The Windy Road to Nowhere

ThePiedPiper

Mon 17: 4.5 miles in 33:23 (7:25)

Sore groin, trying to look after it.

Tues 18 - Thurs 20: 5 miles run mute each day (7:4x)

Easy running each day, groin seemed to be getting better, didn’t chance a session on the track.

Sun 23: 17.5 miles in 2:04 (7:08)

I went out intending to go easy and to be honest, wasn’t really pushing much at any point. Ended up however, with 8 miles at 6:4x-6:5x pace. Backed off after that. Groin felt good on the run, but tight after.

I’ll take a bit of an easy week this week, bit of restricted movements going on and I think my little niggle could do with a few more days rest.

ThePiedPiper

Thurs 27th: 4.1 miles in 31:16 (7:38)

Strange sort of week, but as I had sort of planned, I think my body was happy enough for the rest.

Sun 30th: 10 miles in 70 (7:00)

Nice to be back on the road after an easy week. Groin seems happier.

Mon 31st: 10 miles in 71:42 (7:10)

Back running around the streets and roads around Dundalk. Met a club mate randomly and ran along together for a bit.

146 miles for the month is a pretty reasonable January for me. 3 long runs of 16-18 miles with another few 10+ miles run. Couple of sessions on the track felt like a good plan but in hindsight, I’m just not sure if hard running on the track at close to freezing temperatures did my niggly groin any favours. Steady, slower running beats getting hurt for the sake of a session any day of the week, so I’ll take it easy for a while yet.

ThePiedPiper

Mon 7 Feb: 10 miles in 71:39 (7:10)

9, 10, 11: 4.8 each day (7:30ish)

Sun 13: 7.5 miles in 52:34 (7:00)

Mon 14: 10 miles in 1:13 (7:18)

15, 16, 17, 18: 4.8 miles each is 7:30 avg

Sun 21: 4.1 miles in 28:36 (6:59)

Mon 21: 10 miles in 69:28 (6:57)

Tues 22: 5.2 miles in 40 (7:42)

Fri 25: 5 miles in 36:36 (7:19)

sun 27: 5 miles in 38 (7:35)

Mon 28: 10 miles in 71 (7:09)

Tues, Weds 1&2 March: 4.8 at 7:30ish

Sun 6: 16 miles in 1:58 (7:23)

8, 9, 10, 11: 4.8 miles in 7:30avg

Strange month in work, injury just simmering below the surface, miserable weather, and busy with lots of random stuff meant a very unsatisfactory February. I’ll have to be realistic now with my goals for Connemara, as chasing a hard target at this point will only aggravate the little injury. Lately it’s more like two steps forward, one back, so I’ll not push my luck.

ThePiedPiper

Mon 14 March: 10 miles in 68:15 (6:49)

Normal Monday run in Dundalk. Put a little bit of pace into it, felt comfortable.

Sat 19: 4.1 miles in 30:46 (7:30)

Busy few days with normal routine changed a bit. Figured the few days off might be good for this persistent groin strain.

Sat 20: 21 miles in 2:38 (7:34)

First proper long run in a while. Quite w windy day but lovely spring sunshine. Kept the pace steady (7:15-20) most of the time, knowing that I’d be up against it with the wind on the last 5 miles uphill from Dunleer. Felt fairly strong, quite comfortable up to 17 miles, then just backed off for the last few. Groin felt grand on the run but sore in the hours after.

I will just have to content myself with how things have gone over the spring, I haven’t managed to train how I wanted to, but it’s fine. Ill try to get a couple of long runs in over the next few weeks, but it’s unlikely I’ll be able to target sub3. First world problems and all of that.

ThePiedPiper

Sun 21 March: 4.45 miles in 35 (7:53)

Weds 24: 4.8 miles in 36:17 (7:34)

Thurs 25: 4.8 miles in 36 (7:32)

Mon 28: 12.4 miles in 1:23 (6:42)

Tues 29: 4.8 miles in 37:40 (7:51)

Fri 1st Apr: 4.75 miles in 36:18 (7:39)

More frustration with little injuries as I pulled a muscle in my lower back on the above run. Could barely stand up and walk for a week. Marathon was looking like a distant dream.

