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To Connemara and Beyond ...

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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 2,601 ✭✭✭Wubble Wubble


    Well done N, that's a great result considering the start you had. Doesn't it always feel great to be whizzing through the field with a strong finish? Sub 45 next time out maybe...


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,199 ✭✭✭denis b


    Well done Nop. Sounds as though its a tough course to pb on.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,379 ✭✭✭diego_b


    Well done on the pb N!


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,355 ✭✭✭Bungy Girl


    You will love The Lakes !! Last 3K all downhill, so no holding back and you will cruise to a new PB and into the arms of a lemon muffin :D

    Congrats on this PB, and resisting the temptation to stop at Teddy's for ice-cream on the last stretch ;) (apparently plenty did :pac::pac:).


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,119 ✭✭✭Mrs Mc


    Congrats on the pb nop :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,009 ✭✭✭Firedance


    Bungy Girl wrote: »
    You will love The Lakes !! Last 3K all downhill, so no holding back and you will cruise to a new PB and into the arms of a lemon muffin :D

    Congrats on this PB, and resisting the temptation to stop at Teddy's for ice-cream on the last stretch ;) (apparently plenty did :pac::pac:).

    :D:D well it is TEDDY's best ice cream ever....! + 1 to The Lakes, a super super race, are you signed up or is BG 'just sayin'?

    Well done on the PB N! that's brilliant going on a tough course, happy days :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,585 ✭✭✭nop98


    FBOT01 wrote: »
    Well done on the PB, N. You'll have to try again though to see if the plan was a good ;)

    Thanks FBOT - good point but I think there was an easy 20-30 seconds lost at the start. Not sure if I can face that race again, but, we'll see :)
    Well done N, that's a great result considering the start you had. Doesn't it always feel great to be whizzing through the field with a strong finish? Sub 45 next time out maybe...

    Thanks WW! Well, it didn't quite feel like whizzing by but it felt good at the end anyway!
    denis b wrote: »
    Well done Nop. Sounds as though its a tough course to pb on.

    Thank you Denis - can't leave you clock up all the summer PBs on your own :) Not the worst course TBH, the rep is as usual worse that reality. But there are a few drags alright.
    diego_b wrote: »
    Well done on the pb N!

    Thank you kindly!
    Mrs Mc wrote: »
    Congrats on the pb nop

    Thank you kindly, too! :)
    Bungy Girl wrote: »
    You will love The Lakes !! Last 3K all downhill, so no holding back and you will cruise to a new PB and into the arms of a lemon muffin :D

    Congrats on this PB, and resisting the temptation to stop at Teddy's for ice-cream on the last stretch ;) (apparently plenty did :pac::pac:).

    You sell it well, BG :) but unfortunately I have other plans that weekend - the "count to 13" - kind. Are you doing it? Maybe you can save me a lemon muffin? :)

    And thanks - I actually didn't even think of stopping at Teddy's. :confused:
    Firedance wrote: »
    :D:D well it is TEDDY's best ice cream ever....! + 1 to The Lakes, a super super race, are you signed up or is BG 'just sayin'?

    Well done on the PB N! that's brilliant going on a tough course, happy days :)

    I think BG is "just saying" - no Lakes 10 for me unfortunately! Thanks FD :cool:


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,355 ✭✭✭Bungy Girl


    nop98 wrote: »
    You sell it well, BG :) but unfortunately I have other plans that weekend - the "count to 13" - kind. Are you doing it? Maybe you can save me a lemon muffin? :)

    And thanks - I actually didn't even think of stopping at Teddy's. :confused:

    Ah, I misunderstood somewhere. I thought you'd gotten out of the bridge weekend.

    Eh, no, that lemon muffin is mine. All mine. :cool:

    Apparently loads of runners 'paused' for an ice cream in the last 500m. Fact.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,415 ✭✭✭Singer


    Nice going N - report a good read as usual, and a sweet PB! What's next - other than cajoling a posse of newbs into wrecking their legs at the end of October?


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,038 ✭✭✭Neady83


    Nice on Nop, that a very shiny PB and only 26 seconds away from sub 45 :) Oh there's a always a carrot isn't there :) Great racing as always, those times just keep on tumbling down :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,776 ✭✭✭This Fat Girl Runs


    Great race, nop and loved your report. Congrats on the PB!


