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Gone in 60 minutes... My 10 mile goal
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Day: Wednesday 24/8
Time of day: 15:21
Pace/type of workout: Run/bike brick session
Distance: Run - 2m, Bike 1.45m
Time: 00:18:15
I remember saying to myself after WAR Glenmalure that I need to do more brick session before adventure races so that I'm comfortable beginning the cycle leg after a tough run. So today I did a little warm-up on the bike and went down to the running track in Killbogget.
I had planned on doing 3 miles around the track, but after 1 mile of running I was so bored (no music) that I decided I'd just do 2 miles. Kept my run at a constant 6:00m/m. Just as I was finishing my run it started spitting rain. By the time I walked over to my bike it was a torrential downpour:eek: I had only planned on doing a 10 mile spin on the bike but I was soaked from head to toe and freezing cold so I just cycled home as fast as I could
Did some squats and hamstring weights to make up for the loss of a cycle.
After a quick shower I stuck my head out the window and the sun was splitting the stones! This stupid country... :rolleyes:0 -
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Day: Tuesday 30/8
Time of day: 19:59
Pace/type of workout: Hill repeats
Distance: 7.37m
Time: 00:58:36
Took a rest day after my last brick session. Usually after a long/tough session I'm fairly tired the next day, but I was feeling strangely fine after that one. Decided to have a rest day anyway because I was exercising 6 out of 7 days last week.
With the upcoming Roar in mind I decided that my weakness in the running section will be getting up the hill and having enough energy to complete the rest of the run (at a good pace) after the hill. So I ran to killiney for some hill intervals.
Started with a 2.5m run to killiney. Then I did 5 hill repeats @ 7:30m/m (the hill is .15miles long and 100ft high) with a bit of break in between. To finish I completed that hill again followed by a climb up to killiney village (.8miles long and 350ft high) @ 8-9m/m.
Rounded it off with a 2m jog home. Good session and a good test.
****************************************MY NEW GOAL*********************************************
To anybody out there reading this "10 mile goal" log I know there hasnt been alot of focus on improving my 10 mile time. And, considering I'm starting 4th year in college I wont be able to run as much so I'll try and get back to that goal next year, but for now my goal is improving my adventure race performances.
I'm currently in 6th place in the Multi-Sport Adventure Ireland (MSAI) standings. I was in 4th position at one stage! Link here.
Heres how the points system works: There will be 10 events in both the Sport and Expert Sections with seperate points awarded for each and mens and women's races assessed seperately with 100 points for 1st, 99 for 2nd, etc. Your best 5 results will count so the more races you do the better chance you have to improve your series ranking and allow your worst results to be disgarded
So I'm currently in 6th place overall with two races left (Achill Roar and WAR). I wont make it to Sea2Summit So my goal for the rest of the summer is to finish in the top 20 in Roar and WAR and hopefully that will give me enough points to finish in the top 10 overall in the MSAI Sport standings. 0 -
Day: Wednesday 31/8
Time of day: 18:04
Pace/type of workout: IMRA Mountain Rescue Benefit Race / brick session
Distance: 19.35 mi
Time: 01:42:12 - IMRA race: 32:29
Well this was a bit of a spur of the moment thing! Found out on Wednesday morning that there was an IMRA race on that evening. Ive always wanted to do an IMRA race but they never seem to fit with my schedule. So I had a look at the elevation/distance etc involved in this race and it seemed to be perfect prep for Roar so I decided I'd go for it.
Left my house to cycle up at 6 o'clock. Decided to take it real easy on the bike on the way up to ticknock but after about a mile I could feel the lingering effects of last nights hill session in my legs. About 4 miles into the cycle there was along drag of a hill between carrickmines and the golden ball. At this point I was kinda thinking of turning around and going home as my quads clearly hadnt recovered from the last training session. Pushed on anyway rightly or wrongly and hopped off the bike and walked for that last b*tch of a hill in ticknock.
