Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose

Neady83

Nice one Diego, well done. What a result after coming back to injury, delighted to see that it paid off I agree with you on the 180 turns on courses, it's very difficult to pick up the pace after the turn and they tend to be congested so you can't make the turn the way you like

This Fat Girl Runs

Really enjoyed your report! Well done and well run!

diego_b

Mrs Mc wrote: »

Great report D congrats on the pb looks like the injury has been managed well patience and following the plan definately paid off for you. Onwards and upwards. Ballycotton is next for you isn't it ? Will see you there me and FBOT doing it.

Thanks Mrs Mc, have a 10miler in Tralee on Valentine's Day and after that it's Ballycotton. I am hoping to get sub 1:20 in one of those, haven't done much study on the Ballycotton course to see what it's like. Tralee one should be okay but it's coming too soon so will settle for breaking my pb there (currently 1:25:16 from a half marathon last summer), think I can get a good chunk off that.
Will see ye in Ballycotton so!

diego_b

Neady83 wrote: »

Nice one Diego, well done. What a result after coming back to injury, delighted to see that it paid off I agree with you on the 180 turns on courses, it's very difficult to pick up the pace after the turn and they tend to be congested so you can't make the turn the way you like

Thanks very much, tipping along pretty well all right...gotta love setting new fastest times. I am in a nice phase still with running where I can do them frequently enough when training consistently, few more years and I guess it will get harder to get faster!!
Aha not just me so, literally end up almost stopping for a stride on the turn, would be afraid to pull a groin muscle if turning too sharp. Tralee parkrun has a 180 turn on each of the 3 laps, I curse it every single time.

diego_b

This Fat Girl Runs wrote: »

Really enjoyed your report! Well done and well run!

Thanks C and well done you too, keep up the training as it's working well for you.

Bungy Girl

diego_b wrote: »

Mile 4
This mile sucked a lot

I hear ya! My sentiments exactly.

Great report and very nice splits. Well done! Plenty more PBs to come I suspect.

Kennyg71

well done D, great to get PB. Great report. Looks like good year to come.

diego_b

Bungy Girl wrote: »

I hear ya! My sentiments exactly.

Great report and very nice splits. Well done! Plenty more PBs to come I suspect.

Thanks very much and hopefully so!

diego_b

Kennyg71 wrote: »

well done D, great to get PB. Great report. Looks like good year to come.

Thanks G, not too many 5 mile races so have to make them count when they come along. I know one of the organizers well from working with him in years gone by and he suggested sub 35 next....bit of work in that now but we'll see what I can do next Jan!

nop98

Good work Diego - nice to see you on the day and afterwards (and Mrs_B and Mr_B Sr) - great stuff on the PB. Sub 35 next year! :eek:

diego_b wrote: »

Was dying to see Nop again...

Thank you - I have that effect on people. :P:cool: [hides]

diego_b

nop98 wrote: »

Good work Diego - nice to see you on the day and afterwards (and Mrs_B and Mr_B Sr) - great stuff on the PB. Sub 35 next year! :eek:



Thank you - I have that effect on people. :P:cool: [hides]

Haha thanks!
I think sub 35 might be a few years away if I can try manage that, we'll see!!

JMSE

Well done Diego on the pb in Raheny and well done over the past 3 years, inspiring stuff to go from where you started to where you are now

diego_b

JMSE wrote: »

Well done Diego on the pb in Raheny and well done over the past 3 years, inspiring stuff to go from where you started to where you are now

Thanks very much, very nice of you to say that! Now and again I get little reminders of where I was at when people say such things or else I see old pictures.

diego_b

Thursday 04-02-2016

7.6m club run completed, avg pace was 8:47min/mi. Nothing too hectic on the pace front and the effort felt reasonably high....guess feeling the effects of the race last weekend still. Steady climb in the first mile and then again in mile's 5, 6, 7.

Splits were:
8:59
8:09
8:23
8:47
8:54
9:07
9:06

diego_b

Friday 05-02-2016

Nothing


Saturday 06-02-2016

Tralee parkrun, ran with my 3.75 year old daughter in the buggy.
Finished 84th out of 215 in a time of 30:56. Was pretty happy with that and I couldn't but take it easy for at least 2 of the 3 laps due to having to start at the back and the amount of overtaking needed to be done. Only my second time running with the buggy and it was alright, it's not so good on turns as the front wheel is fixed so a bit awkward to do tight corners....Tralee parkrun has quite a few sharp corners. Last lap was good and could open it up a bit and was able to get up to top speed on the last few hundred meters as the widest part of the course. Splits were 11:37 (took me about 30 seconds to get past the start line from the back), 9:51, 9:17. I think with a course with less bends and a decent run at it I could probably do 26/27mins with the buggy/coperative daughter!!

