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BQ or Bust!
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Week 12 cont.
Thanks for the good wishes, appreciated as always.
Thu 16 Aug
4.9k recovery. Just a few miles on the seafront.
Fri 17 Aug
4.8k easy with a few strides in Fairview Park.
Sat 18 Aug
National Masters Tullamore
800m and 1500m - report to follow...
Total with warmups/cooldowns: 11k
Sun 19 Aug
60 mins recovery on the seafront. Will take a few days off now after 72 days straight.
WTD: 57k (36m)
MTD: 169 (106)
YTD: 2,019 (1,255)0 -
National Masters 2018 (800m and 1500m)
“You are going to have the race of your life” (Charlie Spedding/TAFKADG)
Backstory
And so to this year’s goal race – 800m at the National Masters Track & Field in Tullamore. It would be only my fifth attempt at the distance, which has become a bit of a project after a first stab at it at the 2017 BHAA Trinity Track meet. That day, I surprised myself with a 2:37 debut, a half-decent time for my age category and track inexperience, and on the slow surface to boot. At the time, I had done at least some appropriate training, the Trinity meet taking place not long after a few weeks of mile prep. But my 800 time was much better than the 5:54 paced mile that had resulted from that short block. This piqued my interest, suggesting that perhaps I was more suited to shorter distances. I set myself a sub-2:30 goal for 2018. If nothing else, it would freshen things up after six years of mostly marathon.
The year started promisingly with a 2:32 indoor 800 at the NIA in February. As that had come off no specific training, surely the only way was up? I’d also done an indoor mile (5:50) and a one-mile(ish) leg (5:54) at the National Road Relays, so I was slowly getting better at this short stuff. Signed up for a few of the Dublin Graded Meets, and on Dubgal’s advice embarked on a 12-week 5k programme (Pfitzinger) before shifting to more track-specific training with the 12-week programme that comprises phases III and IV of the Jack Daniels 800 plan from his Faster Road Running book. The 5k phase didn’t result in a great performance, as I struggled to a 20:09 at Bob Heffernan. But a couple more small PBs during the Gradeds (1500 and the mile) suggested that progress was being made, although not at a particularly rapid rate. This year’s Trinity resulted in the same time as last year (2:37) but in a much different type of race, where I finished third in what might be kindly described as a tactical battle involving a slow first lap. I was learning all the time, and as the goal race approached, with the training going quite well across three months of 40-mile weeks involving two quality sessions and a long(ish) run, my confidence was reasonably high that I could pull off the goal. It was very unlikely, based on studying previous results, that I’d medal in the race, but hopefully I could get off to a good start and maintain the pace. That’s all I would ask of myself. If a race resulted, so be it, but the likelihood was an isolated second lap where I’d probably have to draw completely on my own psychological resources to keep things on the rails. The final session on Tuesday, just the 2x400 and 2x200 filled me with confidence, as it had felt so easy and natural. I knew I had locked in the required pace, and it felt like I was peaking at the right time. Now it was all about getting the job done!
Buildup
I’d love to say I prepared as well as Ashling’s textbook case linked above. I did not, but I did invoke the Spedding mantra more than once in the days and weeks leading up to the event. A good night’s sleep by my (low) standards had me feeling pretty good on the drive down to Offaly. Speak of the devil, I bump into A and her fiancé at the Enfield Applegreen, and we exchange good wishes for our respective races. There was loads of time, which was just as well as I missed my exit off the M6, adding another 15 mins onto the journey. Arrived at the magnificent Tullamore Stadium, found a parking spot and checked in. Watched some of the sprints, witnessing Mulberry lowering her own national 200m age category record - very impressive. Said hello to a couple of clubmates, got changed and warmed up around the outer field beside the stadium. Things were running a bit late, but I made sure to be trackside nice and early. Changed into the Endorphins, and did a few strides on the back straight. The shoes felt even better than last time out, broken in from the previous race, and now with spikes that were are all the same length.
Final check in for the M55s, and we are combined with the M60s. I’m assigned to lane 3, sharing with a Belfast Harrier. It’s showtime, and I toe the line with FBOT’s advice ringing in my ears: “Hit it hard!”
The 800
What I’ve learned over the few previous attempts is that - for me anyway - there is no time to think, and very little time to adjust if anything goes wrong. You have to be in the zone, ready to go, and quickly into your stride. Muscle memory has to kick in from the off. It’s only a couple of minutes of racing, but that second lap can be long and lonely if you blow it on the first. The gun goes off. What follows is of course a hazy blur, but I think what happened, and what was going through my mind, went something like this.
My lane-mate is likely to be a medallist, and I track him around the bend until the cut-in point on the back straight. I’m at the back of a group of five, and as we trundle down the back straight I think the pace feels a little bit slow. I start to worry about this, and there follows a messy 10 or 20 strides where I alternate between lanes 1 and 2 thinking I might have to push things. But I don’t gain (or lose) any position, and as we approach the home straight I start to feel the burn so I stop worrying. What’s happened, of course, is that the start felt slow because I am strong and ready. In reality, the pace is fine, I’m still in good shape at the back of this group - and importantly, not dying yet as we hit the bell. I glance at the trackside clock, which reads 1:15.
