The Middle Distance Thread

Timmaay

Graded 3k tonight anyone? What standard in each race? I'm aiming for 9.15ish, A or B?

Chivito550

Timmaay wrote: »

Graded 3k tonight anyone? What standard in each race? I'm aiming for 9.15ish, A or B?

Don't forget the Graded meets thread

eldiva

Timmaay wrote: »

Graded 3k tonight anyone? What standard in each race? I'm aiming for 9.15ish, A or B?

Not racing myself. I'd say your better off going in the A based on your time in the 1500 the other week. Where is tonight's race on?

Sacksian

The two B races were won in around 9:14 / 9:20 last year, so you'd probably be better off in the A.

You'll be at the back of the A (think there were only a couple of people over 9 in the A) but if you're in the mood/shape for it, you could get dragged around for a good time!

KielyUnusual

Timmaay wrote: »

Graded 3k tonight anyone? What standard in each race? I'm aiming for 9.15ish, A or B?

I was just second in the B last year in 9.13. Will be going for the A this year. Will give 9 minutes a bash but I'd give myself a very small chance of actually getting under.

Reckon you should be going for the A with your 15 time. I imagine that would predict a sub 9.

Gleedog

Timmaay wrote: »

Graded 3k tonight anyone? What standard in each race? I'm aiming for 9.15ish, A or B?

Just don't do what I did over the weekend and you'll be grand with the A race (I ran 2:47 1stk, 2:52 2ndk then completely expldoed )

Timmaay

Have entered the b but will change! Thanks

Timmaay

9.06 and about a 30sec 3k pb, I'll take that for my 1st stab at it on the track. KU aheada me the only downer ha, gota rectify in future ha. 3k wasn't an event I had in the radar before but definitely got to give it a proper shot in future, defo an 8.45 in me with a small bit of specific training.

eldiva

Timmaay wrote: »

9.06 and about a 30sec 3k pb, I'll take that for my 1st stab at it on the track. KU aheada me the only downer ha, gota rectify in future ha. 3k wasn't an event I had in the radar before but definitely got to give it a proper shot in future, defo an 8.45 in me with a small bit of specific training.

Thats some good running so earlier in the summer between the 15 two weeks ago and 3k tonight. Training must be going well. What's the next race you've planned?

Timmaay

eldiva wrote: »

Thats some good running so earlier in the summer between the 15 two weeks ago and 3k tonight. Training must be going well. What's the next race you've planned?

Training all over the shop which is the funny part ha, I decided to use my usual party trick and just race myself fit, but I've been very lucky to be bang on form already. Only thing I can put it down to is a very solid cross country base before Xmas, followed by tidy indoor season, which despite my erratic training since I've managed to maintain my fitness/strength from that. I ain't going to over think it though ha, instead just happy to go from one race to the next, which leads on to your other question, wicklows this Saturday, 800, nothing race 2bh, will make it a 90 sec to 600m tempo, if I'm still running then keep going, if the calves are feeling it step off the track 2bh. Week after its the AAI games, probably 15 at that, and week after that again the national league, probably steeple at it, week after that the leinster Seniors, probably 1500m, will definitely be a rest after that, and build back up for national Seniors/morton games etc.

Sacksian

Great running by both of you!

KielyUnusual

I'd almost forgotten the frustration of waiting for your results on the DAB website , especially when its just to confirm what you pretty much know already.

Anybody know much about the AAI games? I was looking at the schedule and there seems to be only one race scheduled for each event. Is it just a race of mixed standards or do you need to meet certain criteria? Anybody entered it in previous years?

Chivito550

KielyUnusual wrote: »

I'd almost forgotten the frustration of waiting for your results on the DAB website , especially when its just to confirm what you pretty much know already.

Anybody know much about the AAI games? I was looking at the schedule and there seems to be only one race scheduled for each event. Is it just a race of mixed standards or do you need to meet certain criteria? Anybody entered it in previous years?

It's open to all and they grade the races. Entries close tomorrow.

Timmaay

Chivito550 wrote: »

It's open to all and they grade the races. Entries close tomorrow.

Jezz some stacked 1500! KU we are in for some fun!