Did some ankle/balance work in the evening then which actually finishes that program I was on. Back to the physio in a week or so.


Sunday 07-02-2016

1m warm up, 4m progression, 0.5m cool down.
Enjoyed this run despite the conditions however I definitely missed the worst of the wind if I'd gone out later in the day.
I should have cooled the pace a bit more in the 3rd mile as it would have meant for easier splits to achieve in the 4th and 5th mile but I enjoy this kinda of session.

Splits
9:02
8:40
8:15
8:04
8:01
4:35 for 0.5 mile.

Some glut exercises then this evening.
Have a 10 mile race coming up next Sunday and a trip up to Dublin on Wed/Thur (will get a run in the Phoenix Park Wed evening) so a bit of disruption. Possibly will do a treadmill run tomorrow (on a half day as up till stupid o'clock tonight to watch the Superbowl). And then PP on Wed with a short run on Fri or Sat before the race on Sunday.

diego_b

Friday 05-02-2016

Nothing


Saturday 06-02-2016

Tralee parkrun, ran with my 3.75 year old daughter in the buggy.
Finished 84th out of 215 in a time of 30:56. Was pretty happy with that and I couldn't but take it easy for at least 2 of the 3 laps due to having to start at the back and the amount of overtaking needed to be done. Only my second time running with the buggy and it was alright, it's not so good on turns as the front wheel is fixed so a bit awkward to do tight corners....Tralee parkrun has quite a few sharp corners. Last lap was good and could open it up a bit and was able to get up to top speed on the last few hundred meters as the widest part of the course. Splits were 11:37 (took me about 30 seconds to get past the start line from the back), 9:51, 9:17. I think with a course with less bends and a decent run at it I could probably do 26/27mins with the buggy/coperative daughter!!

Did some ankle/balance work in the evening then which actually finishes that program I was on. Back to the physio in a week or so.


Sunday 07-02-2016

1m warm up, 4m progression, 0.5m cool down.
Enjoyed this run despite the conditions however I definitely missed the worst of the wind if I'd gone out later in the day.
I should have cooled the pace a bit more in the 3rd mile as it would have meant for easier splits to achieve in the 4th and 5th mile but I enjoy this kinda of session.

Splits
9:02
8:40
8:15
8:04
8:01
4:35 for 0.5 mile.

Some glut exercises then this evening.
Have a 10 mile race coming up next Sunday and a trip up to Dublin on Wed/Thur (will get a run in the Phoenix Park Wed evening) so a bit of disruption. Possibly will do a treadmill run tomorrow (on a half day as up till stupid o'clock tonight to watch the Superbowl). And then PP on Wed with a short run on Fri or Sat before the race on Sunday.

Mrs Mc

Your 3.75 year old ... Love it .... When your 3.75 that .75 is so important .... Funny how when you get older you round down nice solid week running D.

diego_b

Mrs Mc wrote: »

Your 3.75 year old ... Love it .... When your 3.75 that .75 is so important .... Funny how when you get older you round down nice solid week running D.

Haha indeed it is, she's changed so much in that 0.75! Thanks!

diego_b

Monday 08-02-2016

3.1m on Treadmill, 8-11kph & 1% incline in 29:30


Tuesday 09-02-2016

Nothing


Wednesday 10-02-2016

5.35m in 46:25 @ 8:40min/mi
Up in Dublin for the night and staying near Phoenix Park so got out for a run @5:50pm after work, due to the darkness that had already engulfed the park I decided I would do an easy pace run up and down Chesterfield Avenue. I ran in the bicycle lane...wearing a hi-viz top and ensured to give way to cyclists by moving to the side or onto the grass on a case by case basis, hope I didn't disrupt anyone's commute and not one cyclist passed comment. Felt bad doing it though! Next time I'm up I'll bring my head torch, enjoyed the run but ended up running in complete darkness after the turn around at the Castleknock gate for about half a mile. Splits were 9:05, 8:37, 8:49, 8:46, 8:07.
First time running in the park since Dublin City Marathon so some nice moments to think of in spots.

Thursday-Saturday
Travel home to Kerry, travel to Laois for a funeral and back to Kerry. Few days written off but maybe the rest was good as life has been too hectic of late.

diego_b

Monday 08-02-2016

3.1m on Treadmill, 8-11kph & 1% incline in 29:30


Tuesday 09-02-2016

Nothing


Wednesday 10-02-2016

5.35m in 46:25 @ 8:40min/mi
Up in Dublin for the night and staying near Phoenix Park so got out for a run @5:50pm after work, due to the darkness that had already engulfed the park I decided I would do an easy pace run up and down Chesterfield Avenue. I ran in the bicycle lane...wearing a hi-viz top and ensured to give way to cyclists by moving to the side or onto the grass on a case by case basis, hope I didn't disrupt anyone's commute and not one cyclist passed comment. Felt bad doing it though! Next time I'm up I'll bring my head torch, enjoyed the run but ended up running in complete darkness after the turn around at the Castleknock gate for about half a mile. Splits were 9:05, 8:37, 8:49, 8:46, 8:07.
First time running in the park since Dublin City Marathon so some nice moments to think of in spots.

