The (Not So) Flying Scotsman

scotindublin

Thanks S hopefully take a bit off and get closer to the 18 minute mark.

scotindublin

Weekly Update.

Monday: 7.5 miles @ 8.26. Headed down to the club and ran a few miles with a couple of the lads before leaving them at the zoo to get a couple of extra miles in.

Tuesday: Session day on advice from the coach this was 6 x 600m with a 300m recovery at a sensible enough pace. Ended up running these with one of the girls who was doing the BHAA splits were

2.23;2.24;2.24;2.25;2.14;2.12

Pushed the last couple to get the legs moving. A couple of miles to warm up and cool down. Home in time to watch Bayern stifle Liverpool in the Champions league.

Wednesday: 7 miles @ 8.18 another nice easy loop around the park nothing much to report.

Thursday: Annual trip to the 2.3 Arena to watch the Premier League Darts. Great evening and a couple of pints.

Saturday: Handy enough just under 5 miler at 8.08 mostly on the grass in the park. Calfs pretty tight at the start but not too bad by the end.

Sunday:

Duleek 5k: A rare venture into the Royal County to see the sights of Duleek. Nice base for the race with one of the lads from Donore having grown up there; just under 1.5 miles of a warm up picking up Overpronator along the way.

Aim here was to take a chunk off the PB of 18.26 from Kilcock last June (also the last 5k I ran). Anything under 18.15 was the benchmark for a satisfactory result. Lined up a few rows from the front.

We were off; the race starts in an industrial park before heading into the town. Was actually surprised how much the wind picked up from the warm up but tried to not worry about it too much; bit of a strange out and back with a 360 degree turn in the first k. Through the first km in 3.35 bit quick but nothing too mad.

2nd km brings you in to the town before taking a sharp right and heading up a decent incline for about 100m before levelling off.....got clipped on the bend but kept the footing. Through the 2nd km in 3.39.

3rd km Was working a bit harder than I should of been here but knew once the 2mile point was reached it was a nett downhill finish. 3.41 for the km

4/5km to be honest I can't remember too much here apart from being out on country roads. Through km 4 in 3.38 knew a decent PB was on here if I just kept things together. The last km is a slight down hill into the town. Just a case of hanging on and getting to the end. 3.36 for the final km (on the watch); crossed the line in 18.11 for a nett time of 18.10. A good showing and a PB of 16 seconds.

Quick chat to Overpronator afterwards who had another solid outing; no doubt there is more to come from S this year over the shorter stuff.

A couple of things to note from today.

1. I had forgotten how it felt to run a 5k as it had been a while; so good to get the feeling back.

2. Looking at my training I think I might need to get some tempo runs in there; even forgoing the odd Saturday session.

3. Sub 18 for this year is a definite possibility I think; Enfield and Kilcock will be two good opportunities.

Cheers

C

Sheep1978

Well done on the pb. 17.xx on the way!!!

overpronator

Well done C, you'll tick the box in Enfield if not before.

scotindublin

Quick Update.

Definitely not the week that I had planned. Under 30 miles for the week over 4 days.

Monday: Just under 6.4 miles at 8.24 per mile. Got this done nice and early before work legs were pretty wrecked after Duleek but better towards the end. Felt wrecked when I got home from work and a bit of a head cold.

Tuesday: Session day and was feeling not too bad.....took it handy enough for the 16 x 400s. Tired at the end but to be expected.

Wendesday: 7 miles @ 8.30 per mile. Tired.

Thursday: 5.5 miles before work had planned on 7 but really wasn't up for it. Was struggling in work for the day with sore throat and cold coming on.

That was me for the week; dose of something not too nice kicked in; bunged up; sore throat and coughing up nasty stuff for the rest of the week. Whacking in plenty of vitamins and medicine. Might try a few miles this evening.

Rating Bohermeen as 50/50 just now and probably won't be going full out if I do it. Not what I had planned.

Unthought Known

Bad luck C, hope it clears soon. I wouldn't rush back into it if you're still coughing up stuff.

scotindublin

Cheers A; it will be a handy few miles later if anything at all.....and will make a call on Bohermeen later in the week. Bit frustrating but at least it is only a bit of a nasty cold.

Unthought Known wrote: »

Bad luck C, hope it clears soon. I wouldn't rush back into it if you're still coughing up stuff.

