Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.

adrian522

Week of 20/11...

Monday - 6.3 Miles @ 9:02

Tuesday

AM - 3.2 Miles @ 8:47
PM - Club Session

Session was Hills and Sprints. 8 reps, which is about the usual for me. Tough session, last session before Lanzarote.

Wednesday - 5.5 Miles @ 8:54

Thursday - 6.3 Miles @ 8:46

Friday - 7 Miles @ 8:50

Saturday - 4 Miles @ 8:58

Sunday - 10K Race (43:44)

The first race in La Santa, 10K, mainly on roads.It was windy as hell, 3 laps around 2 miles each. As is usual around there, it was not measured accurately but it was a very tough run with the wind being about the worst I've ever raced in.

Always nice to get the first one done, can't really read much into the time but I'd have thought i would have went better given the effort I put into it.

Total for the week: 46.5 Miles.

adrian522

Week of 27/11

Monday - 13K Ridge Run

Another Day, another race. The wind was possibly worse today than on Monday. I remember quite enjoying this race the previous year. General Strategy being to take it easy up the hills in the first half then cut loose in the second half, overtaking all and sundry on the way back down.

The first half of this plan worked perfectly. But the windy conditions took their toll and I was unable to push on in the second half. Total finish time of 1:05:48, which is a bit slower than the previous year. It was a tough outing and still 2 races to come.

Tuesday - 5K Beach Race

Running through the sand is never much fun, and it is more akin to running cross country than to a normal 5K as you get a mix of soft sand and hard sand. I slogged through it without killing myself and finished in 25:05. A minute or so slower than the previous year. This wasn't as tough as I remembered from last year but still goes down as my slowest ever 5K!

Wednesday - 21K Race

Continuing the tradition of races not measured properly, this one came in closer to 20K than 21K, last years editon was closer to 22K.

Anyway the course was nice, scenic. No sign of the wind that dogged the first 2 races but it was very warm. Nice complaint to have at the end of November though.

Started out quite well but started to struggle around halfway. The last 3 or 4 miles were a bit of an ordeal but I wasn't the only one as better runners than me also struggled.

The shoes I had this week, NB 1400, didn't perform very well and I was regretting not having a different pair for this.

Finally finished in 1:36:49 for 12.4 Miles. Not sure what to make of it. Overall the 4 races are hard to get a handle on. Good session if nothing else and I expect a decent fitness boost from them.

Time for some beers and Pizza after 4 tough days!

Thursday - 4 Miles @ 9:30 m/m

Got out for 4 recovery miles in the afternoon after some mountain biking in the morning.

Friday

Managed an Aqua Jogging Session (30 Mins), 2 Miles Easy and an impromptu beer Mile (Not a full Mile and not full beers, but still fun) on the Friday!

Saturday - 7.7 Miles @ 8:45 m/m

An Easy version of the very scenic Ridge Run. Great views from the top and a lot more enjoyable when not racing it.

Sunday - 12 Miles @ 8:39

Home Sweet home and 12 Miles very easy around Tymon this morning. Plan had been to get back up to watch the Cross Country but didn't manage it.

Total for the week is 54 Miles.

adrian522

Days Running|30/30
Sessions|6
Long Runs|4
Races|5
PB's|0

Month|2013|2014|2015|2016|2017
January|7|0|191|73.5|133.3
February|10|53|196|104.1|165.9
March|7|111|207.9|70|186.9
April|26|154|165.2|74.9|203.2
May|69|121|219.7|128.6|193
June|75|93|257.4|183.2|179.3
July|67|212|151.2|236.4|242.1
August|101|233|132.7|279.7|255.7
September|85|261|31.6|191.2|151.1
October|4|179|63.6|106.6|167.4
November|13|28|17.5|154.9|223.3
December|6|163|21|151.3
Total|471.2|1606.2|1654.8|1757.3|2130

November, ran every day, went over 2000 Miles for the first time. Had a BHAA Cross County Race and the 4 races in La Santa.

Happy with the consistent training. I've an entry for Berlin so the plan will be to maintain around 50-55 Miles per week over the next few months.