Chivito550

Timmaay wrote: »

Jezz some stacked 1500! KU we are in for some fun!

Haha, they didn't get enough entries for more than one race? Some craic that will be. Feck it, great experience racing the top dogs anyway.

happygoose

In and around the 9 min mark for 3k means you're head and shoulders above most, with a couple of exceptions, that was ever on the forum targeting any distance here. Fair play, onwards towards the 4 min mark the two of ye, fantastic form to be in in the early part of May.

KielyUnusual

I remember this was mentioned at the start of the thread but I don't think there was too much discussion but basically wondering how people approach racing and training during what is a fairly packed calendar over the summer months. I've raced a lot recently but in between its difficult to get too much training in and I wonder if you'd stagnate or exhaust yourself with this approach.

Do people here do blocks of training and racing, race once every one to two weeks or do you take a more loose approach and just let your mood at the time dictate whether you'll run a lot of races or back off a bit? For proper goal races, would you take a two to three week break in advance to properly prepare? Any experiences where you've peaked a bit too early or a bit too late and what would you too to avoid this happening in the future?

eldiva

KielyUnusual wrote: »

I remember this was mentioned at the start of the thread but I don't think there was too much discussion but basically wondering how people approach racing and training during what is a fairly packed calendar over the summer months. I've raced a lot recently but in between its difficult to get too much training in and I wonder if you'd stagnate or exhaust yourself with this approach.

Do people here do blocks of training and racing, race once every one to two weeks or do you take a more loose approach and just let your mood at the time dictate whether you'll run a lot of races or back off a bit? For proper goal races, would you take a two to three week break in advance to properly prepare? Any experiences where you've peaked a bit too early or a bit too late and what would you too to avoid this happening in the future?

I would have been like this last year and not knowing what to do. I trained hard even in weeks of races and set some pb's but never followed through on potential.
This summer has been a very different approach. I've had a tough block for the last three months and now into a race block. Plan is to race once a week if I can but will be selective, don't want to race for the sake of it. Dropping my mileage but increasing the intensity sessions. Light sessions the week of a race.

Timmaay

Generally aim for 2 blocks of races during the outdoors, one in may and one in July /August. Working well so far, with a 3k pb and outdoor 15 pb. Been on a down week this week with only 2days running, and I need every bit of recovery. Will build back into it next week, but quite slowly, and push up the number of easy miles to get back my base. Indoors a shorter season so I'll just go full on for the 7 weeks, but usually off the back of a strong xc season so plenty of base then to carry me through the indoors.

However none of the above is an exact science and I'll listen to my body and be flexible, if I've had 2 or 3 crap races something is amiss and could well be time to take a break sooner than I wanted to, equally so if I'm running well and feeling good then do that extra race.

Timmaay

Day after the national league. Cannot move, every single muscle aching, still knackered from the long day travelling, and on the side of the track, not to mind the usual getting turfed into 3 events. But totally worth it, always a highlight of the year.

Chivito550

Timmaay wrote: »

Day after the national league. Cannot move, every single muscle aching, still knackered from the long day travelling, and on the side of the track, not to mind the usual getting turfed into 3 events. But totally worth it, always a highlight of the year.

Sounds like fun. But it's too restrictive a competition. People like myself who run for big clubs haven't a hope in hell of ever getting selected. The equivalent competition in Melbourne when I was there had 12 rounds, rather than 2, and anybody could run in any event they wanted, and as many events as they wanted on each day. I personally haven't been able to warm to the National League, after 3 seasons of the AV Shield, but maybe in time I will, though unless I am actually competing I can't see that changing. I generally zone out on National league weekends.

Timmaay

Chivito550 wrote: »

Sounds like fun. But it's too restrictive a competition. People like myself who run for big clubs haven't a hope in hell of ever getting selected. The equivalent competition in Melbourne when I was there had 12 rounds, rather than 2, and anybody could run in any event they wanted, and as many events as they wanted on each day. I personally haven't been able to warm to the National League, after 3 seasons of the AV Shield, but maybe in time I will, though unless I am actually competing I can't see that changing. I generally zone out on National league weekends.

