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Eye of the Tiger Beer.
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Just catching up here, well done on the PB! Wait a sec...
I've been off at a wedding in the rural Netherlands (not too much running done), and was wisely without laptop and the time or inclination to write-up a Docklands 5k race report. So, piecing this together from what I can remember despite all of the wedding beer consumed in the meantime
I was off work last week, which was actually kind of annoying - I had so much time to worry and procrastinate about the race on Thursday evening, especially on the day itself and doubley especially so as I was tapering. I would have much preferred to have strolled over to the quays after a distracting day in the office. I got into town ridiculously early (like, 5.30) and went into the office just to do something. I arrived at the actual race environs around 6.40, dropped my gear off and met a few random folks who happened to be running. I did a not very long warm-up down the quays, then made my way to the starting area. It wasn't very busy and I was there probably a bit too early, but I spotted Wubble so passed the time chatting. I was fairly relaxed, but I was a little tired from being anxious all day. I did another short warm-up of a few strides to keep the heart rate elevated and it wasn't long until we were being rounded up and it got a good bit busier in the sub-20 pen.
The start was a bit weird with the fast folks at the front repeatedly being told to stand away from the starting line. Once I got going I felt pretty good and was glad to be motoring along at desired pace. I waved to aquinn somewhere around the 1k mark and was keeping pace... but I was starting to work for it, a bit sooner than I was hoping for. I was doing little surges to catch-up with people but it was taking it out of me a little. I definitely felt the wind after the turnaround, and it didn't take long for the pace to suffer on the watch. Again I was working harder than I expected and tried to get behind some other runners to shelter from the not-very-strong-but-definitely-there breeze, but it was a lot of work and I did share the wind burden too. Somewhere into the third km my left lace became loose, which was a mild distraction though I don't think it affected me. I waved at aquinn and another Cru head I know and got some shouts which were good for a few seconds worth of motivation. Overall despite slowing down I'd been holding my position, maybe net moving up a few places after the initial melee. I didn't feel strong at all during the 3-4th km, I knew my original goal was gone but I had the PB to fight for. I was weak and sluggish, by the time we were heading back down the south quays I barely felt like I was moving while also being very tired. I mustered up a little energy to not finish disgracefully but definitely had no kick at the end.
Net: 18:39
Gross: 18:47
Splits: 3:40, 3:41, 3:46, 3:45, 3:41, (2s)
Place: 116th/1558
After finishing I stumbled over to the side, got my breath back and was just strolling back over to around the finish when I saw Wubble get over the line with 19:59 - very satisfying to watch though I was quickly concerned for him as the poor lad was very pale and needed to sit down for a few minutes to get himself together. Once this was done we said hi to testosterscone, and diego_b popped along and we had a short chat. Afterwards I met up with some work folks and had a few pints at HQ.
The race didn't go well - I felt so much better a couple of weeks ago in the parkrun that was on a tougher course, with a lighter field, no taper and was just 14 seconds slower. But I met my B goal (a 6 second PB) so I'm ok with the outcome. Mostly I'm happy to be at the other end of a decent training cycle back in good form, which is definitely a good place to be and move on from.
The rest of the week:
Date|Distance|Pace|Notes
4th July|4.3 miles|9:15|Recovery paced run around Malahide Castle parkrun course with the wife, followed by a quicker mile or so.
5th July|5.7 miles|8:03|A few miles with a few strides out to Malahide
6th July|5.1 miles|?|Including 18:39 Docklands 5k
7th July|3.1 miles|9:39|Recovery sweaty treadmill in the hotel
8th July|10.2 miles|8:31|Lovely run around Mill in the Netherlands. It's a pretty small town, I started off with the wife and we ran along a canal and around a park. I then headed off on my own and ran further down the canal where the path turned more into a trail and I was really enjoying being out in the countryside. Every few hundred metres along the canals were machine gun turrets built by the Germans back in the day which were good markers to break up the run. Eventually the trail ended and I headed up along a small path passing corn fields, chickens and the like. I turned around and headed back the same way, ending up doing a lot more miles then I initially planned but completely loving the run.
I had intentions of going for a longer run on the Sunday, but we ended up playing football and my wedding hangover could only take one physical activity.