After I got registered for the race I was feeling quite drained so I ate a banana and a gel I had in my bag. Did a small warmup/stretch and got over to the start area.
The start of the race went great. I kept a decent pace and climbed steadily. It was single-file for about the first K but after that the trail widened and I was able to pass 4-5 lads ahead of me on the uphill. Got to the top of the hill in about 10th position and I was feeling good. The down hill was fast and furious and I felt like I was running like the wind but one guy who I overtook going up breezed past me. The downhill got gradually steeper and more dangerous ( I found out later that this part of the trail is called The Boneshaker!!) and I got that same pain in my stomach that I did in WAR Glendalough when my feet hit the ground. This really slowed me down and I moved to the side of the trail to let a runner past. The trail flattened out after that and I tried to speed up but I couldnt shake the runner behind me. Went over on my ankle TWICE in about 50m so that slowed me down further Ended up taking a wrong turn (D'oh!) and by the time I got back on the trail I'd lost another 2 places. I could see the finish line approaching as another runner was breathing down my neck, he (a junior) finally overtook me with about 100m to go. Got across the line in 32:29 and 14th place overall!!! 
Really enjoyed this race even though I didnt run great. Too bad its the last race of the season as I'd love to do some more. Great price too only €10!
I treated this race more as a training session than a race so I'm not disappointed with dropping 4-5 places toward the end. I think what I learned from today will stand to me in upcoming races. I got an insight into the psychological mind-set needed to race. At one point last night there was a guy chasing me for about 10 minutes. Every time I sped up, he sped up, I just couldnt shake him and eventually I slowed down and let him by. Maybe it was the fact that I was tired from my last hill session or the fact that I cycled to the race, but I'm going to have to toughen-up mentally because I'm bound to be in that position again.
After a bit of a rest I hopped on the bike and cycled home. Didnt push to race pace but I tried to keep it fast all the way home. No sign of cramp which is a good thing!
At 19.35m and 2,108 ft of climbing I'm hoping this session will be perfect prep for Roar. I just hope I didnt leave it too late to see any benefit!!! Im super stiff this morning. Have been putting ibuprofen on my ankle and wearing compression socks aswell. Today will definitely be a rest/recovery day!0 -
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Day: Friday 2/9
Time of day: 17:35
Pace/type of workout: Slow jog 8m/m
Distance: 3mi
Time: 00:24:23
Took a full day of rest after the IMRA race. My legs/back were really sore after that one. Just did a small jog last night to loosen up the legs and get a first run in my new trail runners.
I took it quite slow but sped up on the uphills/downhills to test out my new runners. I must have really over-done it in training recently because I was truly drained after this 3 mile jog
On top of that my new runners feel a little too big :mad: (I really have to stop buying runners off the internet - fcuk the savings...) 0 -
Day: Friday 2/9
Time of day: 17:35
Pace/type of workout: Slow jog 8m/m
Distance: 3mi
Time: 00:24:23
Took a full day of rest after the IMRA race. My legs/back were really sore after that one. Just did a small jog last night to loosen up the legs and get a first run in my new trail runners.
I took it quite slow but sped up on the uphills/downhills to test out my new runners. I must have really over-done it in training recently because I was truly drained after this 3 mile jog On top of that my new runners feel a little too big :mad: (I really have to stop buying runners off the internet - fcuk the savings...) 0 -
Day: Saturday 3/9
Time of day: 11:09
Pace/type of workout: 10 miles slow (uphill), 10 miles fast (downhill).
Distance: 20mi
Time: 01:21:16
Probably my last longer-than-race-length cycle before Roar. I was still a bit tired from Wednesday's race during this cycle. About 4-5 miles in I could really feel it in my quads. I just took it easy though and didnt notice the tiredness from about 7 miles onward. This route has a few long/steep climbs, I didnt want to overwork so I just stayed in the seat, picked a low gear and kept my legs turning at a fast cadence.
