Chucky ár Lá... DigDig's gonna get you!

digger2d2

Sunday Dublin Novice XC - So, my first forray into the world of XC's began with confusion as I had been on the club team and then taken off as Emily thought I was still on Berlin recovery (I was but was still going to race) Anyway, we waited to see if everyone of the mens team arrived (which they did) a quick check with the organisers to see if I could run it as a training run and there I was on the start line.

Off went the gun and off went the runners at some clip. I had mistakenly thoughT 'Novice' meant first time XC'ers... I was wrong, there was some real quality right througout the field. I was careful with my pace on lap one and then pushed a bit on lap two. Halfway through lap two my legs felt dead and my breathing began to get quite heavy. I was passed by a couple of runners and was aware I nearer the back than the front but managed to consolidate a bit a tagged on to a runner in front of me. Despite the shouts of encouragement from club members to go by this guy there's just no way I could have made that move stick. I heard the bell go for the leaders and got stuck in to make sure I wasn't lapped, thankfully I wasn't.

The last lap and the guy in front of me was ahead by about 15 metres, that increased to 25 metres up the final hill. My flat pace got me back to about 5 metres and I kicked with about 300 metres to go and got close to his shoulder, he responded strongly and got a couple of metres on me, I went again at 100 metres, the two of us sprinting with all we had left to the extent that the organisers were gesturing for us to slow down as we came toward the finishing chute so there wouldn't be a pile up, he beat me by a couple of feet, fair play to him.

I found the experience interesting, I look forward to doing it again but felt exposed both from a tactical point of view and just the raw ability to do this different kind of discipline. One thing I will take away is the shouts and roars of the crowd as myself and the other lkad hoored toward the finish like an Olympic medal awaited as opposed to a down the pack finish. As I had no number I've no idea of my position or time but do know that I wasn't the last of my team over the line.

Great to see some familar Boardsie faces with raycun, jcsmum and RQ all running and Meno cheering on now that his ar5e is nearly fixed A good day all in all, followed by a nice cuppa in Donore only to watch CL and her ladies team lose out on a medal by one place. Her first XC race ended in a very good 13th place (2nd in her team) and that all whilst recovering from Berlin.

RayCun

You should give some BHAA races a go. The cross country ones for practice on the terrain, but most of the other races are good for the experience of running in a smaller field, and watching competitors as much as the clock.
(Not that it did me much good yesterday:rolleyes::o)

TRR

Great stuff. The novice is a savage race. I actually think it's harder than the intermediate which is crazy really. If you enjoyed yesterday you'll love the BHAA XC races.

digger2d2 wrote: »

A good day all in all, followed by a nice cuppa in Donore only to watch CL and her ladies team lose out on a medal by one place.

In fairness if she had of got the finger out and ran 3 seconds quicker she could have secured the team bronze, she needs to take a long hard look and herself

digger2d2

TRR wrote: »

Great stuff. The novice is a savage race. I actually think it's harder than the intermediate which is crazy really. If you enjoyed yesterday you'll love the BHAA XC races.



In fairness if she had of got the finger out and ran 3 seconds quicker she could have secured the team bronze, she needs to take a long hard look and herself

I think that recent media frenzy has gone to her head

digger2d2

Monday - Recovery - Under instructions to leave the Garmin at home and run easy for 30-40 mins... I ran for 35, running without the Garmin is almost like trying to think in KM's :eek:

belcarra

digger2d2 wrote: »

Monday - Recovery - Under instructions to leave the Garmin at home and run easy for 30-40 mins... I ran for 35, running without the Garmin is almost like trying to think in KM's :eek:

Why don't you set the Garmin up in kms and that way you get to record the run but you still have no idea how fast you're going?!;)

digger2d2

belcarra wrote: »

Why don't you set the Garmin up in kms and that way you get to record the run but you still have no idea how fast you're going?!;)

Haha, probably not a bad idea. I'm due a 90 min run tonight and my Garmin is calling to me

digger2d2

Tuesday - 35 minute easy run, no Garmin - I think the XC is out of the legs, tonight will tell more on that front.

digger2d2

digger2d2 wrote: »

I think the XC is out of the legs, tonight will tell more on that front.

