Baby steps

Slogger Jogger

I'm pacing 1:45 in Enniscorthy next Sunday so I wanted to run at least that this morning and do at least a half marathon. After an initial 6k on quiet backroads I headed onto trail and started an ascent from Aughrim which brought me up behind Macredin golf club. Higher again I continued and followed trails up to the top of Cushbawn hill (400m). This hill brings back fond memories for me. I haven't been up here for a while but it was on this hill that I discovered hill running a no. of years ago when I first moved down here. The hill is steep. Averting the eyes from the task ahead is a good idea as the trail goes onwards and upwards alarmingly. Anyway, today I hung in there and got to the top without much difficulty. The flies started to swarm around me but a brief and welcome shower of rain dispelled them. The downward part is too steep to run comfortably. Its a case of running with the breaks on, for me at least. Followed the trails around the hill and headed back towards Aughrim. These trails are magical and I should come back here more often. Ran through Aughrim town as crowds of walkers assembled to do a charity walk for Aware up the self same Cushbawn hill. The last 4k were half on road then through the forest beside my village.
21.3k, 5:06 pace, 432m climb
A good workout in advance of next Sunday.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/93356737

Slogger Jogger

Persistent rain this evening but it didn't effect my wanting to get out for a run. A recovery run was in order and I was determined to go slow. Heading up the hill had the desired effect. Slowed the pace and the breathing was easy. A life affirming run. The only sounds were the splish splash of my steps and the light sound of my breathing, with the odd scattering of rain coming down in torrents through the trees. Running felt easy, as it should when you take it this slow. On the way down I held myself back. Didn't want to tire the legs by speeding up. I don't often go out to run slow, but I should do it more.
10.48k, 312m climb, 5:22 pace. Very wet and mucky at the end of it.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/93734651

Slogger Jogger

Took the bike out this evening as the heel was blistered from the last 2 days running. A steady rainy drizzle fell (hard to believe its the middle of the year its so grey). Did an hour around the hilly back roads on the MTB. Nice to spin the legs.

21.2k distance, 21.3kph, 248m climb.

Slogger Jogger

Gave the imra race a miss this evening and had to do my own thing on my local hill. Was feeling reasonably fresh so decided to tackle the hill at a quicker clip than usual. The Monday before last I managed this: 9.05k, 231m climb, 4:36 pace, so the task this evening was to do better. I made inroads on the initial climb and I positively bounced up the initial 1k. This couldn't last I said to myself. The next 3k brought me to the highpoint of the trail and I was relieved to have the downhill part ahead, that is until I felt a headwind which made going difficult. Battled on and the ks clicked by. Finished with a breathless sprint to the virtual finish line. Was pleased enough with an overall 4:23 pace. I think most of the improvement was on the initial uphill. Felt good.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/94169825

Krusty_Clown

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

I think most of the improvement was on the initial uphill. Felt good.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/94169825

If it's the same route as a previous run, you can compare the two activities in Garmin Connect, and it'll give you side by side split comparisons. Cracking run by the way. That's one ugly looking hill!

Slogger Jogger

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

If it's the same route as a previous run, you can compare the two activities in Garmin Connect, and it'll give you side by side split comparisons. Cracking run by the way. That's one ugly looking hill!

Cool feature. Never compared 2 same runs like that before. Turns out I was faster on every single k on this evenings version, and was over a minute faster on k one. The tea and toast before I ran must have had the right effect.

Slogger Jogger

Took it easy this evening and set out slowly on a road and trail loop. Lovely evening. HR markedly slower than last night's run, so I did what I set out to do.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/94368830
12k, 5:22 pace, 260m climb, 136bpm avg hr.

Slogger Jogger

Busy yesterday mixed with filthy rainy conditions = rest day for me.

Today I wanted to keep the weight off the feet with the half marathon pacing in Enniscorthy tomorrow so headed off on the bike for a nice 2 hour cycle around south Wicklow. Blustery conditions but not too bad and the rain held off. Despite hilly roads often not in great condition I was happy enough with pace.

50k, 2:01:38 hrs, 24.7kph, 366m climb, 127 bpm.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/94661749

Abhainn

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

Busy yesterday mixed with filthy rainy conditions = rest day for me.

Today I wanted to keep the weight off the feet with the half marathon pacing in Enniscorthy tomorrow so headed off on the bike for a nice 2 hour cycle around south Wicklow. Blustery conditions but not too bad and the rain held off. Despite hilly roads often not in great condition I was happy enough with pace.