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,585 ✭✭✭nop98


    Bungy Girl wrote: »
    Ah, I misunderstood somewhere. I thought you'd gotten out of the bridge weekend.

    Eh, no, that lemon muffin is mine. All mine. :cool:

    Apparently loads of runners 'paused' for an ice cream in the last 500m. Fact.

    Now, now, BG. Whatever happened with "sharing is caring"? :confused:

    Bridge weekend is on, very much so. I play in a new team and we've committed to play trials for the Irish Team (we won't win that :D). As practice we agreed to play 4 regional tournaments, won the first two, but no thanks to a bad error on my part, lost the third while leading into the home stretch. That weekend is the 4th, which is also on home turf. Even a lemon muffin won't lead me astray! :cool:

    Sounds like you're doing it - best of luck. :pac:
    Singer wrote: »
    Nice going N - report a good read as usual, and a sweet PB! What's next - other than cajoling a posse of newbs into wrecking their legs at the end of October?

    Thanks B - I actually don't know. Would like to do the race series HM but as a slow jog (just to get a t-shirt for the race series, really). Maybe with "2hr project". Might go for a 5k race as final target race for 2016. Any suggestions?
    Neady83 wrote: »
    Nice on Nop, that a very shiny PB and only 26 seconds away from sub 45 :) Oh there's a always a carrot isn't there :) Great racing as always, those times just keep on tumbling down :)

    Oh thanks Neady - I can't believe you have time to read logs prepping for your voyage to the South Pole or whatever epicness you have lined up in a fortnight! :)
    Great race, nop and loved your report. Congrats on the PB!

    Thanks C - glad you liked it! :) Hope all well.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,415 ✭✭✭Singer


    nop98 wrote: »
    Thanks B - I actually don't know. Would like to do the race series HM but as a slow jog (just to get a t-shirt for the race series, really). Maybe with "2hr project". Might go for a 5k race as final target race for 2016. Any suggestions?

    Jingle Bells, of course! (Hopefully no hurricane force winds this year).


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,009 ✭✭✭Firedance


    Singer wrote: »
    Jingle Bells, of course! (Hopefully no hurricane force winds this year).

    Or Tom Brennan 5k on new year's day...! Fast & flat.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,585 ✭✭✭nop98


    Singer wrote: »
    Jingle Bells, of course! (Hopefully no hurricane force winds this year).
    Firedance wrote: »
    Or Tom Brennan 5k on new year's day...! Fast & flat.

    That's 4 months away!!


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,921 ✭✭✭Kennyg71


    Well done on PB nope some impressive progress.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,936 ✭✭✭annapr


    Bungy Girl wrote: »
    Apparently loads of runners 'paused' for an ice cream in the last 500m. Fact.

    Very cilivised :D.

    Well done Nop, excellent planning and nice PB! :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,585 ✭✭✭nop98


    Rather boring update from Aug 1.

    Date|Distance/Type|min/mi|min/km|Description
    Aug_1|DL Bay 10k Race|7:17|4:32|See report above :)
    Aug 2|4M rec|9:22|5:49|In between showers, out for a painful and slow couple of rec-miles with "sub-2h".
    Aug 4|5M v-easy|9:12|5:43|Run was lovely, sunshine and showers to keep us cool, and nice company. Body is creaking, tho.
    Aug 6|5k Shanganagh Parkrun|7:24|4:34|My young fella is full of resolve to better his PB (23:20). My job is to get him out of his bed in time, and pace him around the course, but I am not allowed to say anything. :) It wasn't made any easier due to plenty of 'hydration' the evening before. We said hello to Dubgal who was doing some impressive speed session, and then set off at conservative pace. He kept going all around (didn't fade as badly as he would normally do in the 3rd and 4th km) and left his suffering old man for dust on the final stretch. A fine 23:0x PB awaited him! #ProudDad Niggle-alert is that my Achilles was complaining loudly all the way around, so straight out with the ice when we came home.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,585 ✭✭✭nop98


    Right. It's now three months since this log showed any sign of life. Troubling.

    August, September and October saw a reasonable amount of running but not a whole lot of focus. Plenty of junk miles (nothing longer than 10M though) and the odd parkrun at a reasonable pace, to keep up with the young (9yo) fella. He has these down to 23:0x which is comfortable pace and totally enjoyable.