December I'll have one Cross Country race, apart from that I'll hope to get in 2 sessions per week and a long run.

adrian522

Monday - 5.8 Miles @ 8:42 m/m

Tuesday - AM - 4 Miles @ 8:41
PM - Club Session


Session is 2 laps of the Terenure Lap, so essentially a 5 Mile tempo or thereabouts. 4.7 Miles @ 6:48 m/m, pretty quick, Close to LT pace so happy with that.

Wednesday - 9.4 Miles @ 9:08 m/m

Thursday - 4.6 Miles @ 8:54 m/m

Friday - 8 Miles @ 8:57 m/m

Saturday - Club Session

6 x 800m on Grass.

This session was on the grass in Bushy Park, Cross Country-ish in parts. Overall good session, paces were as follows:

6:47/6:50/6:45/6:52/6:45/6:56

Finished off with some sprints/Strides.

Sunday - Off

Post Christmas party hangover meant a day off bringing an end a streak of 41 days.

adrian522

Monday - 6.2 Miles @ 9:19

Tuesday AM -3.2 Miles @ 8:46

PM - Club Session

4 x (600m/800m)

Paces were:

600|800
6:36|6:09
6:34|6:18
6:38|6:20
6:42|6:18

The 600's are slightly uphill and the 800's slightly downhill so that is why the 800's are a bit faster.

Wednesday - 6.9 Miles @ 8:40

Thursday - 5.3 Miles @ 8:17

Friday - 4.7 Miles @ 8:51

Saturday - 4 Miles @ 8:39

Sunday - National Novice CC

Last position probably!

OOnegative

Best of luck tomorrow, far from last you'll be.

Wubble Wubble

adrian522 wrote: »

Monday - 6.2 Miles @ 9:19


Sunday - National Novice CC

Last position probably!

Not at all.

Give it your best and stay with it till the end, you never know.

That long consecutive running days streak is something that a lot of the others tomorrow won't have.

Murph_D

Good luck, Adrian.

Testosterscone

adrian522 wrote: »

Sunday - National Novice CC

Last position probably!

Probably not

Well done today man

adrian522

Testosterscone wrote: »

Probably not

Well done today man

Thanks, I treat these races more like a means to an end than a target in themselves.

Hopefully they stand to me for the masters CC in January and particularly for the road races that will follow.

Unfortunately my spikes didn't survive the race, bug rip down the side. Only lasted 40 odd miles.

Met Jebus down there, he had a great run as would be expected.

For me, I found the going tough. It was a tough course and conditions weren't bad but sections were very muddy which isn't great. Also really steep uphill section which seemed to worse every lap.

Anyway 185/186

Wubble Wubble

adrian522 wrote: »

Thanks, I treat these races more like a means to an end than a target in themselves.

Hopefully they stand to me for the masters CC in January and particularly for the road races that will follow.

Unfortunately my spikes didn't survive the race, bug rip down the side. Only lasted 40 odd miles.

Met Jebus down there, he had a great run as would be expected.

For me, I found the going tough. It was a tough course and conditions weren't bad but sections were very muddy which isn't great. Also really steep uphill section which seemed to worse every lap.

Anyway 185/186

Seemingly it was tough enough going for all, even those who managed to complete with their spikes intact. Being the last race of the day hardly helped.

Comparing times, I see you were over two minutes quicker in Santry. There's no way you'd run two 6k races with such a differential on the road. Just shows you how (ir)relevant times are in XC :eek:

See you at the Dublin Masters. You'll be a lot further up the order in that one.

adrian522

Absolutely, the 2 courses are like night and day. That was probably the toughest route I've run in my short CC career.

adrian522

Monday - Off

Tuesday - 10 Miles @ 8:54 m/m

Part Commute, Part Club Session, Part Long Run. Kept it easy down at the club session the Tuesday after the national novice, adding a little by running from the office and then running home afterwards.

Wednesday - AM 3.2 Miles @8:54 m/m
PM - 5.3 @ 9:00 m/m

Just easy running again today.

Thursday - Tempo Intervals

Off work, so headed up to Tymon for a Tempo from the Pfitzinger Faster Road Running Plan. 20 mins/18mins @ Tempo.