Baby75

I hope you kick the cold and make Bohermeen

scotindublin

Weekly Update. Just under 39 miles for the week. One 75% session and a decent rattle at Bohermeen.

Thankfully whatever struck me down towards the end of last week was pretty much gone by mid week; unfortunately I seem to have infected the house!

Monday: 6 miles at 8.16 A straight 3 out and back from the house; for through it without coughing up a lung.

Tuesday: Session which in my head was going to tell me if Bohermeen was a goer or not. On racing weeks we get away with a full out session so this was 10 x 300s off a 300m recovery. Supposed to be controlled efforts. Splits were

1.06 for the first 6 then 1.04/1.03/59/57

A bit more of a struggle than it should have been but got through it.

Wednesday: one of those life got in the way days and an unexpected rest day.

Thursday: Just over 7 miles at 7.32 pushed it a bit for one final check of the system.

Saturday: An easy 35 minute leg stretcher with some of the lads doing Bohermeen followed by some cheerleading at the Simon 5mile.

Sunday: Bohermeen 1/2 marathon 87.54 (PB). Woke up nice and early to clear blue skies and hardly a breath of wind, not what I was expecting! Got up to Bohermeen nice and early met some of the lads from the Club and had a quick chat to Skyblue before hand( S I might need to borrow your glasses; just aswell you spotted me!)

Somewhere close to 90 would have been acceptable today given the conditions; which in the end were not as bad as they could have been. Saw the 90 minute pacer and said to myself the target is not to let them pass me.

Through the first 3 miles in an average of 6.44 and was feeling good so just kept with it. Found myself in a nice group with a girl from Sportsworld and a lad from Dunboyne along with a good few others. Downhill/downwind miles 7 and 8 were 6.35 and 6.37 had a bit of a wobble in the legs here but thought if I can just get to the end of mile 11 a decent time was on. Mile 11 was tough and pretty exposed to the elements and was pretty isolated here; this was a real guts it out mile; clocked it at 7.10 ( the other 12 miles were all within 13 seconds of each other; not quite Skyblue pacing but consistent enough in the conditions); knew this was the toughest mile done though. Back on track for mile 12 knowing that it was a favourable finish. Pushed it as much as I could for the last bit on the track as I could see the clock ticking towards 88 and just dipped under. A good one to get under the belt and a more realistic 1/2 marathon PB.

As per usual for these club races a great spread afterwards quick chat with the lads ( DH retained the men's team comp today which was great) and Sheep who I saw on the way out ( serious damage to PBS across the board for him in 2019) and back home in time for the rugby.

A great event and definitely one that will be in the diary for 2020.

C

Lazare

Fantastic stuff C. Great running.

scotindublin

Thanks C another solid week from you as well; mind that tendon!

Lazare wrote: »

Fantastic stuff C. Great running.

Sheep1978

Well done C. Good to see ya again.

overpronator

Well done C

scotindublin

Thanks for the comments after Bohermeen lads.

Weekly Update
5 days 44 miles

Monday: Happy to report that apart from the legs being tired everything seemed ok after Bohermeen; was definitely feeling much worse after the Duleek 5k.
Easy 6 miles at 8.23 after work; down into Malahide and back.

Tuesday: Headed down to the club and we were due to do easy 400s on the road. Owing to the shocking headwind a few of us who had ran Bohermeen just headed off for easy miles.

Wedneday: Took this off body was tired enough.

Thursday: Just under 8 miles @ 8.20 Memorial/Phoenix Park Loop followed by the annual Donore Harriers table quiz in the Mullingar House; a very enjoyable evening and back to back victories.

Saturday: Last Club Cross Country race of the year fairly nasty conditions and very windy out there. 5 x 1700m loops stsrting at the Pavillion just off Chesterfield and up the horse gallops. A very small field for the men's race; places one and two miles ahead for the rest of us. Ran most of it on own in third spot (same pace as Bohermeen); first Donore Harriers medal on the day which was nice but as I say a very limited field out there. Back to the club for coffee and goodies. Rest of the day spent watching the egg chasing!

Sunday: 14.2 @ 8.05 met the lads at the club and headed off on our normal Sunday loop of the park. Picked up Sheep at the Castleknock Gates who was out for 18 miles so at least he had some company for a chunk of his run.

