)

    I was quite tired from Wednesday's VO2 Max session, so I opted for a rest from running and had a day of cross-training instead.

    KMs|Cycling|Running
    WTD|173.53|46.74
    MTD|148.05|19.34
    YTD|2360.74|378.16


    Running plan for the weekend is a short recovery run today and a Lactate Threshold run on Sunday (just to mix it up, don't know if it's a good or bad idea).

    Crosstraining-wise, I walked myself into a corner and am now going on a 130km bike spin tomorrow morning up to the Maam Valley and back. How do I end up in these situations?!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Friday
    Cycling: 56.46km commuting.

    Had too much stuff to do so gave the recovery run a miss.

    Saturday
    Cycling: 130.5km spin to the Maam Valley and back on a typical soft Connemara day. Left Spiddal at 7 with a few of the club members. I must have missed TbL winning his marathon, and others running part of the Western Way.

    My first time cycling in a group so had a few things to learn in terms of being so close to other cyclists' wheels etc. One great benefit of cycling in a group is drafting - despite 4hrs30mins of cycling, I still felt relatively fresh coming home.

    Strava Link

    I've definitely done enough crosstraining this week ;) Will be putting my running shoes back on tomorrow.

    KMs|Cycling|Running
    WTD|360.49|46.74
    MTD|335.02|19.34
    YTD|2547.71|378.16


    EDIT: Met the leprachaun who cycles his yellow rickshaw round some of the marathons collecting money. He said he raised over €20,000 last year alone ...

    60515926bce111e39feb0002c9c86e66_8.jpg


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,632 ✭✭✭ThebitterLemon


    Jesus MM,

    I passed that lad going the opposite direction today, he was coming from Ma'am Cross towards Leenaun.

    We're you out cycling today, a couple of cyclists passed me?

    TbL


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,802 ✭✭✭statss


    encountered that guy before myelf.....I was dieing to use the jacks in a coffee shop before the Wicklow Half Marathon last year, the cublicle was engaged and I was wondering who the hell was talking so long in there. After about 5 minutes your man appeared with half his costume on. it certainly explained why it took him so long :pac:

    r-JODY-PARRISH-large570.jpg?15


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Yeah joined up with the N59 from Corcullen before Moycullen all the way up to Maam Cross and then down to Maam village and back the same way. Arrived in Maam at 9 or so in a group of four, a few hours before you I presume. Didn't see any runners though!

    That's a serious cycle for your man on a heavy rickshaw from Galway, especially up from Maam Cross. I used to work as a rickshaw cyclist in Dublin when in college. Even crossing the hump bridges over the Grand Canal were an ordeal, albeit with a few passengers!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Sunday

    Rest day: Woke up with a twinge in my inner thigh/groin area. Although it doesn't hurt when I walk or run, I thought it best not to push things. My running mileage for the week wasn't too bad, despite only running 3 days (46.74km), so I'm happy leaving it at just that for the week.

    Total hours of running and cycling this week was 17 hours 14 minutes.

    KMs|Cycling|Running
    WTD|360.49|46.74
    MTD|335.02|19.34
    YTD|2547.71|378.16


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Monday
    Running: 7.5km recovery w/1 x hill interval. Just a makey-uppey session really. Hill interval was on my local bog road loop. 1.7km at 2.7% incline.

    Cycling: 56.62km commuting. I think I've finally established the optimal route home in the evening to avoid the busy coast road. I go out the Letteragh Road to Drom, down to the Rahoon Road out to Seanadh Fhraochóg and then up to the Moycullen-Spiddal road via Cnoc ar Easair. Beautiful route, challenging hills, only 25% longer ;), and far less traffic. Stress levels = zero :cool:

    No issues with groin at all now. Probably just a very minor strain (I think it happened while getting into the bath :confused: on Saturday).
    KMs|Cycling|Running
    WTD|56.62|7.47
    MTD|391.64|26.81
    YTD|2604.33|385.63


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Tuesday
    Running: 8.64km run commute to town @ recovery pace. Not a lot to say about this run. Scared a female runner when I ran past her, that was the height of it! Pace was decent, 5:19min/km (8:33min/mile).

    Cycling: 25.4km commute.

    Fun Run for Friday is postponed until June. I think I'll just do my own time trial on Friday instead. I'm curious to see what my 5km time is. Will give me a benchmark to work against.

    Also, looks like I won't be doing the Terenure 5-mile, but the Wicklow Way Relay the following weekend instead. I'm still not going to go mad doing mountain training though!