This was tough. The first 20 mins was hard but just about hung on. The 18 mins I just had to forget about the pace and go as hard as I could. Ended up as 7:08/7:31. More work to be done on these sorts of runs.

Friday - 5 Miles @ 8:54 m/m

Recovery run.

Saturday - Marlay Parkrun - 20:59

A few from the club hit up the Marlay parkrun, good blowout. It's a nice course, never done it before, very big turnout. Steady enough for the first uphill KM then pushed on as best I could. Watch was acting up so I'd no idea what pace was like until I finished. 6 Miles in total.

Sunday - 12.2 Miles @ 8:15 m/m

Christmas eve long run, pushed the pace on a bit as I was feeling good. Enjoyable enough run (for a solo long run). Nice end to the week.

Total for the week - 52.8 Miles

adrian522

Monday - 6 Miles @ 8:50 m/m

Christmas morning run in a very wet Kilkenny. Joined the Kilkenny Running Club for their Christmas morning run.

Tuesday - 5.3 Miles @ 8:56 m/m

Very easy run on a very delicate stomach

Wednesday - 8.8 Miles @ 8:36 m/m

Thursday - Club Session

It was Baltic for this run. Bandstand lap in Bushy park. Its a hilly enough route, about 1.1 Miles.

7:16/7:21/7:30/7:41

Glad to get it done.

Friday - Wicklow Way Run

A few from the club met up to run a leg of the Wicklow Way relay from Roundwood to Glendalough and back. It was a great day and really enjoyable run. Even if it was nearly double the advertised distance!

Saturday - Kilkenny Parkrun

Hit up the Kilkenny Parkrun and ran it as a Tempo run, pace was 7:21m/m which is decent enough on that course.

Total for the day was 6.9 Miles.

Sunday - 7 Miles @ 8:45 m/m

More easy miles on another hangover!

Total for the week was 52.2 Miles.

adrian522

Days Running|29/31
Sessions|7
Long Runs|4
Races|2
PB's|0

Month|2013|2014|2015|2016|2017
January|7|0|191|73.5|133.3
February|10|53|196|104.1|165.9
March|7|111|207.9|70|186.9
April|26|154|165.2|74.9|203.2
May|69|121|219.7|128.6|193
June|75|93|257.4|183.2|179.3
July|67|212|151.2|236.4|242.1
August|101|233|132.7|279.7|255.7
September|85|261|31.6|191.2|151.1
October|4|179|63.6|106.6|167.4
November|13|28|17.5|154.9|223.3
December|6|163|21|151.3|213.7
Total|471.2|1606.2|1654.8|1757.3|2318.6

2 Races in December, one XC effort which was tough and I guess 'character building'. The other was an all out effort at the Marlay Parkrun, came up with 21 mins or thereabouts.

Good consistency in the mileage and the sessions, so happy with that. For January I'm looking at 2 XC races on back to back weekends. I may give Raheny a miss not sure about that yet. All in all the base building is progressing well and looking good to take down some PB's in early 2018.

