Too Tall To Run

antomagoo

Well this didn't go to plan at all. Laid low with a bad sinus headache on Sunday I was already contemplating not doing this. Up early Monday morning and headache still there but not as bad so decided I'd go in and give it a lash, anyway had to meet Pronator to give him his race number.

Quick couple of miles warm-up & chat with Pronator before hitting the corral and met up with thewolf who was in flying form and all set for sub 1:30.

Was feeling OK so I decided to stick to the plan. First mile was grand & went through in 7:20. Up into the park & pace slowed a little, mile 2 in 7:28. Its around here that I started to feel like everything wasn't so rock 'n' roll & I was slowing down more & not just because of the incline, mile 3 in 7:45. Mile 3 was the samba band that I play in & was sorely tempted to pull over & join in as it seemed like the easier option.

As the park levelled out to mile 4 I was just hoping that I'd be able to conserve a bit of energy & regroup on the next few miles. Somehow I remember the band at the 4 mile mark singing Nutbush City Limits & all I could think of was, "I wish I had Tina Turners legs". Mile 4 in 7:40

The trad band at mile 5 were singing The Leaving of Liverpool & fully expected Luis Suarez to be doing a jig on stage such has been the media coverage surrounding him. Anyway I seemed to be picking up a bit on the downhill section here and went through mile 5 in 7:27. Tucked in behind an American runner around here who was going at a tempo I could easily match. Mile 6 was good bit quicker & I was starting to feel OK, mile 6 in 7:14. Was happy to see the half way mark, think the clock was showing 46:xx, decided to try stick with the american runner to the finish as the goal was now gone & it was just about damage limitation. Mile 7 in 7:25

Must have let the concentration slip here as my (unknown to them) pacer got a few yards on me. Really started to struggle now and all manner of excuses started to flood in, mile 8 in 7:35 & mile 9 in 7:54.The hill out of Chapelizod couldn't have come at a worse time & I practically slowed to a walk, such was my level of delusion I reckoned if I turned round I'd see Neil Horan hanging out of the back of me. Raycun's energetic sweeping at the water station didn't do anything to help raise my energy levels :P. The brother-in-law lives near 10 mile mark & seriously contemplated pulling out, mile 10 in 8:17.

The sight of the 1:40 balloon coming past me spurred me on a little but that didn't last too long, mile 11 & 12 in 8:03 & 8:18. Only a mile left so gave it all of the little I had left, mile 13 & last bit in 7:55 & 1:05.

Met thewolf at the finish who had just ran 1:28 and was jumping around like a kid at a wiggles concert while shoving power bars down his shorts & I couldn't have been more dejected.

Official time was 1:41:25, previous PB was 1:43:05 over 2 years ago. This was only 3rd time running a half so I still have a lot to learn so just need to pick myself up & get back training & focused. Big lesson from the day, don't try run exactly to plan if not feeling 100% or maybe don't run at all. Lesson I should have learnt from the marathon 2 years ago.

Up next Celbridge 5K & then the Athlone half & the isotonic beer

thewolf_ie

You make me sound so young! Don't worry hammer the next one. Hope your feeling better.

antomagoo

thewolf_ie wrote: »

You make me sound so young! Don't worry hammer the next one. Hope your feeling better.

Ah you were on a deserved high, fair play, great run

antomagoo

Monday 12/08

7 Days on from the Half & the first run with the body starting to feel normal.

Easy 4.25 mile trail run, I say easy but there was some tricky climbs/drags

antomagoo

About time I brought this up-to-date especially now the teams are up for the Athlone Half :pac:

Athlone Half Week 1 W/E 18/08

Monday: 4.25 Mile Easy 8:48 Avg Trail run & took it very easy

Tuesday: Plan was for 800 session but got sent to London with work. Found a nice route along a canal & ended up in Camden Village after 20 mins before turning back to hotel. 4.83 miles @ 8:04 Avg. Legs & body still a bit tired

Wednesday: Flight delayed getting home so ended up using this a rest day

Thursday: Plan was for 40 mins easy but cut session short at 30 min mark as I nearly ended up like this lad