Thursday-Saturday
Travel home to Kerry, travel to Laois for a funeral and back to Kerry. Few days written off but maybe the rest was good as life has been too hectic of late.

diego_b

Valentine's Day 10 Mile, Tralee
14-02-2016

Today was a good day.
Since the Raheny 5miler and getting a 5 mile PB there I have been thinking about what I would try for both in the Valentine's 10 Miler in Tralee and Ballycotton 10 next month. I knew a PB was there today even with some sandbagging but it was going to be both my longest run and race since DCM so there was a bit of the unknown for me in it. I wanted to go for sub 1:20 which would give me over 5 mins off my previous best for the distance (in a half marathon race last July I got 1:25:16, 10 mile race in April 2015 was 1:26:20) but my preperation this week has been far from ideal, not running since Wednesday and a lot of traveling up and down the country so excuses were at the ready. Was expecting poor conditions this morning as well and a route likely exposed to wind so I could have went for 1:23-24, tipped away comfortably a pat on the back for a PB got. This morning when I got up and looked out the window I thought hmmm, not bad now at all...that's one excuse gone so. Pretty cold out, for some that's a hindrance but for me I think I am better in the cold than heat. Maybe maybe we might try this, tipped away into Tralee to get to park the car at 9:30am ahead of a 10am start. Bumped into a few clubmates and exchanged ideas/plans for the race, told them I was thinking of trying for a right proper chunk of my PB...they encouraged me to go with it so I said feck it why not. Even if I go out too fast for the first half....slowing a bit in the second half will still likely give me a new fastest time even if not the 1:20 I planned.
Down to the starting area in the Wetlands centre and did a lap of the area (less than a K) to warm up, pretty chilly still but was feeling good. Looked to be about 500 runners for the race and the road is pretty wide there so no congestion getting into a nice spot for the start.....then we were off, my aim being 8min/miles and see how it goes.

Mile 1&2
Quick enough start as we meandered out of the town, have ran the first two miles of this route before in another race and also on training runs so very familiar with it. Tip in the second mile is that there is a steady climb, not much but enough that people can burn up a bit doing it...just keep it nice and steady with no weaving but with the sole aim of getting into my pace. Passed a male clubmate in the first mile, had a chat for a sec and we said it's nice day for it and he wished me luck for the race. Tipped away and then passed a female club mate coming up to the 2nd mile marker. She has been faster than me over a few 10Ks races we've done together so was wondering would she be passing me later in the race.
Splits for mile 1 and 2 were 7:56 and 7:53.

Mile 3&4
Heading proper out of town, the Fenit direction for those in the know of the area. I have ran this road once before in training run for DCM with a clubmate and with the course info I could find on Strava I knew it was flat. Once the wind gods were good to us it was going to be good time to maybe bank a few seconds for the hills to come in mile 5&6. Water stop near the start of mile 3 so took a bottle and ran with it for about 100 meters and discarded it after two sips. Didn't especially want it but knew there would be none for another 4 miles or so. Splits for these miles were 7:46, 7:42.
I was a bit faster than planned at this stage but said I'd just try keep it as I was and hopefully was not going too hard. Effort wise it felt fine and felt like less than a 10K effort.

Mile 5&6
Turn back towards town, first half of mile 5 was fast....kinda running on windy country lanes with a bit of up and down fast. I have a road like this where I live and have done a bit of running of it of late, it's a nice type of road to run and I have practiced getting a good racing line for this. Second half of this mile was the first bit of climbing. Bit of a sting but okay. Through the halfway point in 39:15 so was very happy with that. Started to think now that barring something silly if I can hold this pace then should be pretty good for my a target of sub 1:20. Mile 6 stung nicely, good climb for the first half of it (had ran it once before in a training run in the summer so whilst it was pretty long the gradiant wasn't too bad). One lady passed me going up the climb and I could see her for the rest of the race about two minutes ahead of me. Passed a few people too myself so going okay. Could feel my right quad a small bit cresting the top of the hill but it was more one of those hello pain type things (thanks for that idea Dubgal, some things really have stuck). Crested over the top of the hill for the descent back into town....again a spot to gain back a bit of time from the climb.
Splits were 7:49 and 8:07

