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Having had the last month to think about my running year just past, having taken a step back to see the overall picture, it really has been a great year for me overall, many barriers broken and as a result, many more opportunities have opened for the coming year..
The year started with the Tom Brennan in 18:44 and a PB of 45 seconds so it was a good sign of things to come. It was followed with a great 3 month block of solid mileage over the winter as I prepared for Rotterdam, probably my best block of the year where I religiously followed P&D 55mile plan. The dead heat between myself and Gavlor in Dungarvan really kick started the year in January but looking back now I think the biggest break through race for me in 2013 and my best performance of the year was the Bohermeen Half Marathon in March where I ran 1:21:39 and absolutely smashed my 1:28 time I had set in Waterford just 3 months earlier. Everything went perfect on the day and it was this race that made me realise I could achieve some half decent times running races if I stayed committed and focused.
Obviously the lowest point was Rotterdam in April, where the 4 months previous training left me empty handed when I was agonisingly close. But I took the positive approach and any experience is a good experience as long and you learn from it.
Off the back of the Marathon training I targeted a 5km race and after a disappointing run in Lucan at the Tom Byrne 5km of 18:08, I rectified it a couple of weeks later with a decent 17:47 in the Bob Heffernan. I joined a club in late May and it was one of the best things I done all year getting some comradery and competitive sessions into my training.
I then ran Cork Marathon handy as a training / endurance build up run and my strong finish showing so much left in the tank really did build the confidence for the second half of the year.
I set off on a 6 week 10km training block to work on my speed and while it definitely benefited my marathon later in October the target race at the end of this was a damp squib. Where a 36:59 target at the Fit Magazine Cork 10km never materialised and I ended up with 37:42 the exposed route on the coast and the lack of competition during the race made it end up being more of a time trial. I didn’t dwell for long as I had bigger fish to fry!
I flaked into my adjusted P&D 70 mile plan where I had tweaked slightly to suit me better. Ran the National Half with the club where I had a great run with my clubmate ASIMONOV and met RFR for the first time. Ran 1:20:38 that day so another PB in the books but the margins were getting smaller! RFR pipped me that day but I kept up the consistency in the training and for my mini-goal race of Athlone HM I returned the favour and took the honours that day from an off-form RFR while also breaking the 80 minute barrier to finish in 1:19:31. Confidence was sky high after this and I knew that if nothing unexpected happened (which can never be a given in marathons, especially after Rotterdam!), sub 3 would be well within reach in Chicago.
So what followed was my big goal of the year after April, the Chicago Marathon. The unexpected almost undone me with a chest infection a couple of weeks before so I dosed up on antibiotics and thankfully got rid of it with moments to spare. Everything went perfectly to plan that October day and I finally landed the sub 3 (2:58:07), the year could finally be deemed a success!
Finished off the year with the Dublin Marathon pacing job which I thoroughly enjoyed and then there was the icing on the cake that was winning the Kilkenny Novice XC the week after. The year however ended prematurely with a metatarsal ligament injury and a case of stress built up over time, the 3 races in 4 weeks probably a factor in this but on a positive note it brought to light fundamental flaws in my running form and gait that I will look to work on and improve in early 2014 to make me a better runner in the long term.
So, at the end of 2013 I am delighted with my PBs in the Half Marathon and the Marathon but disappointed with the 10km and 5km times but the reason I didn’t get closer to my target on these was more due to the fact that I didn’t toe the line at these distances in the second half of the year, I had hoped to knock the 5km in December at Jingle Bells but the foot injury put paid to that. Plenty time to sort those out in 2014!
Below is the target table I set at the start of this year so nice to take a look at it now at year end.
Distance|PB 1/1/2013|Original 2013 Target|Revised 2013 Target (March)| Current PB
5km|18:44|18:29|17:15| 17:47
10km|42:30|38:59|35:59|37:42
Half Marathon|1:28:34|1:26:59|1:19:59|1:19:31
Marathon|3:29:30|3:09:59|2:59:59|2:58:07
Wow really hits home just as I type down the times above how good and busy the year has been. :eek:
2014 Outlook
No specific targets for the first 3 months other than building back up the miles and consistency coming off the injury. I’m going back to a physio in early January and if they recommend orthotics I will likely get them. My targets depend on how slow/fast I adjust to these. Unlikely to race in the first 3 months regardless.
In terms of yearly targets my eyes are mainly set of getting my 5km and 10km times down for the first six months and then focus on a Marathon in Sept/Oct again. I have no marathon picked as of yet but it might not be a big one, I shall see. Everything is a bit up in the air job wise at the moment so once I sort that out I will be able to adjust my schedule around this!
So with that in mind I have set initial targets for 2014, if things go well in the early part of the year I can adjust them then accordingly.
Distance|2014 Target
5km|17:15
10km|35:59
Half Marathon|1:17:59
Marathon|2:49:59
Finally, thanks to all of you who have supported me throughout 2013, I would be nowhere near where I am now without your adivse and support on here and I wish you all a great 2014 on the running scene!
Happy New Year!!
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So have not done anything since the St. Stephen's Day race. No races planned so gave the foot another week or two. Going to very slowly build up now over the next 4 weeks. No mileage targets, just run 3-4 days a week and see how the leg responds.
Note to self: Book that bloody physio appointment!
Monday
3.5 miles easy / 8:46 average pace
Ran this with two lads in the club and took it very handy, walk back into the training. Felt good to have some running endorphins back! even if it was only 3 miles!
Wednesday
5 miles easy / 7:34 average pace
This was done on the track with one of the nippy juniors as he is racing Sunday so was taking it easy. The rest of the club were doing 400's... pace felt ok but legs were tiring towards the end of it...all fitness lost!
Rumours are that ASIMONOV may or may not have been making his jogging comeback too.
Feels good to be (somewhat) back.0 -
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Wednesday
5 miles easy / 8:11 average pace
Round and round the track I go with asimonov, tipping away building up the miles/runs with minimum stress for next 2/3 weeks. Slowly slowly catchy monkey.
Thinking of my first race back will be taking a stab at the Intermediate XC on the 2nd Feb, all depending on how the training goes and there are no issues. Would be hoping for a decent enough result in this if I'm on it, but with no training behind me, hope is all it will be!
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Wednesday
5 miles easy / 8:11 average pace
Round and round the track I go with asimonov, tipping away building up the miles/runs with minimum stress for next 2/3 weeks. Slowly slowly catchy monkey.
Thinking of my first race back will be taking a stab at the Intermediate XC on the 2nd Feb, all depending on how the training goes and there are no issues. Would be hoping for a decent enough result in this if I'm on it, but with no training behind me, hope is all it will be!
That's only 18 days away.... Why would you risk racing so soon after an injury?
As much as I'd like to see you flunk out of another race, I don't think it's such a good idea!0 -
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Sunday
4 miles easy / 7:33 average pace
Savage misty run today on grass which also saw the return of my pink runners. There is about 400 miles in them so I'm going to go back to them for a couple of weeks out of pure interest.
No issues with the foot, might get out more on grass where possible going forward for a while. Probably a wise move. Good to get over 20 miles for the week.
Here's hoping I beat diggers mileage! Would be icing on the cake!
Week Mileage Summary:
Monday|Tuesday|Wednesday|Thursday|Friday|Saturday|Sunday
6m|Rest|5m|Rest|Rest|7m|4m
Week Total|Month to Date|Year to Date
22m|35m|35m0 -
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