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2013; Eat my dust Meno!
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Try Peppermint Tea!
I have 12 more Green Tea teabags to get through before I can justify buying more tree-hugging muck, but it will definitely be peppermint tea next time around…
(I do actually like a mint tea when I feel ill from stuffing my face with e.g. spinach and liver and or a Big Mac meal…)
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Friday 15th June
Friday rest day - starting to enjoy my Friday rest days - they are perfect breakfast, lunch and dinner dates, which in turn aid my recovery after midweek training and fuel me up for the weekend ahead… coffee and scones are pretty much up there in terms of top sports nutrition right…?!
Saturday 16th June - Tulfarris 5k Race
3.1 @ 6:51
I only decided to run this last week and it was more about mixing up training and throwing in a bit of a challenge, and less about racing or PB'ing. The race was in Tulfarris, out around the hills of the Blessington lakes. It was a fantastic scenic location which in turn, made sure it was not a PB course. I knew the field would be pretty small as most people would be running the Tulfarris Tough 10 (which is a fantastic and difficult race by all accounts), and it was - there were only 27 runners. The weather was far from appealing and there was a touch of panic when we hit Blessington and a horrendous shower of driving rain in which you couldn’t see 10 feet ahead… It had cleared up a good bit by the time the race was starting thank God. I had a decent warm up - slow jog, static stretching and strides. I lined up at the front of the racing throngs (!) and with a 5 second countdown, we were off. Four of us took off together - two guys, another lady and myself. I knew the other lady was going to be a good runner so I just decided to target her and do my best. The first kilometre was a tough uphill drag and it was a push to get down to my roughly planned 5k pace. Having to attack this at the start was always going to take it out of me. The course continued uphill for another half km or so before we got a it of respite on a flat. At this stage, the first guy had made a bit of ground and was safely ahead but still in my sights. I was in step with the lady I had set my sights on, and the other guy from our original pack had fallen off. I was working hard at this stage and knew it was going to be a race of pain - I had started hard and the goal was to hang on as long as possible. At the 2k mark, we turned onto a narrow country road - it was more of a track really - with room for one car at a time, grass growing down the middle and pretty bad surface conditions. The 3rd km was mostly uphill again - long and slow. I started to fall off the shoulder of my target and despite my best efforts to kick on a bit, she gained a few paces on me. As we rounded a corner towards the end of this km, I fully expected a downhill. Hell I fully needed a downhill. But all I saw was another uphill drag into the distance. This knocked me and started the race demons off in my head about slowing down, and knowing that I'd still do well and get a good result even if I took my feet off the pedals to get comfortable. Thankfully, my stubbornness and the fear of having to face Digs and TRR at the finish line having not given it everything, outweighed the strength of the demons and I managed to crack on. My average pace had dropped to 4:18/km at this stage and I was raging. I never thought sub-20 would be a goer on this course but I still wanted to hold pace as close as possible. There was a nice bit of downhill around the 3.5k mark which helped put a bit of life back in me - I was able to maintain pace and get a bit of a rest. Then there was one final short uphill before a nice downhill km home. I really tried to put the foot down at this stage and got the average pace down a second or two over the distance but there was only so much I could do - the tough uphills had taken their toll and the damage was done; I also started to get a stitch on the faster downhill so I had to adjust my stride and breathing which took my attention off the pace. I knew I had third place at that stage so I wasn't fighting for a position - I was still looking for as fast a time possible though. I came down the finishing straight just fighting for every second and crossed the line in 21:20 on my Garmin - 5.00km to the button. The official results have me at 20:59 but I think the Garmin tells the truth as there was no starting mat. I was third finisher, second lady and first in my category. I'm really happy with the result but won't get too big for my boots given the size of the field. HR was pretty much maxed for the entire race so I'm happy that I gave the race my best shot and left nothing out there. This was a great race, perfectly measured and well organised. Plenty of refreshments and really nice technical t-shirts. Hopefully it will gain in popularity over the coming years as it's a good one that could get really competitive. Anyway, not a PB but I think on the right course, it could translate.
