DCM 2013 Graduates - The Journey Continues!

Rainrunner

I found that Session very very tough, driving wind and rain didn't help.

SamforMayo

Rainrunner wrote: »

I found that Session very very tough, driving wind and rain didn't help.

Fair play to you for going out in this. I got my l sr done yesterday evening and 3 mile recovery this morning. Still have the speed work to look forward to:eek:

Rainrunner

SamforMayo wrote: »

Fair play to you for going out in this. I got my l sr done yesterday evening and 3 mile recovery this morning. Still have the speed work to look forward to:eek:

You'll enjoy the session SamforMayo, gets the lungs working!! Thanks again Blockic for keeping us going.

blockic

Rainrunner wrote: »

I found that Session very very tough, driving wind and rain didn't help.

Yes indeed. A tough evening for a session I was out watching down the club myself. Rather you than me! Fair play for getting through it!

shortstuff!

Ososlo wrote: »

Almost exactly the same shortstuff! I've done one this year in March 25:50 and aiming for sub 25. Yes please "go for it" as I won't have a watch so need someone to pace off :P

Sound like a plan! I'm bringing my watch anyway:) Go way too easy on myself without it!!

HelenAnne

Ososlo wrote: »

Thanks HelenAnne! Really like that! Plus it'll give me something to take my mind off how I'm feeling
It's good to review those 3 things regularly during a race. Excellent!
How's your own training? Targeting any races pre-Christmas?

I'd love to do the Christmas Cracker (did it the last two years and loved it) but think I'll be away at my nephew's birthday that day, so I'm doing the Marlay parkrun on Saturday, and the Fat Turkey run on 28th, and the Tom Brennan 5k on New Years Day.

I don't think I've done a 10k since the Fingal 10k in the summer, so I'd be interested to see how it feels!

Really enjoy the Christmas Cracker, it's a great race. And don't look at your watch, just race - it's a short enough distance that you know you'll still finish running even if you mis-pace it!

HelenAnne

Ososlo, you were asking if anyone on this forum races without a watch - I do. Having chatted to loads of people about it, I think, at our recreational runner level, it depends whether looking at your time spurs you on or not.

In my case, I own a digital watch, and I wear it running, but I never turn on the stop watch, and I usually use it just to see what time it is if I'm doing a long run.

I never look at my times when training or racing, I know I should, but it just distracts me and I think if I saw I was off my goal time it would discourage me.

Loads of my friends and clubmates keep an eye on their splits running and racing and use it to determine their paces and say seeing they're behind pace in a race spurs them on to run faster. So each to their own, I suppose!

I don't think running by feel has held me back too much. I'm not very fast for a woman (I have clubmates who can run 5k in 16 or 17:xx, and women I run with who would be reliably under 20 minutes), and I certainly haven't improved the way someone like Claralara has, but I haven't plateau-ed yet (I hope!) either.

In Jan 2011, I ran 27.30 in the RNLI 5k & was delighted, by Dec 2011, I ran 23.40 in the Clonliffe Christmas Cracker, then by Jan 2013 I ran 21.14 in the Tom Brennan, and now would always aim to be under 21 (PB 20.20); so while I bet I would have improved more quickly if I did specific speed training, kept an eye on my race spilts to the second etc, at least I'm still improving, and just for me, and my personality, I enjoy it more if I can just run and race without looking at my watch.

But each to their own - if you find looking at your time is distracting you from racing, try to do it less, but if you find it helps you, don't drop the watch completely. It's meant to be fun, and checking times and splits is fun and encouraging for some people!

Ososlo

Great post Helen Anne and your times are super fast to me and many others on this forum! Lots of food for thought there thanks. You made fantastic improvements over the last few years. Great encouragement for someone like myself. I don't know how I feel about racing without the watch as I've never done it but I'll know on Sunday!
Best of luck in your races. Keep us posted with how you do on N Y Day!

HelenAnne

Ososlo wrote: »

Great post Helen Anne and your times are super fast to me and many others on this forum! Lots of food for thought there thanks. You made fantastic improvements over the last few years. Great encouragement for someone like myself. I don't know how I feel about racing without the watch as I've never done it but I'll know on Sunday!
Best of luck in your races. Keep us posted with how you do on N Y Day!

