Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Confessions of a never has been.....
Comments
-
12.03.2017
Jan 20th - Feb 15th
Little or no running. A glute injury halted me in my tracks the week before Raheny. I felt I was fitter and stronger than ever when I picked it up...and I probably was BUT the bio mechanics were obviously a bit off and having spent a good bit of time in with the physio during that period, I could see where\how. Lots of rehab excercises, lots of cycling, lots of glute strength work, lots of dry needling and a couple of walk\run sessions later and I was back on track.
Armed with the knowledge that I had missed almost a month's training, I spoke with L about adjusting things slightly. The half in Mullingar had been the big target for this block and while I'll still run it, I'm under no illusions about being in the kind of shape I need to for a PB. The Kinvara 10k was in there as a tune up race, that would now become a glorified session, a hurt locker effort that would hopefully drag me back a little closer to pre-injry levels.
So....
Feb 16th - 19th
4 miles
4.5 miles
7.5 miles
9 miles
All easy, all nervous enough but all done without any issues. The 9 mile was one of those where I could have gone on and on....I copped on.
Feb 20-26th
Monday
6.1 easy miles with some fartlek stuff towards the end. Loved this, glute was stiff at first but the faster stuff seemed to ease everything nicely.
Tuesday
11.2 easy miles. Double digit running again ....yippeee
Wednesday
5.5 easy miles
Thursday
5x5 minutes @ 6ish pace ( 2 min recovery)
Said I'd aim for 4 and shoot for 5 if I wasn't dying on my feet
Felt better than I expected to be honest.
Pace was in and around 6 min\mile for each rep.
9.3 miles for the lot
Friday
7.7 easy miles
Saturday
Tried another mini session while down in Loughrea. Was battered by the wind and rain, effort levels were far too high so canned it
6.7 miles in total
Sunday
8.2 easy miles
Feb 27th - March 5th
Monday
Took on a tempo run today, aim was for 5 miles @6.30.
Got a few easy miles in around St Anne's then got started, I didn't monitor pace too closely as I wanted to work on effort. Kept things feeling quick but not race quick. Bumped into FBOT a couple of times on the way around who eventually joined me just as I was starting to flag on the last mile or so.
5 miles @ 6.20, 10 miles in total
Tuesday
Back to an actual long run - 17 miles, up to Howth and back down for my sins.
Wednesday
4.2 + 4.2 = 8.4
Thursday
8 x45 second hill sprints.
Back to those hills. Shorter session to start back with, lacked a little gas too.
Felt wrecked straight after but great after after..:o
9.2 for the lot
Friday
7 easy miles
Saturday
Kinvara 10k
I had earmarked this race from a long way out as a chance to run a good old fashioned tough race effort roughly 2 weeks out from a sub 1.20 assault on Mullingar. I love the area, knew the route was testing enough without being unfair and conditions down wesht in early March usually throw an added challenge into the mix.
Come through it with a good time in the bag and I’d be set up nicely for Muillingar. My right glute had other plans though, having missed the bones of 4 weeks training throughout January and February, by the time the race rolled around, Kinvara was relegated to a glorified session really. A chance to run hard, push myself back towards the pre-injury limits that I had worked had to achieve over the winter months.
Arriving down to Kinvara on the morning of the race, I had a hard job convincing my running buddies ( brother and sister D) that the rain and strong winds would only serve to make the race all the more specactular. Truth be told, I couldn’t even convince myself, cowering in a coffee shop by the small harbour in the town - it was hard not to dread the thoughts of getting changed to run in the wild conditions outside.
Nonetheless, get changed we did and head off for a couple of easy miles I did ( the others left me to it!). I love Kinvara, love the route of the 10k, love the way t it takes you towards the breathtaking backdrop of The Burren where you are exposed to everything the Atlantic coastline has to offer before heading back towards the town and the shelter of the harbour. To be fair the rain had been coming at us sideways before I headed off to warm up and by the time I was done, it more or less stopped, the wind was really the only concern now.
I lined up at the starting line, up the front with the big boys for a change and before long, we were off. I had been pretty relaxed going into the race, seeing as it would be part of a normal training week, so relaxed in fact, I had forgotten to think about how I would pace it! I stayed with a group of 4\5 lads for the first 400m or so, pace felt quick but not too quick and I remembered talking to FBOT about what I hoped to get from the race ( earlier in the week), “anywhere around 6.10 pace for the 10k should give me a very good session “ - eh...ok...I’ll do that so.