    KMs|Cycling|Running
    WTD|82.00|16.11
    MTD|417.02|35.45
    YTD|2629.71|394.28


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,759 ✭✭✭belcarra


    Fun Run for Friday is postponed until June. I think I'll just do my own time trial on Friday instead. I'm curious to see what my 5km time is. Will give me a benchmark to work against.

    Also, looks like I won't be doing the Terenure 5-mile, but the Wicklow Way Relay the following weekend instead. I'm still not going to go mad doing mountain training though!

    It's looking like I will be in Galway on the weekend of the 17th of May and will probably aim to do the Knocknacarra Parkrun. Might see you there?
    Note: All bets are off if i get rat arsed in the pub the night before!!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    belcarra wrote: »
    It's looking like I will be in Galway on the weekend of the 17th of May and will probably aim to do the Knocknacarra Parkrun. Might see you there?
    Note: All bets are off if i get rat arsed in the pub the night before!!

    See you there. Didn't realise there was such a parkrun, sounds great. I'll be just back from a scheduled two-week break from running (aka honeymoon) and will probably be jet-lagged, so you'll have no excuse ;)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,759 ✭✭✭belcarra


    See you there. Didn't realise there was such a parkrun, sounds great. I'll be just back from a scheduled two-week break from running (aka honeymoon) and will probably be jet-lagged, so you'll have no excuse ;)

    More info here.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Wednesday

    Running: 18.44km Medium-Long Run commute to Galway. I can never seem to finish the 19km to the bus stop on these runs, I always get distracted by Butler's hot chocolate café :o

    Cycling: 7.44km commute to town for a lift home :)

    KMs|Cycling|Running
    WTD|89.44|34.55
    MTD|424.46|53.89
    YTD|2637.15|412.71


    Currently on course for 936 miles in 2014. I'm sure I'll be on track for the 1000 soon!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Thursday

    Cycling: 56.6km commuting

    Running: Rest day. Going to do my own 5km time trial tomorrow around the racecourse. My VO2 Max session intervals have all been around the 4:00min/km pace mark, which would indicate 20 minutes+ for 5km. That would be nice, but very hard to hit outside of race conditions.

    KMs|Cycling|Running
    WTD|146.04|34.55
    MTD|481.06|53.89
    YTD|2693.75|412.71


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Friday

    Running: 11.07km including 5km Time Trial.
    My VO2 Max session intervals have all been around the 4:00min/km pace mark,
    which would indicate 20 minutes+ for 5km. That would be nice, but very hard to
    hit outside of race conditions.

    I nearly couldn't have been more accurate in my prediction - 5km in 20:03 :D

    Rather than take the bike to work, I had a lie-in and took a nice big mug of coffee on the bus with me. Had lunch around 12noon and finished work around 3.15.

    On my warmup down to the racecourse I got a stitch. My pace wasn't too fast, just one of those mysterious stitches. Did a few yoga stretches and then a few strides.

    I started the time trial at the highest point of the circuit (just at the main stand) so that it would be easy to hit race pace early on. Naturally, the first 1km was too fast, 3:52 on my watch. There was a strong enough westerly on the stretch furthest from the stand which was tough but net downhill on this split helped with the pace. The 2nd km was also mostly into the wind and finished on an uphill with a crosswind, didn't have much of a problem keeping the pace despite this.

    3rd km was supposed to be easy as I had a tailwind. This is when the pain started kicking in. The usual thoughts hit me here too - 'ah you're not able for this, turn it into a 3km time trial'. Pushed on regardless and kept the pace on target. 4th km was into the wind again. Pace was slow at the start so I found it hard to bring the pace back down to target again.

    The 5th km was uphill and then downhill with the wind at my back. With 500m to go I realised that I wasn't going to be far off my prediction. With about 200m to go I realised I could push myself harder. Finishing pace in the last few hundred metres was about 3:35min/km.

    A great result for me. Only 8 seconds off a PB on a windy and 'hilly' course.

    Splits:
    • 3:53
    • 4:01
    • 4:03
    • 4:04
    • 4:01

    Garmin Link

    KMs|Cycling|Running
    WTD|146.04|45.62
    MTD|481.06|64.96
    YTD|2693.75|423.79


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,632 ✭✭✭ThebitterLemon


    See you there. Didn't realise there was such a parkrun, sounds great. I'll be just back from a scheduled two-week break from running (aka honeymoon) and will probably be jet-lagged, so you'll have no excuse ;)

    Looks like a horrible course with lots of twists and turns!

    Surely they could have found something better

    TbL


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Looks like a horrible course with lots of twists and turns!