    The last few months saw a lot of boards-focus on the 2016 DCM novices who have done me very, very proud. While I am glad to have reached the Oct-30 milestone I will admit missing the regularity of their training schedule and build-up to the big event.

    To fill the void I have signed up for a couple of runs/races to sharpen the mind.
    • The "Ginger Runner Virtual Run" or #GRVR16 as the cool kids say - a 2 hour 'virtual run' to be ran on Nov 19. The time, mileage, or course doesn't matter. Just 2 hours of running organized by a dude I am following on youtube (see here if interested). Since I really enjoy watching his race-videos I thought I sign up for his virtual run, I have some plans for a fun course either North (Killiney Hill) or South (Bray Head). Anyone interested in keeping me company, shout now! (Not all at once) (Beer afterwards on me) (Really, not all at once).
    • Jingle Bells 5k on Dec 3, where the #DCM16Gards will leave the auld fella (me) for dust.
    • (trembles) Connemara Full Marathon. In a moment of madness I have signed up for CNM17. I am very, very much looking forward to this race and I badly need some focus, although the training plan (a combination of the boards DCM plan and the Myles grad plan) is daunting to say the least. I had better invest in an upgrade of my winter running gear!

    So this week has seen more junk miles, as usual, ran too fast, so it's time I heed some of the advice dished out so many times over the past few months: slow the fc*k down.

    This week consisted off:

    Mon Oct 31
    8M easy, inspired by the heroics of the now-grads and all others competing #DCM16.

    Thu Nov 3
    4M steady in Co Carlow. Off for the mid-term break, I escaped and ran a pre-planned triangle loop around our hotel/estate and since it was getting dark pretty quick (and hey, did nobody ever hear of street lights in these parts?!), I sped up just to get back in one piece.

    Fri Nov 4
    4M easy. Same loop in the depths of Carlow, a little earlier and thus more daylight, and thus a little slower.

    Sun Nov 6
    8M easy. Up and down the coast towards Dalkey, pretty chilly and the freaky white hands/fingers afterwards (Reynaud's) indicate that the seasons have changed. Nice run but as I ran it way too fast, I was struggling a good bit.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,355 ✭✭✭Bungy Girl


    Welcome back. Where ever have you been ?! (lol :D)

    Glad you've rescued the log and have the next few months planned out. Connemara, eh ? Hope the weather's a bit better than last year :eek: Will your flatlander buddies be over for it ?

    See you at JB hopefully!


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,585 ✭✭✭nop98


    Bungy Girl wrote: »
    Welcome back. Where ever have you been ?! (lol :D)

    Glad you've rescued the log and have the next few months planned out. Connemara, eh ? Hope the weather's a bit better than last year :eek: Will your flatlander buddies be over for it ?

    See you at JB hopefully!

    :) Ha ha.

    Connemara, indeed :eek: FBOT the Great already dampened my spirits that only the ultra commands the proper respect (but the prospect of 26 hilly miles is daunting enough). Flatlanders are in doubt. They don't want to come back for the Half, having done it last year. One of them wants to do the Full (he has done a couple), the other doesn't. So there is no consensus yet.

    JB - yes, will see you there (real life permitting), but only at the start or finish. No way I'll see you mid-race!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,038 ✭✭✭Neady83


    Delighted to have you back logging Nop :) well done again on a fantastic job with the Novices. We'll be on a very similar training path to Connemara so we can swop notes and war stories :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,672 ✭✭✭hillsiderunner


    nop98 wrote: »
    [*](trembles) Connemara Full Marathon. In a moment of madness I have signed up for CNM17. I am very, very much looking forward to this race and I badly need some focus, although the training plan (a combination of the boards DCM plan and the Myles grad plan) is daunting to say the least.

    *Yikes*

    When you mentioned Connemara those few times I thought you surely meant the HM. The marathon is serious stuff. Six months to go, you better get cracking with those long runs.

    Nop Jr's PB is the same as mine from June 2015 (*sob*), except of course I'm miles from it now. He'll have another couple of mins off that in no time :).


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,199 ✭✭✭denis b


    Recharged after an autumn break....welcome back:D. I have JB in my sights as well so keep training.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,119 ✭✭✭Mrs Mc


    Great to see you back logging again nop and well done with all the novices this year. Raheny 5 also opened nice new year run.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,585 ✭✭✭nop98


    Nothing but junk-miles to report.

