"I just wanna drink beer and train like an animal"

drquirky

Back to the running.

Sat. 8 miles easy

Sun 5 miles steady @ 6:30 p/m rushed for this so had to make it snappy!

Mon off

Today- wicked tempo. 5 mile tempo 28:54 splits 5:59, 5:53, 5:42, 5:44, 5:38. Not sure I've run a better tempo- ever. Just got stronger as I went- there was a deer cull going on in the PP so had to dodge bullets (reminded me of home ). Seriously though- really happy with the quicker stuff lately. Amazing what building a base does for speed work!

Might race this weekend down in Kerry as I'm down that way.

jfh

The gauntlet might be of interest, bit on the expensive side tho. You'd have the endurance after the marathon

drquirky

jfh wrote: »

The gauntlet might be of interest, bit on the expensive side tho. You'd have the endurance after the marathon

Cheers jfh- was looking mainly at the 5 k in the killarney race series- you know anything about it?

drquirky

Yesterday 7 miles easy

Today 15 miles easy 1:50 - Kind of a funny run. I had to drive my wife's car to the mechanic but it broke down enroute which was actually fine as I had my gear on (don't ask lol) At any rate good to get some distance in as I've a high pressure pacing gig coming up on the 23rd...

jfh

drquirky wrote: »

Cheers jfh- was looking mainly at the 5 k in the killarney race series- you know anything about it?

no DrQ, dont no much about it, there is this;
http://www.feetfirst.ie/events.aspx?contentid=670

drquirky

jfh wrote: »

no DrQ, dont no much about it, there is this;
http://www.feetfirst.ie/events.aspx?contentid=670

Thanks JFH- Yeah thats the one... certainly in a pretty nice spot anyway!

drquirky

16:53 good enough for 4th place in Killarney today. Nice day for it. Good weeks training with a solid tempo 15 miles Thursday and a decent race today. 5k speed coming back a bit hopefully knock a good amount off that before Jingle Bells!

drquirky

Last couple of days

Sun 30 min recovery run- that's really all I had time for

Monday 1 hr easy

Tuesday 9 miles @ 6:49 or PPP - Have no idea why but am pacing the Clontarf HM on saturday and really wanted to nail the pace into my legs. Set out through the hills of the PP and wasn't too stressed at all felt great and a lovely but cool day to run- all good for Saturday hopefully.

drquirky

Weds. "no bad weather, only soft people." Was thinking of a track session but when I went outside and felt the wind, I ruled that out. Decided instead to give the big **** you to the weather and hit the PP for some Munich laps lol...

Figured a 20 min tempo encompassing as many of the Munich hills as possible was a good option so trudged down to the base of the Magazine Fort and off I went. Ended up cresting 8 or so different hills (including all of Kypher) and being nearly blown to a standstill at some points. One of the harder tempos I've ever done. There were times I was looking at the watch and killing myself just to hold MP- still this kind of session really helps me and works to make the racing easier. Pace was really al over the shop and not important here but ranged between 5:40 pace on the flats w/ no wind exposure to MP up hill into the wind.

Capped the day by doing six 8=10 sec sprint reps up the little hill next to the Magazine Fort. Am trying to up my speed a good bit and we used to do this kind of thing back many moons ago when I still raced distances less than 5000m. Legs sore but felt like a good days work

Thurs - 5 easy recovery Just a couple recovery days going into the pacing of the Clontarf HM on Sat... Ran along the Long Mile Rd as had to pick up wife's car in the mechanic....

AuldManKing

That's a great idea for a tempo run. Might build a few of those into my schedule.

Look after those folks in Clontarf and don't be getting narky with them :P

drquirky

Yesterday 6 miles easy

Today Clontarf HM (Pacer) 1:29:45

Good race, lovely course. Went out in 6:49 pace or so and had a good group for much of the way. We hit the beach and ran a really slow mile (7:08) followed by a couple quicker ones to make up for it (sorry guys). Was a great spin w/ a few boardsies and really good running today by davemcm and Marthastew (amoung others) got in 3 or 4 miles around this so we'll call it a 16.5 mile day. Good start to the weekend!