The first mile of the race took us out away from the town, along a good stretch of road with the usual bumps and dips you get in that part of the world. The wind was noticeably strong and right into our faces but I was sitting in with a group who were moving at a pace that felt right and getting a little shelter. Effort wise, all was good, surprisingly good actually, I knew that the tougher sections of the route lay ahead though so wasn’t going to start celebrating just yet
Mile 1 – 5.59
Into 2nd mile and while the road surface was still good, we had to negotiate a series of rolling hills before turning left onto a much smaller road where the surface wasn’t great – the landscape on the horizon looked both beautiful and menacing in equal measure. The wind still felt very much in our faces and I could feel myself naturally taking the foot off the gas just a bit as the effort level climbed.
The group I had been running with had become strung out a little now, I let two lads go on up ahead, finding the effort required to stay with them just a bit too hot, each time I upped the effort to go, I got a sharp reminder in my right ribs that I was in no condition to do so – I backed off the effort enough to keep it at bay but knew it was a warning shot of sorts from my body.
I wasn’t feeling great coming towards the end of Mile 2 and when the watch beeped for a 6.17 split, I began to fear the worst - I wanted a tough race effort, I was getting one! Conditions were tough, the field was well spread out now, meaning that I was running alone ...with just the voices in my head to keep me company !
Mile 2 6.17
Into mile 3 and I worked to settle myself into a steady rhythm, focused on controlling the breathing a bit better while keeping the stride and form good. Any slight hint of a surprisingly fast day at the office was out the window now so it was time to roll up the sleeves (proverbial, I was wearing the club singlet) and get to work. Up and down the route continued, snaking its away alongside the magnificent hills of the Burren. I was out on my own and feeling it, I could hear someone behind but they were dropping back, up ahead I could see 3 or 4 runners who were looking pretty strong - have to admit I had a green eyed monster moment around now. While I had actually done well to drag the pace back towards target region, it was proving to be very hard work.
A sharp left just before the 3 mile mark meant the wind would now be coming from the side and I knew that would offer some relief from the stitch, true enough within 3 or 4 minutes the pain subsided quite a bit, the watch beeped for Mile 3 and I exchanged glances with a bemused looking Donkey at a gate....he looked like he felt a bit sorry for the lanky creature running by.
Mile 3 6.04
I was working very hard now, losing pace going up the bumps and struggling to pick it up again on the way down. I reminded myself several times along this stretch that I needed this level of discomfort, it was exactly what I needed. You can’t get these kind of efforts from running around the trails in St Anne’s alone, nobody to chase, nobody chasing you etc.
Up ahead, I noticed that the few runners had stopped pulling away from me and if anything, one of them was starting to drop back towards me. That should have given me a nice boost but while noticing that, I also spied the leader, way ahead making his way up what looked like a disgustingly steep hill....”great idea this was D....f*cking great idea”
I got the head down and kicked on, thanking an older couple that had braved the elements to come out and shout some kind words to the idiotic joggers going past their cozy looking home.
Mile 4 6.08
The race leader was loooong gone by the time I found myself faced with the hill I had spotted earlier, I remembered it from last time I ran this race but this time it felt like it brought me to a near standstill , the leg strength just was not there to kick on up this time around. Once I reached the top, I was gasping and almost plodding, I couldn’t believe it had taken so much out of me but even worse, I couldn’t push on down the far side either, I coasted down until the ground levelled off then eventually got some sense of rhythm back.
Having regained a bit of composure and a good tempo in my stride, I focussed the mind and noticed again that the last man in the group ahead of me was definitely getting closer. He was still maybe 30 metres away from me but he was part of a group that was moving out of site not so long ago, I was thankful for that small mercy.
Another couple of drags and drops came and went, we were heading towards the 5 mile marker and I tried to take control of the pace a bit more. I have always found myself switching off when tired during races and the pace drifts as a result, take control, force the pace and while it hurts, the body generally does what its told. It was hurting but I was closing the gap on the lad ahead.
Mile 5 6.11
While I was approaching the last mile of the race, I had one of those “ when does the finishing area come into sight” moments. I knew I was working hard up the bumps now and similarly so down the drops too, a couple of glances at the watch told me so but the effort levels were rising too and were a bit of a shock to the system – I was running faster because I knew it was nearly over.