    Tue Nov 8, Thu Nov 10 and Fri Nov 11
    3x4M easy - in fact, very easy. My running colleagues have kick-started their training (pretty much off the wagon since the PP HM in September (:eek:)) - so out of solidarity I stuck with them on the shorter of our lunch-time loops and we took it very easy. Both lads will run (parts) with me next Saturday in #GRVR16 (which will be a shortened version of home-Bray-Greystones and back) (followed by beer).

    Sun Nov 13
    60 min easy @ 5:33 min/km - I had hoped to do a little more but this is all I could muster with a <8am start after attending a wedding down in Adare. Ran around a little aimlessly, having not planned anything properly.

    Verdict for the week is a little mweh: 4x running this week (better than average). 31km total (not great but that seems par for the course over the past while). Only one pace (easy) (not great either, but that's all I seem to manage these days).


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,585 ✭✭✭nop98


    Weekly update... two shorter, easy runs as I had planned to run #GRVR16 on Saturday.

    Tue Nov 15: 5M easy (9:11 min/mi). Unremarkable miles.

    Thu Nov 17: 4M easy (9:07 min/mi). Usual lunchtime loop with 2 buddies. As we left, it was lovely and sunny but very cold. The first couple of kms were in the wind and the lads were complaining bitterly. "Push that f*cker under the bus", I heard one of them say, and this is before it started to rain :eek:

    Sat Nov 19: 13.1M @ 9:05 min/mi. #GRVR16, a 'virtual run' organized by this dude I follow on youtube called "the ginger runner". He does some cool race-report videos of ultra-trails marathons in the Pacific Northwest which I highly recommend.

    The idea of the 'virtual run' was to run 120 minutes, any route, pace, distance, elevation, and then send in the Strava link. I signed up and got a cool t-shirt and started plotting the route. From my local Shanganagh park, a route through Bray, towards Greystones and back over the cliff-path would be about the HM distance. Despite the hills and significant undertraining, that sounded like a decent challenge.

    I convinced my two buddies (see above) to come with me, and they would take turns running. Bob (the better runner of the two) would run the first half towards Greystones (over the road). The other, Brian, would then run the cliff-path to Bray, where Bob would take over again, to run the last stretch.

    Again, it was freezing cold as I proudly donned the #GRVR participant t-shirt (and several other layers, I hasten to add), my friends arrived, and we were on our way. Bob and I had a great run, and I felt really good despite the long climb over Bray Head. In fact, running downhill into Greystones, I had to hold back so I wouldn't drop my pacer :)

    Brian was waiting where he was supposed to be and took over pacing duties. Greystones harbour is a bit of a mess and the entry to the cliff-walk had moved. A bit of cursing later we were finally on the right track. It's not the hardest of trail runs, but it certainly is a lot harder work than the road. It was also cold, in the wind. During the first uphill, boring stretch, my pacer was struggling a little so I slowed down a bit. There were also many walkers along the path, and steep sections that we couldn't run. Brian overcame his early struggle and ran the last part strongly into Bray, but my average pace had dropped to well over 2h HM pace.

    As we were approaching Bray, Bob re-appeared and took over pacing duties once again. I told him I was behind pace and he stepped on it. Much as we had nattered on our first stretch, there was no chat at all - the cliff section (especially the sharp descent into Bray) had taken its toll. We made our way towards Shanganagh Park and at this point, I was glad to have a pacer as Bob really kept the pace honest. We returned to our starting point with almost the HM distance on the watch, just under 2 hours. Job done :)

    The 'Ginger Runner's' motto is #TrainRaceBeer and we marked the occasion to have a few pints afterwards - with that sweet sense of "I had a good hard run today" in the legs. :)

    https://www.strava.com/activities/779893346


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,585 ✭✭✭nop98


    Just what the world needs, more boring training miles. :) The objective of these weeks is to simply clock up a lot of miles before I embark on an 18 week plan for #CNM17. Man. I am bricking it even thinking about it. :eek:

    The #GRVR16 effort from last week was still in the legs so I took Sunday and Monday off.

    Tue Nov 22: 5M @ 8:16/mi
    Meant to be 5M easy but ended up running up much faster. I ran solo and experimented a little with my usual loop (oh, the excitement). As I was stretching the legs for a slightly faster last couple of kilometers, the (already fragile) male ego took (yet another) serious dent as I was well and truly chicked on the home stretch. Tried to accelerate to match the pace set but in vain. :o

    Thu Nov 24: 5M @ 9:08/mi
    Same loop with the usual buddies, uneventful.