3.3 @ 9:05
As a warm down, I re-ran the race route - suffice to say it was far more pleasant at recovery pace! It was actually nice to run and experience the route again. I always forget the details of a race because of the pain that is occupying the space between my ears at the time. The last mile of the 5k is the same as the last mile of the Tough 10 so as I was on my warm down, I came across some people who were struggling - I'm hardly surprised given they had just covered 9 hilly hilly miles. I assured them that once they rounded the next corner, it was all downhill from there. They picked up the pace and I ran with them for the last mile encouraging and pushing them - I would have wanted to kill me had I been struggling and listening to some eejit trotting around as fresh as a daisy, but I think the distraction was nice for some. For those who weren't enjoying me, they picked up the pace and left me for dust so I suppose that's something too…
Twas a nice recovery and the legs felt good.
8 miles total for the day incl warm up, race and warm down
Sunday 17th June
8.06 @ 8:31
I had to haul my hangover out of bed bright and early to head out to Raheny to support Digger and a few others in the 5k race. It was a lovely morning for it, and everyone ran fantastic times on what seems to have been a pretty tough course. Well done to all
By time we got home, had a fry, lounged around, went for coffee, ate some junk…it was well into the afternoon and time to go visit pops for father's day. As I was kind of stuck for time, I brought my gear with me with the intention of running home. I felt like a dog playing fetch when Digs dropped me to my parents house and left me to make my own way home on foot!! The run went surprisingly and unexpectedly well, despite my alcohol fuelled late night, busy day and post-race legs. The pace was too fast for recovery but I only did 8 miles instead of 10, and I had to get home for dinner! Enjoyed this one in the evening sun.
40.5 miles for the week - a few miles shy of the 45 planned miles, but the hard effort of the race makes up for that so I'm happy out!
I have a nice calm rest and recovery week this week, to round off a few good weeks of hard training before the goal 10k race in Dunshaughlin on Saturday evening. Legs feel pretty tired today so I do need it!
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Can I just let you know that there is no pressure on a time from me on Saturday. Brian already conceded and agreed to pay me up when in Cork (OK, we agreed he would cut his losses and pay me up €10 instead of €20).
That said the only reason he paid up is because sub 42 is a given at this stage, I predict sub 41
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Can I just let you know that there is no pressure on a time from me on Saturday. Brian already conceded and agreed to pay me up when in Cork (OK, we agreed he would cut his losses and pay me up €10 instead of €20).
That said the only reason he paid up is because sub 42 is a given at this stage, I predict sub 41
Predict away... but I'm not listening! Yee can all sh*g off and leave my poor anguished head alone!0 -
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Where will you be before the race?I reckon this will be worth seeing
If you're refferring to the pre-race b***h that you met before the Raheny 5 - then divide her by 8 and multiply by 10 plus a bit for good luck... you don't want to see this...
:Dgreat, now I'll have a crick in my neck from spending 10k checking over my shoulder...
Why do you assume you'll have to be looking over your shoulder... :rolleyes: Ha. :pac:
Sub 41 O, you know you can!
Not getting involved in this chat... I know what I want and I've gots my planRelax. Dont get yourself so worked up, keep things in perspective. I know its natural enough to feel pre race jitters but at the same time you gotta develop the ability to not let those jitters become an issue. I know people who completely psych themselves out before the race has even started, so that the end result is a sub par performance.
I just finished reading this book and theres some great stuff in it about this very subject and what to do to get the most out of yourself on race day.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pure-Sport-Practical-Psychology/dp/0415395585/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1340278370&sr=1-1
The more you race the more numb you become to the effects of races. It becomes automatic. But also you gotta pay attention and figure out the real reasons why you feel nervous in the first place(fear of failure, fear of success, fear of pain/discomfort). If you can that, you'll diffuse the jitters and take away their power.
Anyway good luck on saturday, gonna be there myself. I'll be the one booing at the masses of sportsworld singlets........
If you have enough hot air and energy left to boo my superior club then I suspect you'll be getting your P45 on a plate. And don't come knocking on our clubhouse door when that happens Mister!
Anyway, I'm not going to let the nerves take hold. I know exactly where they stem from... I really want to achieve something and not let myself down - the pain, discomfort and fear are all essential ingredients of what's going to get me through on Saturday I shall embrace! 0 -
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That's why I referred to selective quoting. Let's move on.:)
Cool, crossed wires and all that.
If you have enough hot air and energy left to boo my superior club then I suspect you'll be getting your P45 on a plate. And don't come knocking on our clubhouse door when that happens Mister!
Little known fact, I was an unofficial member of sportsworld for a bit last year. They very kindly took me in when training partners were very sparse in my own club for a while. I'll still be booing though..........
One bit of advice re the course, second half is definitely slower than first half so maybe worth your while putting something in the bank.0
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