adrian522

#|Month|Race|Result|Comment
1|January|Dublin Masters XC|227/261|First championship XC race, tough going
2|January|Leinster Masters XC|144/159|As above, found it tough. Not sure how to judge these races.
3|January|Raheny|33:45|Good effort PB, Had been sick in the run up to it.
4|March|Ballycotton 10|72.09|PB but not very happy, had been hoping to go close to 70 mins. But a PB is a PB as they say.
5|March|K-Club 10K|43.06|Great day, good run but time a refelction on current level of fitness.
6|April|GIR 10K|43.48|Good effort, its a tough course but thought I ran well.
7|May|Leinster Masters 6km|24:07|Great race in Gowran, a highlight of the year, Happy with my performance and time.
8|May|Dunboyne 5 Mile|32.54|A great race and delighted with my run, a min off my run in Raheny
9|June|Patrick Bell 5km|20:00|Good race, came up with 20:00, PB, but a little disappointed.
10|June|Trinity Track 800m|2:45|First 800m, went out too hard but held on for4th place.
11|June|Trinity Track 2000m|7:41|Paced this one better and finished in 2nd place.
12|June|Dunshaughlin 10K|41:20|Target race, delighted with a big PB. Set me up well for the second half of the year.
13|June|St. Coca's 5k|19:36|Delighted with this, was hoping for 19:59. Nothing like cashing in on fitness gains.
14|August|Tymon Parkrun|20:55|Good effort but hard to run PB's on this course
15|August|Frank Duffy 10 Mile|71:10|another 10 Mile PB but again disappointed with my time. I've yet to nail a 10 Mile race.
16|September|BHAA Pfizer 5K|19.32|This came out of nowhere but I was delighted with it coming off HM training.
17|September|Charleville HM|1:32:23|Target Race, big PB, delighted with this one as my 2 target races were very successful
18|October|BHAA Teachers XC|94/140|Bad day out, thought I'd go better than this but XC is difficult
19|October|Leinster Novice XC|10/108|Happy with this effort, super high standard but happy with how I ran.
20|November|BHAA Irish Life XC|85/195|Good result a good improvement on the previous year
21|November|La Santa 10k|43:46
22|November|La Santa 13K|1:05:47
23|November|La Santa 5k|25:11
24|November|La Santa 21K|1:36:47|I didn't take any of these races too seriously and the results reflect that! Good week though.
25|December|National Novice XC|185/186|Tough course and tough day out. Good experience though. I'd do this race again.
26|December|Marlay Parkrun|21:01|Bit of a pre Christmas Blowout. Good course in Marlay and happy with the effort.

Lots and lots of races. My plan for the year was to skip the marathons and try to improve at all the other distances.

Some of my PB's were quite old but I managed to take down all my PB's from 5K to Half Marathon. My main target races were Dunshaughlin and Charleville and I was happy with how I went in both races.

Other races I was happy with were St Cocas 5K and Pfizer 5K as well as the BHAA 5 Mile race.

Delighted with my progress this year but I really should have a sub 70 10 Mile at this stage.

For next year, lots more races (I like racing so I'll do it as much as I can get away with).

Main target will be a sub 3:15 marathon in Berlin. Other target races will be 10K in National 10K and Dunshaughlin, 5 Mile in Dunboyne and a 5K in May sometime.

I've also got HM's in Madrid (April) and Cork (June) though may not race both all out.

For the second half of the year, I'l be building towards Berlin so will ease off on the races, and I'll hope to run XC again next year.

Progress this year has been:

Dist|PB Dec 16|PB Dec 17
800m|-|2:45
2000|-|7:41
5km|20:06|19:32
6km|-|24:07
5 Mile|35:43|32:54
10K|42:08|41:20
10 Mile|73:57|71:10
Half Marathon|1:39:15|1:32:23

adrian522

Day|Time|Dist/Pace|Comment
Monday|AM|7.3 Miles @ 8:24|Easy run incorporating a steady New Years Day Parkrun in Tymon (23:57)
Tuesday|PM|9.6 Miles @ 8:57|Club Session, 5 x Bank Lap. Windy as hell.
Wedensday|PM|6.2 Miles @ 9:20 m/m|Windy as hell again.
Thursday|AM|3.2 Miles @ 8:42 m/m|Commute
Thursday|PM|5.5 Miles @ 8:31 m/m|Ballyboden Lap on the easy side of steady
Friday|PM|Off|Rest Day|
Saturday|AM|4 Miles @ 8:44 m/m|Breaking in the new spikes with a few muddy laps around Bushy Park and some strides.
Sunday|AM|3.8 Miles @ 7:15 m/m|Dublin Masters CC

43.2 Miles for the week, which is about a 10 mile reduction on the previous few weeks. The stormy weather was at its worst for the club session on Tuesday night. 5 laps of just under 1 mile, paces were around 7:15-7:20. Nothing spectacular but given the weather situation hard to read anything into it.

Thursdays run home was horrendous as well. Pretty much into the wind the whole way, I was really glad when that was over.

Sunday's race was ok. It was great to meet so familiar faces from these parts and there some great runs. The atmosphere down there was brilliant and it made for a great day.

My own run was ok, I started fairly far back and tried to settle into a decent pace without sabotaging the rest of my race. Perhaps I should have gone out harder but I had memories of really struggling last year.