    Fri Nov 25: 5M @ 8:35/mi
    Planned to runmute in-and-out of work but the logistical challenge is just overwhelming, so I chickened out. Instead I did another similar 5M which again I ran faster than I should. I should really start to apply some discipline, as otherwise I won't even get to the start of this training plan.

    Saturday - meant to do the parkrun with jr, but a very early GA match (for him, in case you might wonder :rolleyes:) put paid to that.

    Sun Nov 27: 10M hilly/traily @ 9:29 /mi
    Fab run! First on the roads into the hills overlooking Shankill, then onto the trails. Awesome. Got my backside handed to me on the steeper sections, especially up Barnaslingan. I scared the bejaysis out of this couple walking with their jog as they didn't hear me coming and I might have passed by them a little closer than I should have (their dog cut me off). Down the hill along the (very) steep Quarry Road (have felt its wrath so many times on the way up), into the local park and home. Pfff.

    Really enjoyed this run and I plan to do a lot more of these trails, but running wise it was a little mweh. I never felt I got out of second gear and am niggly all over the place (hip and feet). I think these faster mid-week runs are doing me no favours so it is time to buckle down and run slow. Slower. SLOWEST! :)

    Next week is Jingle Bells and I can't remember anything faster than the parkruns I did with jr over the past couple of months (all around 23 minutes). So if there's a magic sharpening up mid-week run suggestion, I am all ears! :D

    https://www.strava.com/activities/786946883


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,585 ✭✭✭nop98


    Tue Nov 29: 5M easy @ 9:01 /mi
    Junk-miles - at reasonable slow pace for once.

    Wed Nov 30: 5M with 1, 2, 3, 4, 3, 2, 1min @ ~5k-5M pace (same time off)
    I recalled this pyramid workout from last year's graduates plan and decided to give this a go on the usual lunchtime loop. Total sufferfest :o. I ran with one of my faster colleagues and even he struggled. Really good work-out, we probably did overdo the pace a little (just under 7 min/mi on average).

    Felt decidedly niggly :eek: after this run, so skipped Thursday's planned 45 min easy.

    Sat Dec 3: Jingle Bells 5k: 20:49 chip-time (PB!) :cool::pac:
    Absolutely splendid day for my first outing at the famous Jingle Bells 5k - last year I had an entry but wuzzed out because of the torrential rain. I met the boardsie formerly known as FD, Wubble, Murph_D, annapr, laura and Bungy Girl in the carpark, and jogged down to the start area. My previous fastest 5ks were two Shanganagh parkruns right after DCM 2015, 21:42 and 22:00 in an unholy downpour. I have clocked up many parkruns since but always with jr, so these were decent workouts but not at all-out race-pace. I was hoping for something around 21:30, which meant just below 4:20 min/km average.

    I checked with Murph and BG about their target times as I had some vague notions I might stick with them for a few km at least. Their replies made me look for alternative pacers - but as the gun neared, I had lined up with BG and TBFKAFD and off we went.

    The first km was reasonably controlled despite it being the only net-uphill km of the day and I was surprised to be able to keep up with BG reasonably comfortable - clocking in at 4:15. The field thinned out as we turned onto Chesterfield, but we had a little tailwind - the effort increased to stay on pace but the second km was 4:13. I was still somehow managing to stick with BG but as we turned onto Ordnance Survey Road, she started inching away and I almost immediately resigned myself to the inevitable. But right at that time, the third km chimed in at 4:18 - so I realized I was about 15 seconds ahead of target time with the downhill session still to come. Some stern HTFU instructions and I managed to pull up my socks and up the effort, to stick with the little group that had formed, led by BG and other strong looking runners.

    The fourth kilometer is lovely downhill along the Upper Glen Road and the pace increased, as did the breathing which had started to become decidedly laboured. The 4th split was 4:08 and I knew a juicy PB was well within reach. At that stage, bizarrely, for the first time since the start, I was running right at BG's shoulder and even inched ahead of her. I'd like to report that this was a conscious, well timed, strong effort, but in reality, I think I happened to be running the perfect race-line on a nice downhill bump so it was more a coincedence. Obviously, within seconds, she came blazing by again and proper order was restored. I didn't see her again until the finish-line. :rolleyes: In the meantime, I was having an almighty battle to stay on pace, especially when I saw the official clock ticking away towards 21 minutes. I got over the line just sub-21 (gun time) and had to grab hold of the nearest barrier to not keel over. Particularly pleased with the emptying of the tank.