One last drag to go and then we were going to head back into the town, I remembered this section well and by the time we turned after the last drag, back onto the main road into Kinvara, I had drawn up to the shoulder of the runner ahead. I was breathing heavily, so he was he, I was moving well now, so he was he. Turning left, off the main road onto a back route into the harbour, the odd supporter began to appear on either side of the road. I had move alongside him now, I nudged ahead and he responded well. I knew I had a bit more to come though.
I went again but this time I kept it up, a sustained surge to try to burn him off. Turning right into the edge of the harbour, I was tempted to look over my shoulder but I kept my focus and maintained the surge. The surface was better now so I could kick a little harder again, I could hear the finish area up ahead. One more turn to go and while I could hear his frantic footsteps in the background, they felt very much in the background. I turned the corner, gave one last kick for home and crossed the line with 37.56 on the watch and 9th place.
Mile 5 - 5.56
0.2 - 5.12 pace
After gathering my thoughts a little, I got a couple of easy miles in to finish the day off. I was pretty happy with the effort, the time wasn’t great but that will come if I can keep the consistency of the past couple of weeks up. Can’t speak highly enough of this race either, I had planned to run a much quicker time this year but that plan changed after about week 3 of the injury – plan b while maybe not as spectacular was possibly just as rewarding.
Sunday
9 easy miles around Clontarf, had company for this during the 2nd half. Legs were tired at the start but felt great as the run went on - brought a nice end to a good week, just over 71 miles all in.0 -
-
AuldManKing wrote: »Jaysus H Christ - you'll have done another race by the time this race report comes out.
#bethedidntevenraceit
All that glute strength work is taking up my boards logging time A !0 -
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
-
-
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
30.03.2017
Monday
Lunchtime run around St Anne's to start with, legs in a jock - I actually had trouble walking before this, both calves were completely locked up. I eventually got going and eased my way into the run. Managed 7.5 and felt a little better at the end ( although energy levels were way down)
PM - over in Mammy D's so headed out around a local loop in Lucan\Clondalkin for another creaky few miles - 4.6 in total but to be honest, it felt like 24.6
Tuesday
Long run day and I was down for 16 miles - I knew that was going to be tough, I had been limping around all day with calves like hot lava and by the time the run came around, I was ready for my bed too. Got going all the same and did my usual trick of dropping off the backpack on the way home, then headed into St Anne's, feeling like $hite.
A few painful loops around the park and I called it a day at 13 miles - I just had nothing left
Wednesday
Lunchtime run in Ringsend park - a very slight improvement with the legs but it was still a bit of a plod
4 easy miles
PM - Run home and a teeny bit extra, legs still like coiled springs so I spent a good hour working on them with various stretches and drills I've picked up over the years - the relief was unreal. The hobbling stopped and the enthusiasm started to return!
8.5 for the day
Thursday
Session day today and glory be....the calves felt a lot better...yippeeee. Energy levels weren't great but they were good enough to get out and give this one a good bash.
2-3 miles easy, 10x2 minutes @ 10k effort, 90 sec recoery, 2-3 miles easy
I almost enjoyed ( almost, not quite) the warm up for this one and extended it a little more than normal to make sure the creaky legs were well oiled before starting the session. Made my way to the football pithches in St Anne's ( I'd decided to run the session around the field which would mean 50\50 grass and tarmac).
Got started on the session and went out far too fast, nearly blew a gasket halfway through the first rep. The deeper stiffness in the legs was noticeable too which effected my gait a little.
I was really blowing hard for the first few of these and almost canned it at halfway but stuck it out and actually gained a bit more control over the session as it went on
I sometimes convince myself that I'm more wrecked that I actually am at the end of a rep - dramatic breathing, arms flailing etc....cop on and take a bit of control and things tend to go much better.
Anyway, finished strong, rep paces:
5.36
5.45
5.58
5.49
5.51
6.08
5.45
6.00
5.53
5.57
Met FerrisB during the 2nd or 3rd rep - looking in great shape for his upcoming marathon, had a quick chat with him before he sped off on his tempo. I finished off with a few easy miles to bring the total for the day to 12.5
Feeling almost human again0 -
-
Advertisement
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Duanington wrote: »Got it in one A !
You described it exactly how I remember it... mad place.
Didn't see you at all this morning at Junior parkrun, I was very focused on timekeeping duties... the stress! 0 -
Advertisement
-
You described it exactly how I remember it... mad place.
Didn't see you at all this morning at Junior parkrun, I was very focused on timekeeping duties... the stress!
Mad is the word alright, hoping to get back there for a bit longer later in the year.
I spotted you, looking all official n all0
Advertisement