Total: 28.5 miles
NextThis week: More possible disruption to running on the cards this week due to the younger Singer child going in for a tonsil extraction... but will be knocking out the miles when I can. I'd like to do a 10k session before the Fingal 10k on Sunday week.0 -
The calm (week) between the storms (of 5k and 10k races). Only 2 days in work this week, so just the 2 run commutes. I got in a nice 5k at lunch on one of the days. Once I felt suitably recovered from last week's race and generally up for it the plan was to do McMillan's Ultimate 10k workout as prep for the Fingal 10k. The only real first chance to do it was Thursday, but that day involved being up quite early and hanging around a hospital all day with the younger kid, so I wussed out and did some strides instead. I finally got to do the session on Saturday, thankfully getting out late enough so avoiding the heat, though not the wind. The session went well, splits were ever slightly below target (6:12 avg, target was 6:15 or so), so boding well for Sunday.
Date|Distance|Pace|Notes
10th July|7.2 miles|8:29|A few miles after the flight home. Out to Malahide and back along the estuary.
11th July|10.1 miles|8:05|A run commute home
12th July|3.1 miles|9:34|A few laps of St. Stephen's Green with a co-worker.
12th July|10 miles|8:22|A run commute home
13th July|7.2 miles|7:54|Out to Malahide and back along the estuary, with some strides.
15th July|10.7 miles|7:21|McMillian's Ultimate 10k workout, 3x2 miles. Splits were: 12:23, 12:26, 12:23 (avg: 6:12).
16th July|6 miles|9:18|Recovery pottering around Swords. Included some trails around the jungles of "the valley" (i.e. beside where the River Valley parkrun goes).
Total: 54.7 miles
Next week: A few run commutes and some easy running with strides, then an all out 10k on Sunday 0 -
The calm (week) between the storms (of 5k and 10k races). Only 2 days in work this week, so just the 2 run commutes. I got in a nice 5k at lunch on one of the days. Once I felt suitably recovered from last week's race and generally up for it the plan was to do McMillan's Ultimate 10k workout as prep for the Fingal 10k. The only real first chance to do it was Thursday, but that day involved being up quite early and hanging around a hospital all day with the younger kid, so I wussed out and did some strides instead. I finally got to do the session on Saturday, thankfully getting out late enough so avoiding the heat, though not the wind. The session went well, splits were ever slightly below target (6:12 avg, target was 6:15 or so), so boding well for Sunday.
Date|Distance|Pace|Notes
10th July|7.2 miles|8:29|A few miles after the flight home. Out to Malahide and back along the estuary.
11th July|10.1 miles|8:05|A run commute home
12th July|3.1 miles|9:34|A few laps of St. Stephen's Green with a co-worker.
12th July|10 miles|8:22|A run commute home
13th July|7.2 miles|7:54|Out to Malahide and back along the estuary, with some strides.
15th July|10.7 miles|7:21|McMillian's Ultimate 10k workout, 3x2 miles. Splits were: 12:23, 12:26, 12:23 (avg: 6:12).
16th July|6 miles|9:18|Recovery pottering around Swords. Included some trails around the jungles of "the valley" (i.e. beside where the River Valley parkrun goes).
Total: 54.7 miles
Next week: A few run commutes and some easy running with strides, then an all out 10k on Sunday
Brilliant consistency for a 10k workout B. What were the recoveries?
Might see you out there next week. Best of luck in case I don't.0 -
Wubble Wubble wrote: »Brilliant consistency for a 10k workout B. What were the recoveries?
Might see you out there next week. Best of luck in case I don't.
5 minutes - which did seem generous, but who am I to doubt a plan
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Fingal 10k Race Report
As long as this race is running and I can run I reckon I'll be lining up at the start line here. 3 years ago I ran my first ever 10k and race here (just under 56 minutes, which I was very delighted with), and it all happens just around the corner from me. I was very relaxed going into the race, usually I'm a mess of obsession and worry but this week I've just been kind of looking forward to it. I was of course checking yr.no at least 3 times a day and getting pavlovian sweats when thinking about my pacing strategy, but this was only taking up an hour a day as opposed to the usual 12
I had good reason to be somewhat confident - I knew the course inside-out (even driving it yesterday despite having run the course many times this year), I'd trained well recently and ran a decent 5k a couple of weeks ago and running around Swords is great motivation. Not that everything went perfectly during the week - the younger child was recovering from his surgery and wasn't sleeping through the night until Thursday, I had very minor sniffles and tummy woes on Friday and Saturday (taper-itis?) and I probably ran the River Valley parkrun a little too hard on Saturday (sub-21 on a tough course)
I woke up this morning and none of the build-up really mattered. I felt good, threw some food and coffee into me, shipped the kids off to be minded (driving past the race setup was very exciting), got dressed and strolled down to the village with my better half. Speaking of... a couple of months ago she'd bumped up her running, running 3-4 times a week and targeting sub-25 at the Docklands. Unfortunately about 6 weeks ago a cold developed into a chest infection, and she stopped running entirely for a good few weeks. However she's fully repaired now and had done a few short runs and planned to run Fingal as a good workout. We enjoyed the banter from the race commentator (he was in particularly good form today) while queuing for the portaloos (yes, despite living a few hundred metres away we both still needed to do a quick visit :rolleyes: ). I left her to drop a bag in and get a bit of a warmup in, heading up to JC's. On the way back I met murph_d and we had a bit of a relaxed natter while I followed along with the Cru heads' warmup. I dodged out of the dynamic stretching part (don't do anything before a race you haven't done before!) but joined in on the strides. After 3 or 4 we headed up to the start area and didn't even have to jump a fence to get a decent position. I barged my way up a bit further, until I was mostly surrounded by people wearing the same clothes as me (i.e. racers and singlets). Wubble gave me a shout from just behind and we wished each other luck. After a few nervous minutes of self-doubt, excitement, boredom and heart racing anxiety, things got underway...