Marthastew

drquirky wrote: »

Yesterday 6 miles easy

Today Clontarf HM (Pacer) 1:29:45

Good race, lovely course. Went out in 6:49 pace or so and had a good group for much of the way. We hit the beach and ran a really slow mile (7:08) followed by a couple quicker ones to make up for it (sorry guys). Was a great spin w/ a few boardsies and really good running today by davemcm and Marthastew (amoung others) got in 3 or 4 miles around this so we'll call it a 16.5 mile day. Good start to the weekend!

Another great pacing job by the Doctor, thanks:)
That 7.08 mile on the beach felt more like 6.30 pace;)

drquirky

Yesterday - 8 miles easy. Nothing remotely interesting about this run!:D

drquirky

4x 1 mile w/ 400m jog recovery.

Met Ecoli down at the track for this one. Bit of a toughie as I find mile reps pretty long lol

Splits 5:29, 5:26, 5:27, 5:29

Happy enough with it but tired now .

woodchopper

Its a great day for a yank!

cwgatling

woodchopper wrote: »

Its a great day for a yank!

It's always a good day for a yank

ecoli

cwgatling wrote: »

It's always a good day for a yank

Looks like someone finally remembered their boards password

drquirky

Thanks lads! Happy thanksgiving lol

drquirky

Last week: Absolute madness w crazy holiday/ family visits etc. Managed to run every day though and got a sneaky race done while w/ family in Kerry.

Tues- 5miles recovery

Weds 9 miles easy

Thurs 4 miles very easy (lots of eating and drinking today lol)

Fri 5 hungover miles

Saturday Killarney Feet First 5k 16:54 8th place

Bit of a funny race- had drank the past few nights and could feel it! Could tell I was working hard from the start and couldn't calm my breathing down. Was going well the first two miles in 5:15, 5:18 but really blew up on the third mile w/ a 5:40. Raced a dude from West Waterford the entire way which was cool but got nipped on the line :mad: I was 1 sec faster than the last time I ran this (2 weeks previous) but will write the lack of progression down to drinking etc…

I really enjoy this race series - good field today and nice, tough but fair course w/ a good climb to the finish. Am hoping that with the big sweeping downhill in JB I can go out in similar fashion the first two miles and hang on for a 5:1x in the last mile on Saturday.

Sunday 5 miles easy. Not the best week training but still managed a quality session, a race and a run every day so happy enough.

pconn062

Hearing a lot of things about this course on Saturday, sounds pretty fast. Good race, no reason you can't knock 20-30 secs off that on a faster course.

drquirky

Yesterday- 8 miles easy @ 7:00 m/m in the PP. Nice day for a run started at 8:20pace and dropped it throughout the run….

Today (out of the comfort zone)

Met up w/ Ecoli for a proper speed session. Haven't done one of these in god knows how long so was preparing to have my ass handed to me by my speedier(and in spikes) compadre. Well ass was handed to me as expected but was really happy that I kept things right around 1500-3000 (well say 4:50 mile pace) at the moment as I haven't run at this pace since circa 1999 .
2mile w/u
Right- 12x 300 w/ 300 jog recovery
53, 52, 52, 53, 52,53, 52,52,52,53,55,54
1.5 mile w/d
I tailed off a bit on the last two reps as the lactic build up in the legs was burning. Still all the reps in 67-70 400 pace so really psyched w/ the consistency. Good solid workout and a confidence builder for the JB big hill that I really wanna open the legs up on. VERY sore lower right abdominal into groin now but reckon it should be ok as this is an area that often gets a bit tweaked. I'll take it really easy for the rest of the week and hopefully hit the line Saturday sharp and fresh.

drquirky

As promised super easy rest of the week after the w/out on Tuesday

Weds 45 mins recovery (8:30 m/m)

Thurs 45 mins easy (7:20 m/m

Fri 30 mins very easy (8:00 m/m w/ strides)

Well, all go for tomorrow now. Absolutely zero sandbagging from me here- plan is to go out in 5:15- 5:20 for the first 2 miles and then blast the downhill. Gonna give it my best shot.