The XC is not out of the legs.....

Wednesday - 90 mins easy. Legs felt heavy, footfall felt heavy, feet felt niggly.... From the waist up this run was a doddle

This was the first double figure mileage run I've done since Berlin, will be doing circa 13-14 on Saturday.

Younganne

digger2d2 wrote: »

The XC is not out of the legs.....

Wednesday - 90 mins easy. Legs felt heavy, footfall felt heavy, feet felt niggly.... From the waist up this run was a doddle

This was the first double figure mileage run I've done since Berlin, will be doing circa 13-14 on Saturday.

I like your positivity:D

digger2d2

Friday was meant to be a 2 hour easy run. I felt a couple of niggles during this, the main one in my left foot/ankle, which I guess is from the XC twisting and turning. Anyway, left it at 10 miles/90 minutes... Legs still very heavy.

digger2d2

As I'm pacing the 4:15 group in DCM I'm spending this week preparing for the pace involved. This will be slower than I've run in quite some time so I want my legs to get a feel for the possible changes in gait etc.

Monday - 5 Miles at 9:35 pace (this was meant to be about 9:43 but I just couldn't get to that) Finished off with 4 sets of strides to stretch out.

I have a 2 hour run on Wednesday and I aim to try hit the 9:41 - 9:43 mark.

Me burd is on uncle biotics at the moment having picked up a nasty dose, her Doctor is confident all will be fine in the next couple of days, I really hope it is as she's really looking forward to pacing DCM and she'll be a great addition to the 3:45 bus.

TRR

digger2d2 wrote: »

As I'm pacing the 4:15 group in DCM I'm spending this week preparing for the pace involved. This will be slower than I've run in quite some time so I want my legs to get a feel for the possible changes in gait etc.

Monday - 5 Miles at 9:35 pace (this was meant to be about 9:43 but I just couldn't get to that) Finished off with 4 sets of strides to stretch out.

I have a 2 hour run on Wednesday and I aim to try hit the 9:41 - 9:43 mark.

Me burd is on uncle biotics at the moment having picked up a nasty dose, her Doctor is confident all will be fine in the next couple of days, I really hope it is as she's really looking forward to pacing DCM and she'll be a great addition to the 3:45 bus.

I told you before, antibiotics are fcuk all use in combating the viral STDs you've passed onto that poor girl.

digger2d2

TRR wrote: »

I told you before, antibiotics are fcuk all use in combating the viral STDs you've passed onto that poor girl.

Imagine what was going on to injure her foot

digger2d2

Wednesday - 2 hour run - I still couldn't go slow enough for the 9.41-9.43 but ended up doing about 12.5 miles at 9.33 ish. Found this very easy for the most part but the legs did start to feel a bit dead toward the end but recovered fine now. I used to do LSR's at this pace two years ago but it now seems so slow. I just want to lift my knees higher and stride out!

menoscemo

digger2d2 wrote: »

Wednesday - 2 hour run - I still couldn't go slow enough for the 9.41-9.43 but ended up doing about 12.5 miles at 9.33 ish. Found this very easy for the most part but the legs did start to feel a bit dead toward the end but recovered fine now. I used to do LSR's at this pace two years ago but it now seems so slow. I just want to lift my knees higher and stride out!

You'll be grand. Just run at 4hr pace and then camp out at trinity college for 15 minutes

No seriously, with the racing line you'll be having to run more like 9:35 pace anyway. My average pace last year was 9:02 pacing 4hrs...

macinalli

You could just run zig-zags over and back across the road! You'll probably have to run about 30 miles, but you'll get to run at 8.30 pace:pac:

rasher_m

digger2d2 wrote: »

Wednesday - 2 hour run - I still couldn't go slow enough for the 9.41-9.43 but ended up doing about 12.5 miles at 9.33 ish. Found this very easy for the most part but the legs did start to feel a bit dead toward the end but recovered fine now. I used to do LSR's at this pace two years ago but it now seems so slow. I just want to lift my knees higher and stride out!