50k, 2:01:38 hrs, 24.7kph, 366m climb, 127 bpm.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/94661749

Nice bike. Enjoy tomorrow

Slogger Jogger

Last year while dp paced, I ran a hm pb, so this year it was my turn to pace and him to race.. well that was the initial plan.

Met up with the other pacers at the riverside hotel and after a non-warm up for me we were off at 10am on the dot. I'm a novice to the pacing game.. the last pacing I did didn't end well as I blew up c. 33k mark in Dingle, but a half marathon is much more manageable. The intention was to run steady 4:57s and that should do the trick. Despite some early undulating hills we were pretty much on schedule through 5k. Jackymack was running well til here but had to exit with illness, so dp's racing plans were put on hold and he had to take hold of the shortest balloon string ever to pace 1:45 with me. He ran a bit like the statue of liberty, right arm raised torchlight for people to see the balloon. This, whilst giving yells. Yes, dp does pacing with tough love, while I'm more in the positive encouragement camp.

The race went by quickly and smoothly. Chatted away with some of the group as we went. The group diminished a lot over the route, but I think most of them had gone ahead with dp to be honest. It was fairly effortless running the pace, despite the odd hill. The heat of the sun became very evident in the 2nd half of the race, but not overly so.

From the moment he took over dp had gone away with a decent group at a higher clip. I was happy to maintain the 4:57 ish pace. In the closing few straight k we caught up with dp who had banked his extra time. We ushered the last few over the line and the job was done. Disappointed with a 5 seconds over the 1:45, but my time wasn't important, its about getting the people around the course in the best time they could do on the day, so in that respect we did a good job.

One lesson, for me for the next time, is to have my time displayed on my garmin, with better pacing info. Avg pace, distance, and time (in hh:mm:ss). My time was showing seconds up to 60 mins but then went into hh:mm which wasn't giving me what I needed to know. Otherwise I would have been a bit better informed come the finishing straight when I was perhaps dawdling trying to get people over the line. You live and learn.

All in all a great experience and a great event. Well done fellow pacers.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/95043231

Slogger Jogger

18 weeks to the Dublin City Marathon. I'm gonna sign up again. Give it another shot. It'll be 8 Dublins in a row, so I may as well keep the run going and while I'm at it try to beat my 3:01 PB. Working with a mate to put a schedule together over the coming days.

Today it was just a case of getting out and stretching the legs after yesterday's pacing of the half marathon. Slow and easy up the trails up to the top of the hill. Down a bit on the other side, then back around to the top again. Stretched the legs out on the way down but didn't push the pace. Enjoyable run and the legs felt good after.

11.4k, 5:20 pace, 375m climb, 141 HR avg.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/95301422

Slogger Jogger

Car service this morning meant I had to drop car off in Sandyford and run to work. A nothing run really. Just waking up.
5.7k, 4:38 pace

Trail and off-trail run this evening. Great fun. Nothing was even and lots of obstacles so lots of dodging low branches and jumping over felled tree trunks and jetsom
6.29k, 5:00 pace, 88m climb, 142 bpm avg.

Planning to run Seefingan tomorrow. It will hurt. Lots.

Slogger Jogger

The longest and hardest race on the LL calendar. Don't know why its not positioned the week before the bbq, as is usually the place for the toughest race?

Really enjoyed this race last year and had a great battle with gohard and Gerry to the end. Would the same happen this evening?

Felt a bit sluggish beforehand, but plenty of time in this race to get the legs going. The aim was to run steady but to run it all. Did so on the way out and picked up a few places in and around Seefingan perhaps from those that pushed to hard on the earlier parts? The boggy parts were still shoe suckingly awful, but I'd tied my laces very tight beforehand, so avoided the lost shoe syndrome. I'd forgotten in the haze of time how long and difficult this is. I tried to keep the head down and focus on the yards just ahead of me. Plugged away and that got me to the cairn. Didn't remember it from last year and comparing routes with last year it appears we didn't run the last bit from the pole to the cairn, which explains somewhat the extra distance (and time) I ran this evening.