Thanks! Well, I know I've improved a bit since I started running, I just meant, getting advice from me on how to race without a watch isn't like getting advice from Sonia O'Sullivan or Maria McCambridge or something - it's advice from a happy mid-packer!

Hopefully I won't be too full of champagne etc on New Year's Day. Good luck to you on Sunday - it's so exciting finishing on the track in Santry!

Laois_Man

I'm hugely inspired by you too HelenAnne


To go from 27;30 down to 20:20 in less than 3 years is something like what I wanna do (at 23 minutes and a bit now)

As David Bowie once sang, "I'm an absolute beginner.....and I'm absolutely sane"

HelenAnne

Laois_Man wrote: »

I'm hugely inspired by you too HelenAnne


To go from 27;30 down to 20:20 in less than 3 years is something like what I wanna do (at 23 minutes and a bit now)

As David Bowie once sang, "I'm an absolute beginner.....and I'm absolutely sane"

I think at the beginning, a lot of my improvement was learning to race, rather than increased fitness. I definitely couldn't knock 4 minutes off in a year now like I did in 2011! (Also, 20.20 is my PB, but my recent races have been more like 20.40 - I hope to get back down to it though .) Any improvements I made I put down to running more miles, racing regularly and running (only some of the time) with people who are faster than me.

23.xx is really good for your first year running! I think my husband ran 23.xx in his first 5k and now he's down to sub 20.

KillianByrne

HelenAnne wrote: »

?..Also, 20.20 is my PB, but my recent races have been more like 20.40...

Only 20.40? That's ****.

HelenAnne

KillianByrne wrote: »

Only 20.40? That's ****.

I think you've beaten me before though - I remember seeing you passing me at a very hot, sunny Urban Trails Race in Tymon Park!

ooter

Ran 5 miles last night and did it not much quicker than I ran the first 5 miles of DCM.
Amazing how quickly my fitness has dropped,I doubt I could've ran even another 2 miles at that pace last night. :eek:

KillianByrne

HelenAnne wrote: »

I think you've beaten me before though - I remember seeing you passing me at a very hot, sunny Urban Trails Race in Tymon Park!

Wow, thats a long time ago, that was my first ever organised race after the OT 5K! I've been pretty standard since then compared to your improvements. Well done.

I'll be back though, soon!!!

skeleton_boy

Due to my knee niggle a 2 weeks ago I kept the running easy until last night. Did the HM pace session from last weeks plan. Was pumping sweat but felt comfortable enough.

7.35 miles in 59:10 inc (2x2 miles @ HMP -7.19)

Felt good to open up the legs and looking forward to testing myself with the faster sessions.

Best of luck to any of ye racing over the weekend.

SamforMayo

30% off on Garmin website today with code GARMIN 30.

Vico1612

SamforMayo wrote: »

30% off on Garmin website today with code GARMIN 30.

GARMIN30

Bulmers74

Back on the road myself today with first run in 18 days. Felt good to be back despite the sleet & wind. Best of luck to all racing over the next few days - looking forward to all the race reports.

Ososlo

Bulmers74 wrote: »

Back on the road myself today with first run in 18 days. Felt good to be back despite the sleet & wind. Best of luck to all racing over the next few days - looking forward to all the race reports.

Ah super news! Was wondering why you hadn't been updating.

2 very slow miles to loosen up the legs a bit ahead of 5k race tomorrow. Said a teary goodbye to my Garmin as my very close friend won't be coming with me tomorrow
A goal tomorrow is: 24:30ish
B goal: sub 25
C goal: beat shortstuff! Beat my sister Beat her friend PB !

SamforMayo

Ososlo wrote: »

Ah super news! Was wondering why you hadn't been updating.

2 very slow miles to loosen up the legs a bit ahead of 5k race tomorrow. Said a teary goodbye to my Garmin as my very close friend won't be coming with me tomorrow
A goal tomorrow is: 24:30ish
B goal: sub 25
C goal: beat shortstuff! Beat my sister Beat her friend PB !

Jes Id nearly go to Dublin for the show down!