The 2nd lap I was pushing a bit more but still not really struggling. It was about half way around the third lap that I started to feel it and I was digging deep pretty much the whole way around the last lap. I got overtaken by a guy about 300 meters from home, but I was bale to pick it up and make back a place on the line from someone else. Overall a good race but not a great run from myself. Lap times were: 7:29/6:48/6:53/6:44, though the first lap is a little longer so would be slower. Finished position 217 of 279.

Running the mile indoor this week and the Leinster Masters on Sunday.

Annie get your Run

You've had a super year Adrian, congrats on all your achievements! Will hopefully be down supporting on Sunday .

adrian522

Annie get your Run wrote: »

You've had a super year Adrian, congrats on all your achievements! Will hopefully be down supporting on Sunday .

Thanks! Last year was successful alright, but I seem to have gone back in fitness recently. 21 mins for Marlay Parkrun at close to full effort. This is to be expected though with not much speed work getting done, more base building, tempo, longer intervals at the moment.

Wubble Wubble

adrian522 wrote: »

Day|Time|Dist/Pace|Comment
Monday|AM|7.3 Miles @ 8:24|Easy run incorporating a steady New Years Day Parkrun in Tymon (23:57)
Tuesday|PM|9.6 Miles @ 8:57|Club Session, 5 x Bank Lap. Windy as hell.
Wedensday|PM|6.2 Miles @ 9:20 m/m|Windy as hell again.
Thursday|AM|3.2 Miles @ 8:42 m/m|Commute
Thursday|PM|5.5 Miles @ 8:31 m/m|Ballyboden Lap on the easy side of steady
Friday|PM|Off|Rest Day|
Saturday|AM|4 Miles @ 8:44 m/m|Breaking in the new spikes with a few muddy laps around Bushy Park and some strides.
Sunday|AM|3.8 Miles @ 7:15 m/m|Dublin Masters CC
43.2 Miles for the week, which is about a 10 mile reduction on the previous few weeks. The stormy weather was at its worst for the club session on Tuesday night. 5 laps of just under 1 mile, paces were around 7:15-7:20. Nothing spectacular but given the weather situation hard to read anything into it.

Thursdays run home was horrendous as well. Pretty much into the wind the whole way, I was really glad when that was over.

Sunday's race was ok. It was great to meet so familiar faces from these parts and there some great runs. The atmosphere down there was brilliant and it made for a great day.

My own run was ok, I started fairly far back and tried to settle into a decent pace without sabotaging the rest of my race. Perhaps I should have gone out harder but I had memories of really struggling last year.

The 2nd lap I was pushing a bit more but still not really struggling. It was about half way around the third lap that I started to feel it and I was digging deep pretty much the whole way around the last lap. I got overtaken by a guy about 300 meters from home, but I was bale to pick it up and make back a place on the line from someone else. Overall a good race but not a great run from myself. Lap times were: 7:29/6:48/6:53/6:44, though the first lap is a little longer so would be slower. Finished position 217 of 279.

Running the mile indoor this week and the Leinster Masters on Sunday.

Part of me would love to give the indoor mile a crack, unfit as I am. Can't spare the time though, even living fairly near the NIA! See you on Sunday.

adrian522

Day|Time|Dist/Pace|Comment
Monday|PM|4.7 Miles @ 8:44 m/m|Commute, Easy.
Tuesday|AM|3.1 Miles @ 8:37 m/m|Commute, Easy.
Tuesday|PM|6.7 Miles @ 8:25 m/m|Easy, with some steady at the club session.
Wednesday|PM|7 Miles @ 8:57 m/m|Commute, Easy.
Thursday|AM|3.2 Miles @ 8:34 m/m|Commute
Thursday|PM|NIA 1 Mile Race|Mile race at the NIA, good fun, though we did an extra lap so I still don't really have a mile PB.
Friday|PM|8.2 @ 8:52 m/m|Easy Miles after work
Saturday|AM|5 Miles @ 8:53 m/m|Easy Miles with some strides
Sunday|AM|Leinster Masters XC|Good day out in Dunboyne

The first few days of the week I took it easy recovering from the race. On Thursday I went out to Abootstown to have a crack at the indoor mile. It's a great setup out there and I enjoyed the run. unfortunately we ended up running an extra lap so my time of 6:53 is pretty irrelevant. Time was apparently around 6:13 for the mile, but I'll head out again on the 25th to give it another go.