    Turned out my final km was 3:52 and it all resulted in a splendid 20:49 PB, which I am absolutely delighted with!

    There were great runs all around and it was great to see many boardsies and former novices, most were pretty delighted with their times and many PBs were recorded. Great show by Donore and a really nice morning out! :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,831 ✭✭✭Annie get your Run


    Brilliant!!! Great report, great race and a big WELL DONE to you :) It's a super race isn't it? Hope your enjoying PB beers beer :p

    Great to catch up today, am rapidly talking myself out of Fat Turkey though, the ole 10K pain we talked about earlier, who needs it :D


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,921 ✭✭✭Kennyg71


    Well done On pb N, fantastic result of busy few months with DCM novices
    next year all clear now for lots more pb's:)


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,038 ✭✭✭Neady83


    Wow, what a race and a PB Norb, delighted for you :) and off such a busy few months. Big big things coming your way in 2017 :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,672 ✭✭✭hillsiderunner


    Congrats nop, excellent result off non-specific training, you're in great shape for the marathon block.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,355 ✭✭✭Bungy Girl


    Super stuff, Nop! Delighted for you. Nop Jr. will have his work cut out now trying to beat that. I think you've managed to buy yourself some time ;). As the others have said, it's a fantastic result off limited training, just goes to show there's always a bit more in the tank.
    Hopefully see you at the Fat Turkey. Gobble gobble.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,420 ✭✭✭Ososlo


    Great running nop! Very well done!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,911 ✭✭✭tailgunner


    Great stuff, congrats!


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,199 ✭✭✭denis b


    Super result Nop. Had not realised it was a 53 second jump when congratulating you. Puts you in a very different place going forward. Enjoy the training and new goals.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,119 ✭✭✭Mrs Mc


    Well done Nop great run.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,491 ✭✭✭✭Murph_D


    Great stuff Norb, well done, I'm sure BG didn't mind you applying the cattle prod there at 4k. ;) Congrats on the PB!


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,415 ✭✭✭Singer


    Nice racing! I think you are suited to the shorter stuff :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,121 ✭✭✭tang1


    Lovely to meet you Saturday morning and very well done on the new PB.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,080 ✭✭✭✭Maximus Alexander


    Great work on a huge PB, congrats!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,015 ✭✭✭jake1970


    well done Nop. congrats on the PB.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,585 ✭✭✭nop98


    Thank you all for the kind words :) Jingle Bells seems a long time ago.

    This week's update: 4 easy lunch-time runs for a total of 20 mid-week junk-miles, and since the GAA is finally on a brief break, the young fella and I lined up for our local Shanganagh parkrun for the first time in a while.

    All 3 keen followers of this log will know that my young lad's repeated attempts at a PB at Shanganagh (23:01 until this Sat) allow me an opportunity to stretch the legs at a decent pace. The first four km's usually make me feel like the pushy parent (as I am running slightly ahead of him, and he clearly struggling to keep the pace), the last km sees him find an extra gear or two and I need to cling on as he looks over his shoulder and shouts "come on daddy!". :rolleyes:

    This Saturday, I was obviously buoyed by Jingle Bells and we had been looking forward to finally cracking 23 minutes for him. I jogged to the park as he biked it, we lined up, clapped for the volunteers (including his mum and sis) and off we went. A pattern is that we typically start a little too slow and then leave ourselves too much work to do, so I tried to get out of the blocks a little faster this time (aiming for 4:35 min/km or so). The first km's all clocked up easy enough and we were well ahead of pace (4:23, 4:22, 4:24). Young fella was breathing hard but he seemed okay, and in my head, I was already proudly writing this log-update. 2 5k PBs in a week in the family (not as good as two personal PBs like some of us clock up per week ;)!). I was beaming with pride as we made our way through the field, as every runner we overtook said something nice to my boy. :cool:

    As we came through the 3k mark (after the second lap), I actually noticed that I was working harder myself than I had intended to. This was a little unexpected and I told myself to HTFU. Surely I can keep this going for another 2k? A third runner had been drafting behind us all race and he started to push up. We ran, almost three abreast, for about a km when I have to admit I started to fall off the pace. What is happening here!? My young fella was ahead, the passenger in the middle, and me struggling to stay with them.