Things are going to plan, and I double down and dig in on the bend, registering a couple of tremendous shouts of support. You can do this, I tell myself, you can f@&king do this! As expected, the lads ahead start to pull away, their race only starting now as they push the pace. Amazingly, I find I can sort of stay in touch - although I simply don’t have the power to catch them, I can still use them to keep me focused till the end of the back straight. With 200 to go they are well away but I’m confident I can bring it home from this point. Every 200m rep I’ve done over the past few months has been carried out with this final 200 in mind. I have visualised this moment, and I will not die now! Of course I AM starting to suffer, and the finish feels impossibly far away, but I trust myself, I back myself, and somehow keep it going. The plan featured a few sessions involving 600m reps at race pace, which of course were impossibly hard. But now I understand that they’ve helped me get to exactly this point in the race and all I have to do is let the race-day adrenaline do its job and get me the rest of the way. There doesn’t seem to be any threat from behind, so I can’t rely on the competition to push me to the line. I hit the home straight and dig as deep as I can to stay in touch with the closest runner, a couple of seconds in front. The wheels stay on and I push - in my mind at least - gracefully and powerfully through the line, then fall onto the infield, totally drained.
Approx splits: 76, 72.
Previous PB: Indoor: 2:32.25 (Feb 2018, NIA). Outdoor: 2:33.29 (April 2018, Morton)
Target: 2:29.99
Official Time: 2:27.96
5th posn (of 10). 4th M55 (of 5)
VDOT 55.9
Age grade: 83.3%
Verdict: Race of your life!
[Edit - spotted some pics on FB that suggest my memory of this race, and my positioning within it, is inaccurate. In reality, I was in 7th position, not 5th, approaching the bell. So an even better second lap than I thought!]
The 1500
As I posted previously, the 1500 was entered as an afterthought, just in case I’d need a shot at redemption. I hadn’t put any mental preparation in for this, and after the successful first race I considered not running it at all. What was the point? I’d never match the performance, and the whole thing might just put a dampener on a successful day. But after my cooldown I hung around anyway, grabbing a sandwich and coffee and sitting in the stand watching the 5,000m races (congrats to BeepBeep) and the 110m hurdles. Had a chat with Mulberry and admired her two gold medals. Ashling and Ian came by (more medals) and we had a nice chat. Everyone was telling me I should do the second race. Bungy Girl would be on my case too if I wimped out, so I eventually got back out there and started warming up again in the sweltering late afternoon heat. The legs felt terrible, and I had a bit of a headache. I was definitely not in the mood (or the zone) and nearly took the spikes off again. But I just told myself that if it felt wrong I could just jog it in (no DNFs allowed in DNS Harrierland, unless gravely injured).
Eventually I lined up with five other M55s, combined with the five M50s, and we were off with a minimum of fuss.
On the first lap, I settle at the back of the group, willing a bit of life into my rubbery legs. They don’t want to cooperate, but by the end of the lap I’m starting to feel a little bit better, and even dare to pass a couple of lads going around the bend. I wouldn’t be the only one with a race in the legs, so maybe it won’t be as uncompetitive as I thought. This second lap feels kind of alright, and I’m not too far behind a clubmate who runs around the five minute mark. But predictably, lap three proves my undoing again, and I simply have nothing in the legs when the runners in front start to accelerate, and the two runners I’d passed go by on the back straight and once again I’m pretty sure I’m in last place (not that I was going to look over my shoulder to check). But there’s a guy in front in even more trouble and I pass him on the back bend then find myself able to concentrate a bit better, trying to hold him off as he does his best to stay in touch. So as the bell sounded, amazingly I’m in a race, and a glance at the clock, still under four minutes, suggests a PB might be a possibility if i can put in a half decent final lap. That seems to be all the motivation I need, and I pick it up, even though I’m now half a lap behind the leaders, who I can hear being cheered home as I go down the back straight. With 200 to go I find myself channeling the Jack Daniels session vibe again, and the muscle memory kicks in for the final push, and I imagine myself gliding around the bend and down the home straight to hold on to my 9th place. I’m exhausted, but the number on my watch suggests I might be in with a chance for a small PB, confirmed a few mins later in the official results. Saved!
Approx Splits: 1:03 (300m), 1:26, 1:29, 1:24.
Previous PB: 5:22.61 (May 2018, Tallaght)
Target: redemption or respectability!
Official Time: 5:21.86
9th posn (of 10). 5th M55 (of 6)
VDOT 50.4
Age grade: 77.5%
Verdict: Tough going but glad I did it.
And that was that. A fantastic day, and I cranked the Dad Rock on Radio Nova up to 11 on the way home. Fair play to Athletics Ireland and the many officials and volunteers who put together this competitive and hugely enjoyable meet.
Next
For now, it’s back to long form stuff for me, as I prepare for a ‘high 5’ NYC marathon, with the Frank Duffy and the Charleville Half lined up too. It will be interesting to see how well I can transition back to marathon training over the 10 or 11 weeks before New York. I’ve kept the base mileage up fairly well, averaging close to 40 miles per week for most of the year to date.
I’ve enjoyed the 800m focus over the past six months. Thanks to BG, DG, Mulberry and others for advice, suggestions, encouragement, shared knowledge and experience. It’s a different kind of buzz. I’ve also enjoyed being able to race a lot - 20 times this year already, with 11 PBs. The 800s continue to stand out as way better - at least in terms of VDOT and Age Grade - than everything else. Would like to have a stab at the 400 sometime, to get a better idea of exactly where the sweet spot lies. Onwards!
TLDR: Achievement Unlocked!0 -
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Isn't it great to follow a plan to the letter and then see so clearly how it pays off!
Great report and great race, well done and congratulations. You knocked nearly 5 seconds off your time in recent months: bronze was less than three seconds ahead of you...could you do the same again??? Think about that when you're high fiving your way around NYC! See you at NIA Live hopefully - you might as well have a crack at the 400 while you're at it 0 -
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