I so wish i had this problem

digger2d2

rasher_m wrote: »

I so wish i had this problem

It's likely you will in time!

digger2d2

Gentle little 3 miler to stretch the legs this morning before myself and the hen headed on down to the Expo to do a shift on the Pacer's stand. Picked our numbers up to begin with and the women handing out said numbers gathered for a group photo when they realised they had the famous claralara in their presence:D

Had good craic on the stand and gave out some, no doubt, invaluable advice;)

Dory Dory

Have fun on Monday....and bring your pacees home in good style!!

digger2d2

DCM Pacing 4.15 group - No point in me repeating everything MS said (so see her log) It was great fun, enjoyed the company of the other pacers and also the chats, banter, slagging etc. etc. with the pacees

Before and since DCM I've really just been ticking over (running as usual with CL and the odd time with Meno) following the Rathfarnham 5k, Berlin Marathon and Dublin Novice XC which all came in quick succession.

The plan for the rest of the year is to concentrate again on speed before starting the build up to Boston in the new year. (Did I tell you I qualified for Boston )

Monday - Rest

Tuesday - Club session - 1.5 mile w/up - 2 x 800m, 2 x 600m and 4 x 400m with 1 min rest between each followed by a 1.5 mile w/down. First speed session in a while and I felt it!!

digger2d2

Wednesday - Easy - 5 miles at 8:42, legs feeling it after Tuesday's club session.

Marthastew

digger2d2 wrote: »

DCM Pacing 4.15 group - No point in me repeating everything MS said (so see her log) It was great fun, enjoyed the company of the other pacers and also the chats, banter, slagging etc. etc. with the pacees

Before and since DCM I've really just been ticking over (running as usual with CL and the odd time with Meno) following the Rathfarnham 5k, Berlin Marathon and Dublin Novice XC which all came in quick succession.

The plan for the rest of the year is to concentrate again on speed before starting the build up to Boston in the new year. (Did I tell you I qualified for Boston )

Monday - Rest

Tuesday - Club session - 1.5 mile w/up - 2 x 800m, 2 x 600m and 4 x 400m with 1 min rest between each followed by a 1.5 mile w/down. First speed session in a while and I felt it!!

If I'd known I was writing your report also I would have dedicated a whole paragraph to you;) How else is anyone supposed to know how great you were at "Oggi, Oggi, Oggi"? Or how fabulous your guns looked? (I'm pretty sure there were spectators swooning as you passed;)). And what about the story of how Officer Digger almost lost his truncheon on the way back to the hotel?:)

PS. I think you should change the title of your log to "Did I tell you I qualified for Boston?"

menoscemo

Marthastew wrote: »

Or how fabulous your guns looked? (I'm pretty sure there were spectators swooning as you passed;)).

Cough Couch. Apparently Not :pac:

rasher_m wrote: »

I
On a different note, I have to agree about Martha (though I'm a straight woman). I was behind her for a few minutes the other day and was thinking she had fantastic muscle definition in her legs now that you mention her

Dilbert75 wrote: »

Jeez why didn't anyone tell us these things before we selected our target times? There's one for the "what would you like to have known list" - where are the good-looking pacers!:p:o

rasher_m wrote: »

Yeah no wonder Cabbage was keeping up with them in the end:D
That must've been the reason I lost the pacers...I couldn't see any good looking male ones :D:D:D

pistol_75

menoscemo wrote: »

Cough Couch. Apparently Not :pac:

Ouch. No Christmas card for you this year Meno.

digger2d2

Thank you marthastew for those kind words

I'll ignore the comments made by Rory McIlroy's No. 1 fan........

digger2d2

Thursday - Club session - Ballyboden loop, 5.5 in total, first mile w/up and then 4.5 miles at 6.59 average.

rasher_m

menoscemo wrote: »

Cough Couch. Apparently Not :pac:

Ah now...this getting out of hand
I was just making excuses for dropping off the pace.
All the pacers in the group had fantastic muscle tone in their legs!;)

digger2d2

Friday - Rest, Guinness

Saturday - 5.00 A.M. made a decision to do the club XC session at 9.30.... w/up followed by 4 x 1 mile loops. Two really tough hills on each loop - times were 6.57 - 7.03 per mile.