On the homeward section the soft downhill was brilliant. But the downhill was followed by the bog and the uphill, so it was a case again of keeping plugging away. My pace was pretty average on these parts but I held my place. I wasn't gaining on the guy ahead either which was a bit demoralising. That said, I ran every foot of the hill up Corrig and up Seahan. I was knackered by the time I was running the rocky downhill from there and by the time we hit the forest trail to the finish I was nearly 'out', but I kept the legs turning and held my place. Didn't have the same close individual battle this year but happy that I ran well despite that. This race rewards those who can keep a running gait going throughout and thankfully I did that. Next race, Lug on Saturday. Different race, similar tactic to employ.

12.78k, 5:28 pace, 536m climb. 16th overall.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/95744110

Slogger Jogger

Legs were like cement today so a run wasn't in order. Wanted to get the legs moving though so opted for the bike instead. Headed out on the MTB for a road loop. Took a road I hadn't been on before. The good thing was I didn't know what to expect and it turned out lovely and picturesque. The bad thing was I didn't know what to expect and it turned out to be very hilly indeed. An uphill was followed by a downhill towards Avoca. The easy thing to do then would have been to return by roads I knew. Again I took the 'surprise' option and turned up a hill which seemed to go on for an AGE, but cycle it I did. It brought me out onto the Aughrim Ballinaclash road. That hill! A 200m climb in about 2k. Crikey. The legs have now forgotten about yesterday's race. They are now in shock from this evenings cycle. A nice challenging loop though and crying out to be ran at some stage.

25.62k, 392m climb, 20.8kph.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/95911783

Slogger Jogger

Was divided between resting and going for a run so opted for a compromise and did a very easy and short run in the forest. Mainly off-trail, which was nearly plyometrics with all the leaping and bounding. Good fun and with easy pace it was a good leg stretcher. Lug race tomorrow.
7.96k, 5:20 pace, 171m climb
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/95911783

Slogger Jogger

I'm still on a high after this race. I was slower than last year but not by much so I'm happy that I'm nearly back to where I was running wise.

Last year I was nearly sub 60 which is a good time for Lug. Before the race today I would have happily taken a time within a few mins of this. My legs were still leaden from Seefinngan. Added to that I'm having problems with my left foot. Sore under the base of the fore foot. A hill race wasn't going to help.

I reckoned the mountain would be fairly dry so for a change I went for racing flats. The last champs race I wore inov8s and I was well blistered after. Thankfully the flats worked a treat.

Slogged up Camarahill and found myself 3rd in line of a group led by Damien Kelly and a chap from munster, whose name escapes me. They were doing a run walk strategy whereas I ran, albeit slowly, as much as I could. I walked the large stoney bit but regained by running stride thereafter and having taken a gel I felt that I could start to reel these guys in. Probably a misplaced ambition, afterall Damian had shown me a clean pair of heels on other Irish Champs races this year.

Turning around the summit c. the 41.10 mark I started to lengthen my stride and work to close the gap. I was glad of the racing flats now. I think I caught them after c. a k of the downhill. I didn't look back so I've no idea how close them managed to stay to me.

The legs were turning over nicely and the descent ticked by. Half way along I realised I was reeling in another runner in a red t-shirt. This was the guy that dpop had spoken to before the race. It was his first hill race, but he said he was a 34 min 10k man. As I closed the gap I got more confident that I could take a non-hill runner on a descent so I tried to up a gear and eventually got past him. I didn't shake him off though and he came back at me and went past me as we climbed the little bit before the last descent. My turn then to come back at him and regain a place on the final grassy downhill. I was flying now but dreaded the last fireroad against a road speedster.

I lost my concentration a bit and didn't take the break in the wall to go into the other field. I was absent mindedly looking at a runner ahead who hadn't taken the gap. Realising I might run into a dead-end I proceeded to jump the ditch and literally went straight through a hedge, but kept running. Got to the swinging gate and tried to time how long after I heard a gate close. ****e, that gap isn't big. The fireroad to the end seemed to grow distance under my feet and I could feel him closing in. However, I found some after-burners from somewhere. I dug deep determined not to lose a hard gained place. Finished mere seconds ahead of him, with the heart nearly exploding in my chest. But very happy.

Here's a neat garmin comparison thingy, comparing my race this year and last. I was 10s a k slower this year, but I'm heading in the right direction I hope.

62:16 race time by my watch. Place-wise I've no idea. Good vibe back in Fentons, sitting in the sunshine sipping a beer. Thats the life.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/comparison?activityId=96290142&activityId2=39049292

Krusty_Clown

Your finishing pace was a lot faster than last year. You just needed someone breathing down your neck for the entire race, and you'd have been a lot faster than last year! Well done Mick. Super run.