Today's race was more like proper Cross Country than last week. I felt I ran a bit better as well. Started off at a decent pace and was able to maintain this most of the way around even picking it up a bit on the last lap. The most pleasing thing was being able to make up a few places on the last lap instead of losing a few as I usually do.

Finished in position 143/158. A whole 1 place better than last year but a much better run.

Total for the week is 47.6 Miles.

Wottle

That's annoying. Happened in one of the juvenile indoor 1500m Dub champs last year as well.
Did you run in the CK race?

adrian522

Wottle wrote: »

That's annoying. Happened in one of the juvenile indoor 1500m Dub champs last year as well.
Did you run in the CK race?

Yeah I did, it was good, wide range of standards. I thought I was going out too fast, then a few laps later I thought I was going too slowly and was able to pick it up significantly, I guess it takes practice to get the pacing right.

Two very different races this week:D

Wottle

adrian522 wrote: »

Yeah I did, it was good, wide range of standards. I thought I was going out too fast, then a few laps later I thought I was going too slowly and was able to pick it up significantly, I guess it takes practice to get the pacing right.

Two very different races this week:D

Sounds like you've definitely got sub 6 in you, if not faster. The track does take a little getting used to. First time I was out there I had one of your clubmates to follow round. She was comfortably under 6 and think faster again in the Sonia race. Could be someone to help with the pacing.

adrian522

Wottle wrote: »

Sounds like you've definitely got sub 6 in you, if not faster. The track does take a little getting used to. First time I was out there I had one of your clubmates to follow round. She was comfortably under 6 and think faster again in the Sonia race. Could be someone to help with the pacing.

Ha, wouldn't be keeping up with her at the moment. At about 5.40 she ran last week !

Wottle

adrian522 wrote: »

Ha, wouldn't be keeping up with her at the moment. At about 5.40 she ran last week !

You never know, we finished beside each other in a parkrun before xmas

adrian522

Day|Time|Dist/Pace|Comment
Monday|PM|Off|
Tuesday|PM|3.2 Miles @ 9:00 m/m|Commute, Easy.
Tuesday|PM|5 Miles @ 8:16 m/m|Steady (2 Terenure Laps), kept steady as still recovering from the race.
Wednesday|AM|3.2 Miles @ 8:44 m/m|Commute, Easy.
Wednesday|PM|6.9 Miles @ 8:40 m/m|Treadmill Easy,boring as hell.
Thursday|PM|9 Miles @ 7:55|Club Session - 3 x Tesco Lap (around 1.8 Miles).
Friday|PM|6 Miles @ 8:58 m/m|Easy/Recovery
Saturday|AM|7.3 Miles |XC Session
Sunday|AM|13.2 Miles @ 8:36 m/m|Long run around Kilkenny in heavy rain

Good week, I guess dominated by the weather. I took a rest day after Sundays race and got back at it on Tuesday, running home from work and then running steady at the club session. Running through the snow wasn't half a pleasant as it sounds. Wednesday evening I took the soft option and the treadmill. Still as boring as ever.

Thursdays session was a good one, felt like the first session in a while. 3 laps of 1.8 Miles @ around 10K effort. Splits were 6:44, 6:52, 7:00.

Saturday went with the XC session up in the Phoenix Park. Weather was agian miserable, didn't stop raining during the whole thing. Muddy as hell. 3 x 2.5K laps up near the fort. Good session but due to the low numbers was really nowhere to hide. Was supposed to get 2 mins recovery but was closer to 1 as I was a bit slower than everyone else.

Finished up today with a first long run since over Christmas. 13+ Miles in a fairly torrential downpour. Good weeks training but I won't miss this weather.

Total for the week: 54.3 Miles. Next up indoor mile and Raheny 5 Mile!

OOnegative

Best of luck in Raheny tomorrow A, have a great race. Run well.

adrian522

OOnegative wrote: »

Best of luck in Raheny tomorrow A, have a great race. Run well.