Mile 7&8
I could see from my watch time I really on the money now for my A goal as were again turned halfway into Mile 7 to run out of the town towards the coast again. Bit of a climb going out of the town but not too bad. Got passed by a blue t-shirted guy in mile 7 but he held his ground a few paces ahead of me with what seemed to be a mate of his who I'd gained ground on. They had a good chat away as we working out towards coastline. I levelled up beside them for a few words/strides before the end of 8th mile . One of the nice things about having nice round goal of 8min miles it was very easy do the maths so said get to two miles to go before 1:04 and you should be fine. I passed the mile 8 marker with 1:03:xx on the watch.
Splits were 7:42 & 7:41

Mile 9&10
Water stop just after the final turn towards town and the push down the canal, I was a bit concerned with wind exposure here as with any running I have done out the area there's always been wind. There's a good reason why Blennerville windmill is out that part of town. However as it's a canal it's flat as can be so a good time to push a bit. Was starting to feel it for sure now but not too bad. Blue-shirted guy came up beside me then again for a chat, nice fella but I wasn't really in the talking mode, eyes on the prize! He said to me he'd been behind me since 2 miles into the race and he said I was running a very even paced race (he was using the race a training run for a marathon next month) so had been using me a gauge. I told him I was planning 8min/mi to go sub 1:20 but I appeared to be faster than that.
Into the last mile then he said he'd push on for the finish and I said work away, last half a mile we were back into the town and some meandering to do with 90 degree turns. Was really feeling it now for the last half a mile but come on I said half a mile stop moaning and get it done. A marshal shouted at me from a good distance across the canal to give me a push and it was a nice boost.
Up past the Brandon hotel now and only a few hundred meters to go. I checked the watch and could see 1:18 and suddenly got worried than it might take me more than 2mins to get to the finish line but said come on push it. Into the home straight and pushed hard for those last 100 meters or so, nice support from the sidelines with a good few runners families out.
Even heard someone cheer my name (later found out it was my wife!) and also the commentator on the race mentioned me as someone in the area who does a good few of the races. I could see the race clock was still 1:18:xx just as I was about to cross the line and I was proper delighted to have done it...may have let a roar or two in celebration.
My watch time was 1:18:52, my gross race time was 1:18:59 but my chip didn't register at the start so the net time is also 1:18:59. No matter I started the day with an aim of 1:20 if I ran well and came home with sub 1:19 :-).
Final splits were 7:57 and 7:57.

After the race I met my wife and daughter who had surprised me to come in, they got there just a min or two before I finished. I also chatted with a few clubmates who all had fine days as well with some other personal records recorded. The lady clubmate who I passed around mile 2 told me I was really flying it, I was pretty pleased with myself alright.
Overall I was very happy with the day, happy that I decided to go for the time and even more happy that I was able to do it plus my pacing was good.
It bodes really well for me to get nice chunk of my half marathon time the next time I race that distance....currently planned for Connemarathon Half.
Next up is Ballycotton 10.

Mrs Mc

Super stuff D and what a time to knock off the pb. See you in Ballycotton. Keep up that training plan it seems to be working well for you.

Kennyg71

Well done on pb D, really hitting form now, keep it going for ballycotton now.

diego_b

Mrs Mc wrote: »

Super stuff D and what a time to knock off the pb. See you in Ballycotton. Keep up that training plan it seems to be working well for you.

Thank you kindly, I am looking forward to Ballycotton more now as I don't feel the pressure as my goal was sub 1:20 for one of the races and that's done. No idea of the Ballycotton route yet to see if it's a fast course but it's one I've heard of for a few years and looking forward to giving it a go.

diego_b

Kennyg71 wrote: »

Well done on pb D, really hitting form now, keep it going for ballycotton now.

Thanks G, it's been a good start to the year for me for sure! Fingers crossed I have a few weeks and months of good form left in me!.

Firedance

that's fantastic well done D, very well run race and lots more to come too.

Mrs Mc

diego_b wrote: »

Thank you kindly, I am looking forward to Ballycotton more now as I don't feel the pressure as my goal was sub 1:20 for one of the races and that's done. No idea of the Ballycotton route yet to see if it's a fast course but it's one I've heard of for a few years and looking forward to giving it a go.

It's a bit hilly but I pb'd in it last year before DCM training the last mile or so is a steady hill into the village but great support to get you across the line and around the course. It was a gorgeous day last year nearly a bit too warm. I don't remember any awful hills was enjoying the lovely scenery.

denis b

Well done Diego. That is a satisfying piece of work.

nop98

Great stuff D - that's a fine time over 10M!

Neady83

Nice going Diego, what a way to smash 1:20 you should be well chuffed