When I turned around at the 10 mile point, I had a few miles of downhill ahead of me so I picked up the pace and shot home. I got out of the saddle a couple of times but I didnt over-do it. Legs felt rejuvenated after.
Hmm.. gotta get thinking about a costume for the Roar after-party now! 0 -
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Day: Thursday 8/9
Time of day: 16:45
Pace/type of workout: Slow run/bike brick
Distance: 10.5m (2.5m run, 8m cycle)
Time: 00:56:24
I had planned on doing this session the day before (Wednesday) but I didnt have the time. So I rested Wednesday and did it Thursday instead.
Took it reeaaaaal easy. Just a slow 2.5m jog around the park @ 8:30m/m then a slow enough 8m cycle to dalkey.
I had planned on getting 2 full days of rest before Roar, so I hope this last minute tinkering with the plan doesnt throw me off on raceday. Really looking forward to the race, didnt get much sleep last night coz I was too excited
Goals for the race: I would love to finish in the top 10 on Saturday. I finished 19th last year and I know I'm much fitter now. But I'm sure alot of people that are doing the race are saying that about themselves. So I'm sure it will be tougher this year to finish in a good position. My minimum goal for this race is to beat my time of last year - 01:52:52
Bring on the Roar!!! 0 -
Day: Saturday 10/9
Time of day: 12:00
Pace/type of workout: Achill Roar Adventure Race
Distance: 8k run, 22k cycle
Time: 01:30:06
Well well.. that was interesting! A really good race in some of the worst weather I've ever seen!!! :eek:
Because of the bad weather the swim/kayak section was cancelled (the weather was that bad). So there was just a run and cycle in this race. I was supposed to go in the first Sports wave at 11:30, but because the kayak section was cancelled the waves were rearranged. So the first Sports wave left at 11 while I was finishing my last drop of tea!!! :mad: But I had no idea that a sports wave had left and so I just got ready to leave in the 12 o'clock wave.
Run:
The run was extremely windy but thankfully it was mostly side-on. I led the field on the run until the bottom of the hill when a local chap caught up and overtook me. I caught back up with him about halfway up the hill and put some space between us. The hill was tough going. I did this race last year and it was a lot tougher than I remember! Im glad to say that I ran most of it only walking for short steep parts of the hill. The down hill bit was good fun though and because I was leading I got some encouraging words from people heading up the hill the rest of the beach run was fine except for the wind! Run time: 37:27
In transition I changed my shoes and got running with the bike as quick as I could. It took me a minute but I realised that I didnt have my helmet on me! So I dropped the bike and ran back to where it was racked, obviously the helmet had been blown off my bike by the wind. Helmet on, I ran back to the bike and checked out of transition. T1 time: 01:42
Cycle:
On the bike was where I really noticed the weather :eek: About 200m into the cycle I was completely blown of the road and into a field! Cycling in that weather was extremely dangerous. There is no way I would have done a training cycle in that weather! On the bike I was leading the field and really trying to push hard to get further away from the people chasing me. The wind was so strong I had to cycle leaning into the wind to remain upright! Made it to the halfway check point and the marshall asked me what wave I was in. It should have dawned on here me that a Sports wave had left at 11, but it didnt
, I just got though the check point as fast as I could and assumed that because there was no-one in front of me that I was winning the entire race. So I kept pushing on. About 18k into the cycle I dropped my water bottle with nuuns in it and I was going to fast to stop and go and retrieve it. Maybe it was physical and maybe it was mental but after I dropped my nuuns I started getting a creeping hint of cramp in my calf's It wasnt that bad though and I have certainly felt alot worse. 20k into the cycle I was still "leading" and ignorantly thinking that I was going to win the race. At one point I did think to myself that I'm not the strongest cyclist and surely someone would pass me but I quickly got those negative thoughts out of my mind and concentrated on finishing as fast as I could. Back at transition I racked my bike and ran for the finishing line. There was no other racers at the finish line, so surely I won, right? Cycle time:50:57
Knackered and sitting on the ground at the finish line I got chatting to some lads who finished after me. It was then that someone mentioned that a wave had left at 11. "Sh*t", I thought Theres no way I could have won because all the fast racers would have gone in the 11 oclock wave. Deflated I handed in my dibber to get my finishing time. I finished 14th Total time: 01:30:06
I know 14th is good and I should be happy, but when you spend half the race thinking that you are going to win, finishing in 14th isnt much consolation. Its my own stupid fault though I should have realised that a wave would have left at 11, I should have realised that I shouldnt be able to lead a race relatively unchallenged, and especially on the bike where I am quite week. The thing is if I had gone in the first wave I think I would have done a quicker time because I would have been chasing some very fast racers instead of going at my own pace.