A good solid week after Bohermeen; hoping to give the K Club a bash on Saturday.

C

scotindublin

Weekly Update
41 miles over 5 days including the somewhat frustrating K Club Almost 10k!

Monday: Bank Holiday run of just over 6.5 miles from the visitors centre in the Phoenix Park with a few from the club. Took in most of the new route of the Great Ireland 10k. Nice coffee and cake afterwards and a good way to start the day.

Tuesday: in lieu of the 10k in the K Club the session was curtailed somewhat to 10 x 300m with a 300m recovery. First 8 in the mid to high 60s mark with the last 2 at 63. Legs were feeling good after Bohermeen.

Thursday: Just under 6.5 before work on a lovely morning. Down to Malahide from Swords and back along the Estuary. Great morning to be out there.

Saturday: K Club 10k......having had decent runs in Duleek and Bohermeen I knew there was a good chance of a decent PB here; having only broken 40 last November I had a time of low 38s in my head. Knew this was a good course to do it on and the conditions were pretty much perfect for racing.

Had planned on being about 3-4 rows from the start but this never materialised as we were continually pushed back as there was no real defined start line. Ended up being well back from where I should have been. Off we set and the chaos started.....could hardly move approaching the roundabout and pretty much the same in in the chaotic carpark section. Much better once we got out the K Club Grounds; just said that getting off to a moderate start wasn't the worst thing. Well passed the 1km mark when the watched beeped on a 4min Km. Plenty of time to make it up and plenty of room now aswell. Upped it a bit on the 2nd km and got through that in 3.43 back on track. Got on pace with consistent kms around the 3.50 mark. Worked hard between kms 5/7 to keep the pace at this stretch. Knew once we were out the 2nd loop of the triangle it was a case of digging in. Finished strongly enough; but knew in my head it was going to be short from a good bit out. Stopped the watch at 37.57; official time of 38.01. General feeling was this was about 100m short so real time would have been about 38.20 or so......a big asterix against the official time and frustrating to be honest when you know you are running well; last year if I am not wrong it was well long; a real pity as it is a cracking course if they could get it right. If nothing else it was a good confidence boost for the coming months. A pretty frustrating morning all told.

Sunday: A quicker than planned 10 miles @ 7
38; normal loop of the Phoenix Park.

With 3 races in the last 4 weeks I think it is time to get a good block of training in for the 5kms coming up in May/June. Had swithered about entering Dunboyne next Sunday but I think it is a step too far.

C

scotindublin

47 miles for the week over 6 days. A touch over 170 miles for March with a decent 1/2 PB and a good run at the K Club thrown in.

Monday: 6.6 miles @ 8.07. Out after work for a loop around the back of Malahide Castle into the village and back to Swords. Legs feeling ok after the K Club.

Tuesday: Session usually the ones who raced at the weekend are given a modified session; this week the instruction was to do the full session but be sensible with pacing. Session was 10 x 800s on the road outside the club. Eased into it with the first 4 reps at 3.11 per 800m. Worked it down from there and pushed the last 4 to between 2.58 and 2.52. Fairly wiped by the end of it.

Wednesday: 6.4 @ 7.57 paid no attention to the watch so this was run quicker than it should. Lovely evening around the Swords/Malahide Estuary.

Thursday: 6 miles @ 8.14 before work absolutely no zip in the legs. Feeling pretty tired.

Saturday: Kyber Session 8 x 400s with a 400 m recovery followed by 8 x 200s with a 200m recovery.

400s in 90-95 secs and 200s in 41-43 secs a pretty tough session all told on a very busy morning in the park.

Sunday: Usual 10 mile loop in the park @ 7.43.

A good solid week but one where I have been feeling pretty tired.

C

scotindublin

Solid enough start to April

41 miles over 5 days with 2 good sessions thrown in.

Monday: A touch over 6.5 mile random loop of the park from the club @ 8.07 per mile pace. Nothing much to report here.

Tuesday session day. Nice get together of the group beforehand to congratulate on of our senior members who returned with a Gold and Silver from the World Indoors Master (W80 category!) in Poland.....an absolutely brilliant achievement!

Session was a bit different this week 4 sets of 4 x 400m; 200m recoveries between the 400s and 500m recoveries between the sets.