Looking forward to seeing a bunch of boardsies at the race (albeit running PMP and tempo runs) and a good few of you (minus that girl TRR) at the beers after.

TRR

drquirky wrote: »

Well, all go for tomorrow now. Absolutely zero sandbagging from me here- plan is to go out in 5:15- 5:20 for the first 2 miles and then blast the downhill. Gonna give it my best shot.

Looking forward to seeing a bunch of boardsies at the race (albeit running PMP and tempo runs) and a good few of you (minus that girl TRR) at the beers after.

Good luck tomorrow, would you risk running without the watch? Honestly I think the watch has a negative effect in a 5k. It might seem risky but just go for it and see what happens. If you don't want to risk it tomorrow maybe give it a shot in a parkrun next week

Raging to be missing the beers as was really looking forward to it but I got a better offer :pac: only joking something actually came up!

drquirky

TRR wrote: »

Good luck tomorrow, would you risk running without the watch? Honestly I think the watch has a negative effect in a 5k. It might seem risky but just go for it and see what happens. If you don't want to risk it tomorrow maybe give it a shot in a parkrun next week

Raging to be missing the beers as was really looking forward to it but I got a better offer :pac: only joking something actually came up!

Yeah- good advise. Did this a couple of races ago and it worked out pretty well. The only caveat is the nature of the JB course makes a pace the first 2 and absolutely empty the tank strategy attractive. That being said I kinda run that way anyways so not sure the watch has an effect either way.

Just so you know (an because I'm sick of the sandbagging on the A/R forum) I'm planning to drink Meno under the table tomorrow.

menoscemo

drquirky wrote: »

Just so you know (an because I'm sick of the sandbagging on the A/R forum) I'm planning to drink Meno under the table tomorrow.

Haha, bring it on. I'll even let you have one bottle of Coors light for every pint of strong craft beer I drink

TRR

drquirky wrote: »

Just so you know (an because I'm sick of the sandbagging on the A/R forum) I'm planning to drink Meno under the table tomorrow.

would you not pick a worthy opponent? Did you not see the state of him trying to complete the beer mile. Technically even ecoli beat him and it took ecoli 2 hours 3 minutes and 4 seconds to complete the mile!

menoscemo

TRR wrote: »

would you not pick a worthy opponent? Did you not see the state of him trying to complete the beer mile. Technically even ecoli beat him and it took ecoli 2 hours 3 minutes and 4 seconds to complete the mile!

I whooped E.coli :cool:

drquirky

TRR wrote: »

would you not pick a worthy opponent?

You can only beat what shows up on the day!

ecoli

menoscemo wrote: »

I whooped E.coli :cool:

Thankfully that ecoli is dead and buried I am now back to my old child hating always make time for training self (the alcohol side is probably in the same state though )

Best of luck tomorrow A

drquirky

16:38 today (M35 pb lol). Ran the second mile like a dope but had a good time- looking forward to later on. Great performances by a good few boardises today lots of PB's it seems

Also if there is an idiot award for the end of the year on boards- I forgot to wear my chip today so only my watch to go (was planning to run w/out one but had to change it up)- stupid!

ecoli

drquirky wrote: »

Also if there is an idiot award for the end of the year on boards- I forgot to wear my chip today so only my watch to go (was planning to run w/out one but had to change it up)- stupid!

Fair play on the result. Was wondering when didn't see you in the results I feared the worst.

Just think without official results and an old man memory you could go "old school" and that time could be sub 16 by the time you hit your 60s

TRR

I'm just glad I didn't break my arse making it in to the park for the team aspect with forgets ejits like yourself not even being able to remember your chip

ecoli

TRR wrote: »

I'm just glad I didn't break my arse making it in to the park for the team aspect with forgets ejits like yourself not even being able to remember your chip

Too busy doing your bit for Pat Spillane :pac:

ThePiedPiper

Ah come on I definitely deserve the stupidity award for starting the race in a portaloo..