Slogger Jogger

Family stuff and sore legs kept me from running this morning. Got out on the MTB this evening and headed up the trails, up and up. Great views over the countryside...



Ended up near the top of Cushbawn hill. So steep was the downhill that I had to get off and wheel the bike down . No choice really with slick tyres and no helmet. Encountered lots of deer. 1st a herd of about 10 in a field, who all scappered as I closed in. Then, a near-miss when I was careering down a trail and one bounded across my path yards away. Then, further on an adult and young bambi type crossed my path. Brilliant. Legs feel better after.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/96597844

Slogger Jogger

Headed out this warm evening with a general idea to do a 12k ish loop. My pace was unplanned but as I ventured up the road towards the trail head I was making decent speed considering I was battling gravity. Onto the trails proper and my speed was avg 5 min k, not bad for the climb. The trail was uneven after recent Coillte work, so it took some work on my behalf to keep the avg speed down. Onwards and upwards to the high point then downwards. Stretched the legs out and they turned quickly. It was as if the adrenaline of the Lug race was still in the system somewhat. For a k or 2 I felt great. The mood changed a bit when I felt my right shoe cutting into my ankle so I had to decide whether to keep running on or stop and walk home. Keep running I did but my pace wasn't the same after that. Still an enjoyable run and a good one to start the week.

11.79k, 234m climb, 4:28 pace.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/96835622

Slogger Jogger

Taped up the sore ankle and headed out the trail again on what should have been easy but again I 'found' myself running faster and it felt okay. Ended up doing a similar paced run to yesterday, if a bit shorter. I felt the effort more, as the quads were leaden ish at times, but I was happy I was able to push on so the speed endurance on the hills is coming back.

I struggle to find flat areas around where I live. I reckon a run like this equates to a sub 4 pace on a flat terrain, but I could be wrong? Anyone ideas on what hill runs are equivalent to without the hills?

Just saw Lug results posted. Happy with place and descending time. Need to work on ascending time!

10k, 4:27 pace, 232m climb
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/97077994

ocnoc

If you take 200m climb = 1km, its 4:00min/k exactly

Slogger Jogger

Wasn't taking part in the race this evening as I had to help out, so I headed out on the route beforehand for an easy run. Walked a few bits as I met up with marshalls and route markers. Went off course at least once, as the markers weren't all out, but that didn't matter. It was raining heavily beforehand but rain stopped halfway around. The route was saturated and it made for fun running. I wish I was racing it, as it was a lot more interesting as a result

10.71k, 5:22 pace, 340m climb
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/97324145

Slogger Jogger

Another year of Dublin City Marathon beckons so I better get into structured training mode. I'm dusting down a schedule which has some track sessions in there so today was the first outing. 3 x 2k with 2 min recoveries. 3k warm-up and down in there too. I'll be easing my way into this as I don't have much pace to begin with. Gusty wind conditions at Kilgobbet near Cabinteely didn't help and it was warm. Still happy enough with how it went and how I felt. Reasonably consistent and room for improvement there too.

I figure that when it comes to fitting in shorter reps (400s, 800s and 1ks) I won't dread them as much as the 2ks. Probably wishful thinking :rolleyes:

Total: 12.42k, 4:37 pace avg
1st rep: 7:43
2nd rep: 7:37
3rd rep: 7:41

Pronator

What this about dusting down a schedule? Tell the truth now.:D

Good running. You will see the benefits in the coming months.

ocnoc

What time you looking at? (feel free to ignore if you have a hidden agenda)

Slogger Jogger

ocnoc wrote: »

What time you looking at? (feel free to ignore if you have a hidden agenda)

Any time beginning with 2 hrs

Slogger Jogger

Pronator wrote: »

What this about dusting down a schedule? Tell the truth now.:D

Good running. You will see the benefits in the coming months.

Dusting down a schedule you sent me

ocnoc

jeaz mick.... 2:01 dead sounds quick!

Slogger Jogger

ocnoc wrote: »

jeaz mick.... 2:01 dead sounds quick!

Ha. A 2:59.xx will do for starters. 27th time lucky.

Pronator

Part of the agreement of me providing a schedule is that you don't finish ahead of me in DCM:D