Set 1 87;86;87;87
Set 2 86;88;88;86
Set 3 85;86;84;84
Set 4 84;83;82;79

Solid session with a 2 mile warm up and cool down thrown in.

Wednesday: A fairly miserable 6.4 miles at 8.17 around Swords/Malahide.

Thursday: planned to get out but weather was miserable.

Saturday: Probably our last session on the Magazine Loop. 6 laps of 200m on 200m off (3 sets of 200s per lap. Good solid pacing for all of them and felt good.

Sunday: Usual 10 miles in the park @ 7.42 the Sunday runs are becoming more of a steady than slow pace but just going with the flow.

This week we have a memorial run on Tuesday and a 1 mile time trial (for the road relays) in Irishtown. A good chance to set a mile marker for the year.

Have also decided against the National 10k next week but will be out on course supporting.

scotindublin

Weekly Update

45 Miles over 6 days.

Monday 6.15 miles @ 8.21 A sort of wining it loop in the Phoenix Park mostly on the trails.....really enjoy these runs when there is no set route planned and you just go out there and get it done.

Tuesday: A very enjoyable evening in the Club where we ran a memorial mile for one of our sadly missed member. A few miles warm up and cool down followed by coffee and cake in the Club.

Wednesday: Our planned Road Relay trial in Irishtown had been cancelled to I decided to get out for a decent run of 10.4 miles at 7.57 per mile after work. The route took me through Malahide Castle down past St Sylevesters GAA Club past the entrance of Malahide Golf Club and onto the shore road at the White Sands Hotel and back to Swords. A nice run and A good way to clear the head after work.

Thursday: 4 miles at 8.16 around the Swords/Malahide Estuary with one of the lads before work. The Estuary was like glass on a lovely early morning run.

Saturday: Session on the Magazine 1km loop in the Phoenix Park in what could be best described as challenging conditions. Session was
Lap 1: 1km @ tempo
Lap 2: 2x400s with 200m recoveries
Lap 3: 2 x 300s with 200m recoveries(longer recovery after 2nd on.
Lap 4/5: 3 x 200s with 200 recoveries
Lap 6: Repeat of lap 3
Lap 7: Repeat of lap 2
Lap 8: 5 x 100s with 100 recoveries

A really good session but tough in the wind.

Sunday: 10 miles @ 7.55 fairly routine Sunday run then up to the park for a bit of Nat 10k supporting. Hung around until the approximate 45 min finishers went through 9k but by that point it was getting Baltic out there.

C

scotindublin

Weekly Update just under 41 miles for the week over 5 days.

Monday: Just over 6 miles at 8.03 per mile. Met one of the lads who had run the 10k on Sunday at the club and we headed out on a meander around the park and on the grass for most of it.

Tuesday: Session evening and a welcome return to the Polo Grounds which will be the location for most of our sessions over the summer.

10 x 600m with a 350m jog recovery back to the start. All reps in the 2.18 range with the exception of the last one which was 2.14. Great to be back on the Polos

Wednesday: 6.6 miles @ 8.07 all again all on the trails in the park.

Thursday unplanned rest day with a long day in work.

Saturday: Session on the Polos 1km loop consisting of 400m at approx 5k pace; 200m recoveries followed by a hard 200m then 2.5 minute rec back to the start; session was aimed at the National Road Relays next week. A small crew for the men so got a bit isolated from the speedier ones kept the recoveries at a pace where the faster ladies caught up so tried to pace them a little.

8 laps in total.

Splits for the 400s in the 1.22 to 1.24 mark
Splits for the 200s in the 39-41 mark

Sunday: 10 mile loop in the park at 7.37 a small bit of the trails and a couple of faster miles thrown in.

A solid weeks training again and great to get some sun on the back.

Plans for this week are a bit up in the air. Potentially running the National Road Relays if we are entering 3/4 M35 teams so a lot will depend on that; if I am not racing I will be watching!

scotindublin

Off to Google...."How to run a mile" looks like the last leg of the 3rd M35 team for the National Road Relays next week; was a great watch from the sidelines last year.

skyblue46

scotindublin wrote: »

Off to Google...."How to run a mile" looks like the last leg of the 3rd M35 team for the National Road Relays next week; was a great watch from the sidelines last year.