Agreed that it's far from perfect. Our problem now is that there are wayyy too many different t&f events, league, aai games, graded, imcs, what you suggest will only work if we can amalgamate some of the above into the league. For now maybe you should offer to guest for one of the smaller Dublin clubs who need a 400 athlete ha?

Chivito550

Timmaay wrote: »

Agreed that it's far from perfect. Our problem now is that there are wayyy too many different t&f events, league, aai games, graded, imcs, what you suggest will only work if we can amalgamate some of the above into the league. For now maybe you should offer to guest for one of the smaller Dublin clubs who need a 400 athlete ha?

Agree completely. In Melbourne they do the following:

- 10-12 AV Shield meets (Plus Grand Final) - The interclub competition, which forms the backbone of the season
- Championship meets - State Championships etc
- Victorian Milers Club Meets - Like IMC but open to all standards, not just the sub 2:04 kind.
- Other specialist groups - Rair Air Club for High Jump and Pole Vault, High Velocity Club for sprints and horizontal jumps (now defunct though)

If the National League could be the backbone of the season, the grass roots competition, and then other meets spawned from there, I think it would be fantastic.

Pretty sure it's against the rules to run in the league for another club you are not registered for no?

RayCun

Chivito550 wrote: »

Pretty sure it's against the rules to run in the league for another club you are not registered for no?

No, you can guest for another club. Think there's a limit of two guests per team? And no intercounty guests?

You should take up pole vault, you'd be much in demand :pac:

Chivito550

RayCun wrote: »

No, you can guest for another club. Think there's a limit of two guests per team? And no intercounty guests?

You should take up pole vault, you'd be much in demand :pac:

Am I reading this right. I can actually just rock up to another club, throw on their vest for a 400m, pretend I am part of their club for less than a minute, then piss off, never to be seen again? Seems a bit mad. I know you can guest in the league, but I assumed that meant just racing for yourself and not for any club. In theory what's to stop some tiny club getting Thomas Barr to cruise around the 400 hurdles in 51 seconds as a one off?

Larry Brent

Chivito550 wrote: »

Am I reading this right. I can actually just rock up to another club, throw on their vest for a 400m, pretend I am part of their club for less than a minute, then piss off, never to be seen again? Seems a bit mad. I know you can guest in the league, but I assumed that meant just racing for yourself and not for any club. In theory what's to stop some tiny club getting Thomas Barr to cruise around the 400 hurdles in 51 seconds as a one off?

Didn't Rob Heffernan guest for leevale a few years ago?

Ron Gomall

Question : I've been running since last July, mainly training for marathon & ultras, I would like to run mile & 5,000m - I saw some "graded meets" advertised at different tracks - Le Cheile & Greystones, do I just book & rock up on the night ?
Am not fast - 5:41 for a timed mile - should I just take the 5:30 to 6min race or try & PB in the 5:00- 5:30 ? Thanks

KielyUnusual

Ron Gomall wrote: »

Question : I've been running since last July, mainly training for marathon & ultras, I would like to run mile & 5,000m - I saw some "graded meets" advertised at different tracks - Le Cheile & Greystones, do I just book & rock up on the night ?
Am not fast - 5:41 for a timed mile - should I just take the 5:30 to 6min race or try & PB in the 5:00- 5:30 ? Thanks

A couple of different opportunities for the mile anyway. Yea, there is an invitational mile in Greystones on a Tuesday in the middle of June. You can just rock up to that one. Also the BHAA run a couple over the summer, where you can also just show up on the night. If you are a member of a club then the graded meets might be your best option. Just check out the Dublin Athletics website. Might get a 5000m race there too.

If you can run a 5.41 mile self timed, then you should be able to go a deal quicker in a race environment on the track. I'd go 5 to 5.30. What's the worse that could happen

adrian522

I notice there is a B/C grade 3K on the track next Wednesday. Anyone know what sort of standard that would be in terms of times?

Krusty_Clown

adrian522 wrote: »

I notice there is a B/C grade 3K on the track next Wednesday. Anyone know what sort of standard that would be in terms of times?

Looking at results from meet 1 from last year:
A - 8:24 - 9:27
B - 8:47 - 9:18
C - 9:20 - 13:00
D - 9:12 - 10:51