    Surely they could have found something better

    TbL

    I can't think of anywhere better than the racecourse. Good parking facilities, less of a need for stewards. I won't complain about the location in Cappagh Park though, handy enough for me :-) Have you any plans for taking part after your impromptu 5k this week?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,632 ✭✭✭ThebitterLemon


    I can't think of anywhere better than the racecourse. Good parking facilities, less of a need for stewards. I won't complain about the location in Cappagh Park though, handy enough for me :-) Have you any plans for taking part after your impromptu 5k this week?

    MM,

    I was talking about the 5k that's been held in Cappagh Park (apologies that's what I thought you were talking about). Cappagh Park looks very tight.

    It was your post that pointed me in the direction of the 5k! Looking at doing a 10k in Colemans town which is just on the outskirts of Galway. What's up next for you?

    TbL


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    MM,

    I was talking about the 5k that's been held in Cappagh Park (apologies that's what I thought you were talking about). Cappagh Park looks very tight.

    It was your post that pointed me in the direction of the 5k! Looking at doing a 10k in Colemans town which is just on the outskirts of Galway. What's up next for you?

    TbL

    Haha I was agreeing and saying that the parkrun would be better off at the racecourse instead :-)

    I have a few races pencilled in on a spreadsheet at work, Wicklow Way Relay in May, Milltown 5 or 10k is likely too in June.

    Longterm I would love to go sub-40 for 10k this year in the 10k Chonamara and possibly a 3:0x marathon in DCM in October. Would also like to do the Streets and the Galway Bay Half. Will probably join GCH in June.

    You must be looking at 38 or 39 mins in Colemanstown, right? You hardly tapered for the Claregalway 5k!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,632 ✭✭✭ThebitterLemon


    Haha I was agreeing and saying that the parkrun would be better off at the racecourse instead :-)

    I have a few races pencilled in on a spreadsheet at work, Wicklow Way Relay in May, Milltown 5 or 10k is likely too in June.

    Longterm I would love to go sub-40 for 10k this year in the 10k Chonamara and possibly a 3:0x marathon in DCM in October. Would also like to do the Streets and the Galway Bay Half. Will probably join GCH in June.

    You must be looking at 38 or 39 mins in Colemanstown, right? You hardly tapered for the Claregalway 5k!

    I think that Chonamara 10k might be hilly, the Galway Bay half has PB potential if the wind behaves.

    I know this wouldn't be a popular opinion but I hate the DCM, have done it 4 or 5 times and never enjoyed it! I've entered Amsterdam the weekend before and I'm on the waiting list for the Abingdon marathon in the UK on the same day (it's flat and fast apparently). You've set a nice target for the marathon and if you keep going like you have been recently you should nail it.

    I haven't a notion of hitting 39 for a 10k, I'm too fat and old :), anywhere sub 40.30, which is my PB from 5/6 years ago would do nicely. It's on Easter Saturday so still need planning permission to do it!

    We must hook up for a run over Seanadh Peistin now that the evenings are getting longer.

    TbL


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    I think that Chonamara 10k might be hilly, the Galway Bay half has PB potential if the wind behaves.

    I know this wouldn't be a popular opinion but I hate the DCM, have done it 4 or 5 times and never enjoyed it! I've entered Amsterdam the weekend before and I'm on the waiting list for the Abingdon marathon in the UK on the same day (it's flat and fast apparently). You've set a nice target for the marathon and if you keep going like you have been recently you should nail it.

    I haven't a notion of hitting 39 for a 10k, I'm too fat and old :), anywhere sub 40.30, which is my PB from 5/6 years ago would do nicely. It's on Easter Saturday so still need planning permission to do it!

    We must hook up for a run over Seanadh Peistin now that the evenings are getting longer.

    TbL

    10k Chonamara is indeed hilly, but only about 90 seconds slower at my pace I think. Did it 18 months ago.

    Sure sounds good. Any evening next week suits actually, just let me know!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    Saturday
    Rest

    Sunday
    Running: 23.69km Long Run.

    Had a busy day so I only got out at 5.30pm. Wanted a bit of a change so I ran a new route exploring the different roads and townlands along the coast road in the area. Was hoping for some trails - one of the bóithiríns ends up only 500m from a bog road coming down from the Moycullen road, but is more appropriate for trail rather than road shoes. I might try it out some day, but 500m is hardly a decent off-road distance. Grasping at straws for off-road running around here!

    Pace-wise I wasn't too fussed, but didn't want to slack off. Average pace was 5:22min/km.

    KMs|Cycling|Running
    WTD|146.04|69.31
    MTD|481.06|88.65
    YTD|2693.75|447.48


    This was my highest week's run training since one week in early December and the previous in late September. Happy with how things are going. I must be doing something right.


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