    The course has one little incline, about 400m from the finishline, after which it's a long, sloping bend down home. This is where the young lad typically starts his final sprint but not without checking if I am still there. So I hung around until about that point, shouted at him to go ahead, and he went for it as I slowed down a little. I was spent! Couldn't believe it. The young lad hammered it home, ahead of the other dude (:)) and well ahead of his old man (:o). When I checked my watch, I did a double take: my time was 21:5x - and he was about 10-15 seconds ahead. He had smashed his best by >80 seconds!

    When the official time came in, I had to blink a couple of times. My 10yo's official best time for Shanganagh is now 2 seconds faster than my Shanganagh PB :eek:. You could not wipe the :D from his face all day (or mine, for that matter - until my neighbor, who had noticed this in the results, reminded me that I had better start training a little harder or I was not going to reverse this trend anymore. I decided that now was not a good time to point out we had both beaten this guy by over 10 minutes!).

    I still can't believe it - the guy rocks up on his bike, no warm-up, training, nothing, and proceeds to smash it - and doesn't even seems to be overly tired afterwards. Next week, revenge! #ProudDad #LoveParkrun


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,379 ✭✭✭diego_b


    Ah great stuff N, congrats on the family pbs...nice report that!


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,044 ✭✭✭chickey2


    Fantastic! Well done nop Jr!


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,672 ✭✭✭hillsiderunner


    Well done, big and small nops! Future champion in your house I think :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,038 ✭✭✭Neady83


    One of the best race reports of the year there Nop, delighted for you and Jr., that was quite the performance :)

    p.s. all those junk miles will stand to you in Conn ;)


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,585 ✭✭✭nop98


    Thank you folks, the embarrassment has faded and the pride remains :) wow, another fortnight has passed. Time for a quick update...

    The week starting Dec 12 was a total write-off. Work was manic (due to visitors landing from the American mothership) and I didn't feel great. 2 short mid-week runs was all I could muster. I skipped the parkrun on Saturday and opted for a lie-in instead, and on Sunday, still felt sh*te so again, no running - resulting in the year's lowest weekly mileage (single digit, enough said).

    The week starting Dec 19 was marginally better. Three mid-week runs with my "sub-2h HM" coaching project meant I could clock up mileage despite not feeling 100% and actually really enjoying it due to the slow pace. Saturday morning (Xmas Eve), I got up early, and tried to get the young fella out of his bed for the local parkrun, but he was having none of it :( and neither had the rest of the family.

    Having laced up already, I jogged to the park and secretly feeling relieved not to be humiliated again. I really think he's already too fast for me. Said hello to some known faces including my hero DG, and I started nice and slow to speed up progressively throughout. At around the 4km mark, I had a group of youngsters in my sight and a rush-of-blood meant the auld fella decided he would beat them all. I overtook them all as decisively as I could muster, and even tho two of the teenagers put up a good fight, I stayed ahead. 23:0x or thereabouts, happy enough with that.

    On Christmas Day, the local running club organized a Shanganagh GOAL mile so the whole family lined up. In the first heat, me and my seven-year old daughter ran (most of it hand-in-hand, bless :)) and in the third heat, I ran with the 10-year old. He clocked up a sub-7 mile and both were very happy with their certificate. Nice little event for a great cause, and a super attendance.

    Still not a great week but 23 miles in total, only short stuff.

    Today, Dec 26, I wanted to run long and had initially planned to do Shankill-Bray-Greystones (again) for a 13M LSR. Time was a little against me so I opted for a shorter route (<11M, hilly @ 9:20 min/mi), trialing a new running backpack (Xmas present to facilitate a potential runmute). The first 10k were fine, started to suffer on the home-stretch due to lack of decent training and not enough fuel in the tank. Remembering an annapr race-report, I kept repeating "I will not walk" to myself, even out loud - to the bewilderment of the locals, and struggled home. Oh boy. That was not pretty :(

    Next post - time for some end-of-year reflection. :rolleyes:


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,831 ✭✭✭Annie get your Run


    A sub 7 mile for young M, fantastic! He will be leaving you for dust in the new year!


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