Thanks, not sure if it will be an all out effort yet, but probably will be but off no taper and the mile race on Thursday I don't have huge expectations.

adrian522

Day|Time|Dist/Pace|Comment
Monday|PM|6.2 Miles @ 8:51|Commute/Rcovery
Tuesday|AM|3.1 Miles @ 8:36 m/m|Commute, Easy.
Tuesday|PM|5.6 @ 8:29 m/m|Club Session - Hills & Sprints
Wednesday|PM|7.1 Miles @ 8:54 m/m|Commute - Recovery
Thursday|AM|3.2 Miles @ 8:36 m/m|Commute - Easy
Thursday|PM|1 Mile @ 6:53|NIA Live - 1 Mile Race
Friday|PM|8 Miles @ 8:42 m/m|Easy Post work run.
Saturday|AM|5 Miles @ 8:41 |Easy with Strides
Sunday|PM|5 Miles @ 6:30 m/m|Raheny 5 Mile

Tuesday's session was Hills and Sprints, I normally go with 8,but in an attempt to save myself for Thursday I went with 6 instead.

Thursday, went back to the National Indoor arena for another Mile race. I'm really starting to enjoy these. This time I wanted to pace it better and most importantly run 8 laps and only 8 laps!. Murph_D and Wubble Wubble as well as Dubgal and around 4 clubmates were lining up for this so I knew most people in the race.

I started in the outside and ended up running in lane 3 for a while. At one point D went past but I elected to let him go but did go past one or 2 others who were not keeping pace.

At each lap I was usually around 1 second outside 6 min pace. I tried to pick it up on lap 4 and went through halfway in exactly 3 mins. From then on I didn't check the clock. Again the end kind of snuck up on me, I picked it up with 2 laps to go, passing wubble and one of the clubmates. On the last lap I emptied the tank as best as I could, catching another clubmate right on the line for a very satisfying time of 5.53 and 6th place. Nice to get a PB but the feeling of going a few seconds faster is certainly there. It's a very interesting distance and once again NIA live was a very well run event.

Sunday (or today as they call it) was another crack at the Raheny 5 mile. I didn't feel I was in PB shape and having had a full weeks training I gave thought to doing a tempo run for this but abandoned that plan early on.

For the start I lined up well towards the front, probably too much towards the front. At 3pm sharp we were off. The first mile went well, I found myself running well and a quick check of the pace had me at 6:20 pace. Too quick I thought but as this was a 'no pressure' sort of race I just went with it. (Mile 1 = 6:26)

We passed back by the start area and down towards All Saints Road. Still keeping things together I'm not concerned with the pace, I'm more concerned with how long I can keep this up. Trying to keep the effort levels steady and realizing there is just over 3 miles to go. (Mile 2 = 6:26)

I've run this race 3 times but I really don't know the area that well and I'm just following everyone, we turn off a main road and there is a bit more room. Starting to struggle a bit more now and feel a few go past me. Hoping not to blow up. (Mile 3 = 6:24)

2 Miles to go and I know there is a tough out and back in St. Annes Park to go. I struggle with this as I see all the runners ahead coming in the opposite direction but my mood improves as we make a 180 degree turn and now see all the runners still behind me! (Mile 4 = 6:41)

Just about digging in now, as we exit the park I try and pick it up a bit. Someone goes past me and I try to respond. There is that horrible loop of the park before we get back to the finish line, empty the tank again on the last turn (thinking the XC is paying dividends here). I'm surprised to see 32:xx on the clock so push on for the last bit (Mile 5 = 6:13)

Finish Time is 32:13 chip time. I wasn't sure at the time if it was a PB but turns out its 41 seconds faster than Dunboyne last May. This is a great result given no taper and no real speedwork done this year, so a sign of good things to come.

I really wasn't expecting that today but sometimes I guess its better not to concentrate so much on the pace and just go hard at it.

Well done to Raheny for putting on a consistently great race. We'll be up against it to keep our title of "best 5 mile race in the world in Terenure" in May!

So job done this week, 2 PB's and just short of 50 miles

Total for the week 49.1 (Assuming I don't go for a 0.9 Mile run before midnight)