Fri 8th April: 4.8 miles in 37:56 (7:54)

Mon 11th: 11.2 miles in 1:21 (7:15)

Tues 12: 6 miles in 46:38 (7:46)

Weds 13: 6 miles in 44:56 (7:29)

Sat 16: 4.1 miles in 30:29 (7:26)

Mon 18: 10 miles in 1:11 (7:09)

Fri 22: 5 miles in 39:38 (7:55)

Well, that wraps up a very unsatisfactory spring marathon training block. Given the good shape I was in coming into winter, I had hoped to put myself in with a shout of a very strong marathon. Unfortunately, I’ve just had constant little niggles and have never been able to put a few good weeks together.

The wind is howling in Connemara, I’ve hardly any proper long runs done. I reckon I’ll just run by feel on Sunday and try to get through the distance without hurting myself.

ThePiedPiper

2022 Connemarathon Race Report

This was one of the more frustrating training blocks I’ve had. I appeared to be in decent shape November and was really confident I could push on over the winter. Anyway, it wasn’t to be so it was a case of salvaging a half decent race, and hoping not to get too injured. With a strong easterly breeze and bright sunshine, it was clear that conditions were going to be tricky. So, my goal was to ensure I ran faster than 3:16, my time from Connemarathon 2007. This being my 30th marathon, and first return to Connemara since dropping out of the 2016 Ultra, I knew it would require a bit of good luck.

That said, when we headed for the off, I had no clear plan apart from running on feel and enjoying it. Shortly after the start, there was a clear front group of 10-12, and a bit of a gap back. I decided on the hoof to hang onto the tail end of the first group, which split up quickly into 3 or 4 smaller groups. First couple of miles, I was surprised that there was no wind so made good ground during the first six miles, running comfortably in the 6:40s. I was running along with a lad from Navan AC, and the scenery, running and company was good.

Turning East onto the Leenaun road, any dreams of an easy, leisurely 3 hours went right out the window. The wind just whipped into our faces, heading uphill, heart rate up to 190s! Real tough work, but thankfully there was downhill to come. Still, hard work right the way to Leenaun alongside Killary fjord. Coming into the village, we passed halfway in1:30:20, knowing that worse was to come.

Slotting in with the half runners, climbing up the hills again, my long time companion suddenly dropped off and bade me good luck. Cresting the hill and heading for Maam I got right back on pace, back into 6:40s-50s again. There was no group to work in so was just trying to keep the effort levels good and not destroy myself. At 20 miles, I was probably on for 3:05, but the downhill into Maam was sending warning shots in various areas all over my body. Surely the wind would get behind me, lift me up and deposit me at the top of the mountain, and I’d sprint the last two miles downhill to Maam Cross to finish in 2:56 to get on the podium?

Unfortunately, none of that happened. Wind was still in my face, I had to run up what felt like Mt Everest mixed with Death Valleyesque soaring temperatures. I had the indignity of getting passed out by a fellow marathoner and about 100 half marathoners who had the cheek to be running normally. 6:50s had gone to 7s, to 8s to 9:45 on Mile 24. I may as well have been 50 miles from the finish. Then mercifully, I reached the top of Mt Everest and realised I’d only about a mile and a half to run. I thought for a couple of minutes that my hamstring was going to spontaneously combust, so there was no glorious burst for home, but I did manage to get back down to 7:xx pace for the last two miles.

My wife and four children gave me a huge cheer, and I got over the line in 3:10:21 for 8th

TG4 grabbed me for an interview when they heard me talking Gaeilge, so we all ended up ar an Nuacht, deireadh an-deas leis an lá.

The 500 metre walk back to the car was horrendous, lots of pain, far harder than the marathon in fact, but I was very happy with the performance. Tough day for running, rubbish training, foolhardy (zero) strategy, I think I can be very proud of how I did today.