So, I'm pleased and disappointed with this race. I'm pleased with how I ran and cycled, and the fact that I led my wave for about 95% of the race. But Im disappointed that I let myself think I was doing better than I was. Oh well... onwards and upwards as they say! WAR Powerscourt is in two weeks so I better get training for that.0 -
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Day: Monday 13/9
Time of day: 15:18
Pace/type of workout: Hills
Distance: 7.7m
Time: 58:54
Took 2 days of rest after Achill Roar. I'm feeling a lot more positively about my Roar performance now
Finishing 14th having started in the 2nd Wave is pretty good I reckon.
Anyway, it felt good to be back out running with a vengeance yesterday Did my usual hilly route around killiney and dalkey and did the steps off vico road for some quad-blasting fun!
In other news, after my Roar performance I am now up to 5th in the MSAI sport standings! 0 -
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Day: Sunday 18/9
Time of day: 10:29
Pace/type of workout: Sugarloaf recce
Distance: 2.27 mi
Time: 29:29
Got up after one too many the night before and headed out to run up a mountain (as you do! :rolleyes:)
Me and the girlfriend headed down to checkout the route of WAR Powerscourt, specifically to run the sugarloaf. Found the race start area no prob and drove the cycle route to the sugarloaf, the first cycle looks ok but it has a slow climb towards the end that could be tricky so ealry in a race. We drove up to the sugarloaf carpark and got ready for the run. We realised then that we didnt print out a detailed map of the run route :mad: we only had the map that they give ya on race day.
Anyway got running at a gentle pace and followed the map as best we could. Got completely lost running around the back of the mountain, we went completely off the trail and had to clamber up rocks toward the summit. The wind at the summit was fierce!! Worse than in Achill last wkend :eek:
Bit of a waste of time really, didnt learn anything about the run course as we had no idea where we were going One thing I did learn is that this is going to be a very tricky run. Sugarloaf has lots of loose rock and scree that would be easy to twist an ankle on.
In other news, woke up this morning to find that my girlfriends bike had been robbed! ****ing scumbags are everywhere. So she'll need a lend for WAR 0 -
Day: Monday 19/9
Time of day: 16:03
Pace/type of workout: 17m cycle
Distance: 16.93 mi
Time: 1:03:55
Cycled up through kilternan then stepaside, taking in the long climb towards glencullen. The point of this cycle was to keep a good pace on the long hill of 2.2m before belting home on the down hills 0 -
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Day: Wednesday 21/9
Time of day: 19:31
Pace/type of workout: Mixed Intervals
Distance: 2.43m
Time: 14:38
I'm in the process of easing down the mileage for WAR, so I had a complete rest day yesterday (Tuesday). I like mixed intervals, they are challenging and a bit fun! I cycled as quickly as I could to the track (because WAR starts with a cycle) and then did 1m @6:30m/m, 1k @ 6:15m/m, 800m @6:00m/m, 400m @ 5:45m/m. Everything went well and I was surprisingly fresh in between the intervals. When I was finished I jumped back on the bike and sped home.
Woke up today (thursday) with a bit of a cold, my nose is a runny mess and I've no energy I'm whipping the lemsips into me so hopefully I'll be ok come Saturday. Fingers crossed! 0
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