TRR

ecoli wrote: »

Too busy doing your bit for Pat Spillane :pac:

Excuse me. I was park running it this morning.vhad a pair off GAA shorts on in fairness though.

drquirky

Race Report: Jingle Bells 5k

Was targeting this race to get the sub 16:30 monkey off my back. Have had a pretty decent year but have been in different kinds of shape at different times and just haven't managed to crack the 5k I want yet.

I've recently come off marathon training that built a good aerobic base and totally changed some of my strengths as a runner. I was pretty hopeful this would help translate to hitting the next level with the shorter stuff but reckon its a bit more of a slow burner than i had hoped (w/ my experience I real should remember big gains take time!) Anyway, headed into JB w/ a couple of 16:5x 5ks and some decent, pretty specific workouts under my belt.

Toed the line feeling reasonably confident of a 16:2x due to the nature of the course etc… Off went the race and I started well- not too hard but right on track- was behind the eventual female winner for a bit but started to up the pace a bit after 800m and dropped her. I fell in w/ Kiely Unusual and a few other fellas and we went through the first mile in 5:16 or so.

Here is where the concentration dropped and I ****ed up the race. I had passed KU and was feeling good in his group- as we headed up Chesterfield, he passed me and I didn't really react. The smart thing to do would have been to stay w/ the group- the wind was blowing and there was protection there. Instead I let myself slip to no mans land. Stupid, so stupid. Went through the 2nd mile in 5:26 and was 75-100m back on KU et al. What is crazy about this "strategy" is that I would have had no problem staying with them for at least that 2nd mile. I ran a 5:16/ 5:17 first 2 miles in Killarney a couple of weeks ago so- it wasn't as if I didn't have it. I just wasn't brave enough to go with them, simple as. I'd say they would have dropped me on the dh but I reckon it could have definitely brought me home in 16:2x or so

Third mile is )as almost every step in the PP) known to me and completely downhill. I spent the next 800m or so in that stupid, self imposed no man's land, taking wind all by my midget lonesome and was finally swallowed up by 2 fellas (some lad from North Belfast was one and maybe Gowran was the other). They passed me on the downhill but my pace was ok in this stretch- went through the 3rd mile in 5:17. Tried to race it for the sprint in but not bothered- fairly poor effort there.

Happy enough w/ the masters PB (only by a sec or 2) but annoyed I didn't have the courage when it counted (need to man up next time). Will keep plugging away as I feel 5k is a good distance for me and I do feel a return to sub 16 is eventually achievable but will really need to look at toughing up a bit more. Will write this one down to experience and hopefully cash it in at the Clonliffe race in a couple weeks.

drquirky

Sunday off- hungover

Monday off- lazy

Tuesday 9 miles including 5 mile tempo in 30:01 6:05, 5:52, 5:56, 6:03, 6:00

Fairly poor tempo. Legs didn't feel good- maybe should have done something else but lashed into it anyways. was up on the acres with the wind blowing (but it always blows up there) Was really struggling to hold the pace at tempo level. I wanted 5:47-5:50 miles for this session but it just wasn't there. I've neglected tempo's lately so maybe this is a reason but a little frustrated with this session

Really the only positive is I didn't quit- I felt like bagging it at 20mins but I said screw it, put the head down and finished. A good min slower than my far more comfortable last 5mile tempo but I guess somedays you eat the bar and other days the bar eats you….guess it was just a day like that.

The concept of active recovery was driven home to me today as I simply wasn't; fresh and still felt the race in my legs… am thinking of an LSR tomorrow (just 90 mins) or so but am open to having sense talked to me….

drquirky

Today - 90 mins of very very easy mostly recovery running. Sunset in Phoenix Park was stunning this evening. Legs a little sore but over the 7 days between Tues-Tues last week I did a 1500 pace 300 w/out, a 5k race and a 5 mile tempo. :eek: Reckon its easy running for the next few days and maybe drop one more session before The Clonliffe race on the 22nd- I wanna be fresh of that one

11.9 miles 7:47 p/m

ecoli

drquirky wrote: »

Today - 90 mins of very very easy mostly recovery running. Sunset in Phoenix Park was stunning this evening. Legs a little sore but over the 7 days between Tues-Tues last week I did a 1500 pace 300 w/out, a 5k race and a 5 mile tempo. :eek: Reckon its easy running for the next few days and maybe drop one more session before The Clonliffe race on the 22nd- I wanna be fresh of that one

11.9 miles 7:47 p/m

K reps Saturday morning if you interested?