Congrats Craig...I'm told it involves going out hard and hanging on for dear life. Sadly I'm not in a position to confirm this as I'm a big scaredy cat! :pac:

scotindublin

Will you be lining up next week?

skyblue46 wrote: »

Congrats Craig...I'm told it involves going out hard and hanging on for dear life. Sadly I'm not in a position to confirm this as I'm a big scaredy cat! :pac:

skyblue46

scotindublin wrote: »

Will you be lining up next week?

I think Wednesday is a final trial. Nothing will be announced before that. Depends on how many teams they put in. I'm also sure that if it's a close call they will understandably go with the longer serving and road relay proven runners.

scotindublin

That's understandable.....hopefully you will get the call up we have a fairly healthy entry across both the men's and women's.

Looking forward to it and also no pressure on the 3rd M35 team! Will be good to lay down a mile marker

skyblue46 wrote: »

I think Wednesday is a final trial. Nothing will be announced before that. Depends on how many teams they put in. I'm also sure that if it's a close call they will understandably go with the longer serving and road relay proven runners.

scotindublin

34 miles for the week with a bit of a step outside the comfort zone for the National Road Relays.

Monday 6.3 miles at 8.17.....met a few from club for am easy ramble around the park....coffee and cake in the visitors centre afterwards; great way to start the bank holiday.

Tuesday: Session on the Polo Grounds; this was aimed at the National Road Relays so it was short and snappy. 10 x 200m reps with 200 recoveries; forgot the watch so just hung onto the faster lads. Good to get some quick leg turnover.

Wednesday: 6.4 miles at 8.02; wetter than an otters pocket for the first 4 miles; not the most enjoyable run; loop of the park again.

Thurday: 6.1 miles @ 8.11 mostly on the trails in the park. Great to be back in the park in the evenings and threw totally different routes.

Saturday: 5.2 miles @ 8.23 ran up to the Saturday session on the Polos threw in a couple of easy laps then back to the club.

Sunday: Debut appearance in the National Road Relays; quick chat to Skyblue who was looking nice and relaxed early doors pre race.
Was down to run 3rd in the DH M35 C team a bit of reorganizing and I was out first; shout of from Wubble on the way to the start line. Hard to recall much of it as it was over pretty quickly. As expected the start was fairly hectic and just wanted to hold a good pace until we turned left at the top of the first drag. Held pace here until the half way point; nice shout out from Aoife here. Tried to pick up the pace on the slight downhill and picked off a couple here; working hard but got the call from the coach to say there was only 300m to go; finished strong enough to get to the handover point in about 5.20. The shorter stuff is certainly a shock to the system but it is a brilliant event to be involved in; great atmosphere on the course.

All in all a good day for the Club with the retention of the M35 title; a brilliant gold in the Ladies Senior race and a silver in the Mens Senior. A top event both to be involved in and to watch; hard to understand the lack of promotion of this event to be honest.

Plans for this week are a potential crack at the BHAA 5k on Wednesday.

C

overpronator

Nice one C, well done man.

Murph_D

Nice debut - congrats!

scotindublin

Thanks lads.....great day very enjoyable event.

skyblue46

Great running Craig. As another first timer I have to agree with you about the promotion of this event by AI. It has the potential to be an amazing event if it got more buy in from the clubs, most of whose members are unaware that it even exists!

scotindublin

Weekly Update 45 miles for the week.

Monday: Met one of the lads from the club for a ramble around the Phoenix Park. Body was surprisingly tired after the road relays. 7 miles at 7.52. Made the decision not to run the BHAA 5k.

Tuesday: Session on the Polo Grounds 12 x 300s off 200 recoveries. The 12 splits were all between 60 and 63 seconds. Warm up and cool down runs to the club.

Wednesday: 6 miles @ 8.01 per mile; body tired after the session stuck to the trails for a good part of it.

Thursday: An easy 5.5 miles @ 8.17 per mile before work.

Saturday: Session 10 x 400s off 200 recoveries three minute active recovery followed by 10 x 200s. 400m reps between 84 and 86 seconds; 200 reps between 40/42 seconds. Tough session in the end and maybe went a bit hard on the 400s. One thing of note was the Segway folks on the Polos......hopefully not a weekly occurrence!

Sunday: Normal 10 miles in the park at 08.01. A decent weeks training; also signed up for Terenure so that will be the main focus next weekend.