Up to and down the bypass 3:59, 3:52, 3:43, 3:56
During the week I'd pretty much learned my splits from last year off by heart, which was a bit of a hindrance and an aid. The first km had the usual slower folks to dodge, but I wasn't stressed about it and was mostly happy to be prevented from going out too fast up the sneaky drag in the first km. When going past the 1k marker I was pretty much exactly where I was last year... not a problem. Heading down the bypass I settled into desired pace, moving slowly up from group to group and methodically sticking to what I reckoned was the race line (some folks really do add on distance by sticking to the centre etc.). Passing the 2nd km marker I reckoned I still might be where I was last year... so time to work for it. I caught up with the Clonliffe lad who I'd finished with at Malahide parkrun a few weeks ago, said hi and asked him what he was going for. He said sub-40, so I decided to move on, though not before he engaged me in a bit more conversation about having run any recent parkruns (It's a 10k race!!! Stop talking!!!). The sun started to pop out a little on the drag up to the turn, and my watch was annoyingly telling me I was at 4:00 pace.
Going up the country 3:55, 3:58, 3:53, 3:49
Heading into the up-and-downy country roads I grabbed some water at the station and washed my mouth out, throwing the rest over myself. I passed the 5k mark at 19:12 (my 4th best 5k!) and realised that my watch was a good bit out at this stage, behind by around 15 seconds or so. Nothing too interesting here really - slowing down slightly on the drags, trying to speed up on the downhill drags and still ever so slightly moving up. My stomach started to get a bit uncomfortable, but it wasn't a major issue. Things had settled a little and I was mostly part of a group. Turning onto the Balheary Road a Raheny lad caught up with me (I was at the head of the group) and I suggested working together. I'm not sure if he heard as I wasn't exactly at conversational pace, but we were with each other for a bit here and the pace sped up. I was really working for it here, not all out but having to work a lot for my pace. I'd been checking my watch passing each km marker and knew that my A goal was within striking distance, which is great, but it wasn't exactly going to be easy.
Swordslife 4:00, 3:46
Getting back into Swords I got a couple of shout outs and tried to use them to motivate myself to speed up a bit. Last year I'd been been building up the hill at the end a bit too much in my head and it ended up being fine. This year it was tough, but I don't think I lost too much time or positions on it. Once at the top I was completely buzzing. All I had to do was run hard, mostly downhill, wave to my family as they shouted for me and sprint all-out for my A goal. So, that's what I did I don't usually have the energy for a sprint finish in races, but it happened today (it helps that the last couple of hundred metres are downhill). I flew over the line, paused my watch and allowed myself to do a little clenched fist celebration as I saw 38 on my watch. Job done.
Result: 38:55 (149th)
I ambled around to grab my bag and went in search of folks, meeting murph_d (PB!) once again, wubble (PB despite stopping and starting!), annapr (happy out) and eventually my better half who was delighted to finish in 57:29, a solid 2 minute PB! clickerquicklic was also around (who I'd met at parkrun the day prior) and he'd nailed his sub-40 attempt. I also said hi to the Clonliffe parkrun dude who came home in 39:12 or so. We hung around for another bit chatting to my better half's clubmates then strolled back home.
Overall I'm delighted with the time. My performance on the day was decent - PBs don't come easy any more, and this was a good one. A great Sunday morning 0
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