TRR

ecoli wrote: »

K reps Saturday morning if you interested?

Or a parkrun? or are you pussies afraid that the fat auld lad will put ya in your place

drquirky

Oops! Let this go for a while. Last three weeks have been pretty consistent despite the Christmas madness! Highlights have included a crazy/ gale force park run in Marlay, a hail ridden, freezing X-Mas Cracker 5k(16:49) a nice 15 miler easy 2 days ago, a hilly 10miler on X-Mas eve in Leitrim, a 4 mile hilly tempo in Leitrim on X-Mas day @ 5:49 p/m etc etc. Coming into the 2014 in pretty decent shape.

The question is, where to from here?

2013 Review

PB's 2:50 (Marathon ) finally ran an ok marathon. After my epic blow up in 2011 (3:16) hit a big pb on a hot day in Budapest

59:01 10mi @ Frank Duffy. My first crack at the distance so happy enough w/ that but can be improved for sure

1:18:20 HM in Athlone. Again- a good PB but can improve

I'm still a good bit off my 3k-10k PB's set at 19-20 years of age (maybe will never get back to them as don't seem to have the raw speed I had then )

So with all this in mind my goals for 2014

5k - 16:15
5mile- 27 flat
10k- 34:10
10mile -57
HM 1:16
Marathon 2:43
Beer Mile - sub 8

The big long term goal is a sub 2:40 in Boston 2015. We've another baby due in February so that could throw a spanner in the works but feel like I'll be able to hold a decent level of fitness running really easy for 6-8 weeks while the baby is a newborn and go from there.

Thanks to all who helped out w/ runs/comments/advise etc this year. Good luck to all w/ your goals for 2014!

drquirky

Also plan on hitting the Tom Brennan 5k on New Year's day- anyone else running it? One of my favourite races every year!

AuldManKing

Its been a good year Dr. Q

That's a mighty fine list of goals for next year - certainly stretching yourself.

Not doing the Tom B myself this year, going to give it a miss, but might pop down to watch.

drquirky

AuldManKing wrote: »

Its been a good year Dr. Q

That's a mighty fine list of goals for next year - certainly stretching yourself.

Not doing the Tom B myself this year, going to give it a miss, but might pop down to watch.

Not tempted to try for sub 18 that day? That course is quick and you know it well….

menoscemo

I'll probably do the Tom B, will be signing up on the day if so...

drquirky

menoscemo wrote: »

I'll probably do the Tom B, will be signing up on the day if so...

Yup- I'm the same Meno…If the wind is ridic I'll give it a miss cause honestly can't face another soul destroying slog through gale force winds...

AuldManKing

Any wind will be in your face on the furze road then on your back for the 0.5m stretch at O.S road, also on your back for the bit down Chesterfield.

menoscemo

drquirky wrote: »

Yup- I'm the same Meno…If the wind is ridic I'll give it a miss cause honestly can't face another soul destroying slog through gale force winds...

Yeah, that's my thinking too, If I am not doing that I am thinking of the ferrycarig 5 mile on the 12th...

drquirky

menoscemo wrote: »

Yeah, that's my thinking too, If I am not doing that I am thinking of the ferrycarig 5 mile on the 12th...

Ran the ferrycarrig last yr. Good race. Aren't the master's xc's on the weekend of the 12th?

drquirky

AuldManKing wrote: »

Any wind will be in your face on the furze road then on your back for the 0.5m stretch at O.S road, also on your back for the bit down Chesterfield.

Furze is the most downhill stretch of the course though, right?