Friday: Very tired today so decided to take rest & move tempo session to Saturday

Saturday: 8 Miles with 5 @ PHMP Splits 7:17 / 7:26 / 7:10 / 7:22 / 7:36 Miles 4 & 5 were into headwind & mile 5 uphill

Sunday: 12 miles / 7:57 avg This felt surprisingly comfortable after Saturdays run

Weekly Total 32 Miles


Athlone Half Week 2 W/E 25/08

Monday: Rest day after 2 longish runs on the Saturday & Sunday

Tuesday: 1.5 Mile W/U; 5 x 800 with 2 min recovery; 1.5 Mile C/D (800 reps, 3:08, 3:06, 3:07, 3:11, 3:11)

Wednesday: Rest

Thursday: 4.5 Miles easy

Friday: Ended up with a 2nd rest day as busy in work and no time to get out when I got home & once again had to move tempo to Saturday

Saturday: 9 miles with 6 @ planned HMP, 7:07, 7:22, 7:17, 7:08, 7:18, 7:26

Sunday: 13 miles / 8:01 avg

Weekly Total 32 Miles


Athlone Half Week 3 W/E 01/09

Monday: Rest day

Tuesday: 1.5 Mile W/U; 6 x 800 with 2 min recovery; 1.5 Mile C/D (800 reps, 3:11; 3:16; 3:09; 3:12; 3:09; 3:07)

Wednesday: 3.8 Mile trail run. This was supposed to be an easy run, but 2 loops of the trail with a tricky climb really took it out of me after the intervlas on Tuesday

Thursday: 40 mins easy 4 miles, this hurt like hell, very heavy legs. There was probably an argument here to skip this run

Friday: 10 Miles with 7 @ HMP 7:02; 7:21; 7:18; 7:13; 7:10; 7:27; 7:27 Last 2 up hill & into headwind

Saturday: Rest

Sunday: 14 miles / 7:54 avg Very tired by the end of this run, longest week so far

Weekly Total 37.8 Miles approx.

thewolf_ie

Good stuff Anto! Nice to see your active! Some nice runs in there. I'm jealous of the intervals I've a few weeks of them coming up!

antomagoo

Athlone Half Week 4 W/E 08/09

Not a great week, busy in work & missed 1 or 2 nights with lead up to The Lakes 10K

Monday: Zilch

Tuesday: 1.5 Mile W/U; 7 x 800 with 2 min recovery; 1 Mile C/D (800 reps, 3:11, 3:13, 3:11, 3:10, 3:13, 3:14, 3:10)

Wednesday: Rest

Thursday: Nada

Friday: 10 miles with 8 @ planned HMP, 7:08, 7:09, 7:20, 7:11, 7:13, 7:10, 7:10, 7:22. Felt really good throughout this run, all the signs were looking good for the half until..... (see Sunday :mad:)

Saturday: Standing around in the cold & rain while doing bits & pieces for the race

Sunday: Decided to rest as I woke up with stinking head cold & sore throat :mad:

Weekly Total 17.75 Miles

Athlone Half Week 5 W/E 15/09

Not a great start to this week given the cold I've picked up.

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: 4.85 Miles 8:39 avg. Nice & easy, legs felt heavy for 1st mile. Head cold didn't bother me although chest is feeling a bit gritty


Contemplating entering Charleville half as a back up plan in case Saturday goes pear shaped

thewolf_ie

You can do it !

antomagoo

Athlone Half Week 5 W/E 15/09

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: 4.85 Miles 8:39 avg. Nice & easy, legs felt heavy for 1st mile. Head cold didn't bother me although chest is feeling a bit gritty

Wednesday: Rest

Thursday: 4 Miles; 1 Mile W/U; 5 x 100 strides; 3 x 800s (3:13, 3:27, 3:26) with 2 min recovery; 1/2 mile C/D

Head cold more or less clear, sinuses a bit blocked & chest still a bit gritty, but otherwise felt fine. Went off far too quick for 1st 800 (at one point I was well under 6 min/mile) & had to force myself to run slower although the body felt like kicking on. Hopefully all good for Athlone tomorrow.