KillianByrne

SamforMayo wrote: »

30% off on Garmin website today with code GARMIN 30.

I'm a little mad about that, they had one last week & I was late & it had run out. Bought from Amphibinan King (who in fairness gave me a deal) but could have saved another 15% with the code. Balls.

skeleton_boy

KillianByrne wrote: »

I'm a little mad about that, they had one last week & I was late & it had run out. Bought from Amphibinan King (who in fairness gave me a deal) but could have saved another 15% with the code. Balls.

I just bought a 310 last night from amazon. Could of saved about €25 had I waited a matter of hours Hope that makes you feel a bit better!

Zaram

Ososlo wrote: »

Ah super news! Was wondering why you hadn't been updating.

2 very slow miles to loosen up the legs a bit ahead of 5k race tomorrow. Said a teary goodbye to my Garmin as my very close friend won't be coming with me tomorrow
A goal tomorrow is: 24:30ish
B goal: sub 25
C goal: beat shortstuff! Beat my sister Beat her friend PB !

Best of luck tomorrow Ososlo & Shortstuff! Will be looking forward to reading the reports.

shortstuff!

skeleton_boy wrote: »

I just bought a 310 last night from amazon. Could of saved about €25 had I waited a matter of hours Hope that makes you feel a bit better!

Spent €90 more than I had to on a garmin for the OH, that what I get for being organised!

shortstuff!

Santry Christmas Cracker 5km
27:19

I went out last night but was very restrained & only had 3west coast cooler & was in bed by 12.30. Up at 9am, dressed then looked outside, uh oh snow!! Quickly packed a change of clothes for afterwards...was lashing rain & freezing when I left, if I hadn't already paid I might have went back to bed, was happy to see the closer I got to Santry the better the weather got. Managed to find Morton stadium & met the lovely Ososlo! Got my chip & race number in super quick time. Dropped our bags back at the car & met Ososlos family! We did a couple of laps of the track to warm up, sun was out at this stage & I wasn't cold at all, a couple stretches & we were lining up.

Had set my watch at 4:55 min km. The 1st km was round the track & then out onto the roads, the weather held up for this km & we were dead on target, Ososlo was just ahead of me and I was feeling good.

2nd km- Had been warned we'd be into the wind for the 2nd km, but hadn't expected it to start lashing rain! Felt like hailstones hitting your face, was soo cold! Ososlo was gaining distance on me here but I was happy that I couldn't go any faster into the rain. Pace never recovered though:(

3rd km - was much of the same, cold, wet miserable! What were we doing!! Though my legs felt fine, no pain or anything... I couldn't seem to increase the pace. Recalled the ABC tip mentioned here- Attitude- hmm want this over quick so run faster! Breathing-definitely not controlled, the cold air was killing my lungs, Cadence- tried playing around with shorter faster strides but didn't really help the pace.

4th km - so not too far to go now, just tried staying with the people just ahead of me but they were pulling ahead. Still raining:(

5th km - Was a bit discouraging seeing the faster folk already changed, in their cars & headed out the gate! Managed to pick up the pace slightly here & gave it all I had coming round the track to finish but breathing was very heavy! Delighted to finish so I could just stop:)

Think Ososlo finished about a minute ahead but didn't get the time she wanted. But she beat me & her sister by a decent margin:)

Not particularly disappointed with today, weather was atrocious, training hasn't been great but at least I have a starting point going into 2014 to improve on!!

skeleton_boy

shortstuff! wrote: »

Spent €90 more than I had to on a garmin for the OH, that what I get for being organised!

Winner alright, winner alright. Congrats on your run today in what sounded like tough conditions. Bound to learn a lot form it

ecoli

Great run SS.

Not the easiest day for running. Despite everything just remember you were ahead of everyone who signed up but were too afraid to battle the elements today.

The mental image of today will stand to you come 2014

Well done

shortstuff!

skeleton_boy wrote: »

Winner alright, winner alright. Congrats on your run today in what sounded like tough conditions. Bound to learn a lot form it

Do I get a prize?!?

SamforMayo

Well done Short Stuff. Sounds like you did well in the conditions. As regards the garmin that's a dose.