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Leader Of The (Mid) Pack
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Renvyle House? Lovely spot. Remind me to tell you my Connemara puncture story.
Yes and yes. We got married in RH
Last week was also some of the best weather we've had out there, with sun through the Inagh valley both out and back, with the reflections from the mountains hitting Lough Inagh and Kylemore lake. Cracking. I highly recommend if any of you are planning a few days out West this summer
Anyhow. Time to update the running
Tue 1/5 - Rest
Wed 2/5 - Rest
I was back on the sideline for my statistician gig with the hurlers, so between that, work and dinner, there was no time for a run. With Liverpool qualifying for the Champions League final on the evening of the 26th, it should make for an even more fun Windmill Run 10k, out in Garristown at 9:30 the following morning
Thu 3/5 - 6.04 miles@8:07/mi
Clockwise Carpenterstown loop, then two laps of Porterstown, with another Carpenterstown loop to finish off. Pleased with this one, as I wasn't sure I'd have the motivation to do another loop after Porterstown.
Fri 4/5 - Rest
Sat 5/5 - Poppintree parkrun
A workmate was running his 100th parkrun, so I made the short trip across to take in this parkrun for the first time in going on three years. On my warmup lap, I was passing one of the gates, when who should appear but skyblue46?! Fresh from his first sub-20 during the week, we had a nice chat warming up together, but that was as close as I'd get to him once the gun went off. He was aiming for 4:10/km threshold, which was a lot faster than anything I had in mind.
S pulled away as I got stuck dodging around kids and benches, until we reached the "new" part of the course. At the end of one of the straights, there's a 15 km/h speed limit sign, with "SLOW" painted on the ground. Yep, that's me all right. For the moment, says he I kept my pace fairly steady, as I remember it, while S got smaller and smaller in the distance, finishing over a minute ahead of me. I passed one or two in the last lap, and a lad passed me near the end, but this time I wasn't bothered.
11th place in a time of 21:31 in the end, which was a course PB, beating my 22:00 from March 2015. I won't turn it down
Sun 6/5 - Club run, Phoenix Park
Up bright and early to join the 7AM gang at Castleknock Gate. Nine of us were there, and the atmosphere was very relaxed, particularly in the first mile of 8:45 up through Castleknock. The pace picked up gradually, with miles 3, 5, 6 and 7 being sub-8, for an 8:07 average (7.1 miles covered) with the temperature already on the rise.
I had considered staying behind for the 8 AM stint, where AMK had joined us, but I (sensibly?) decided to go home instead.
Mon 7/5 - ARC Cancer Support 5k, Phoenix Park
This is a long time preferred event of mine, as I've run the 10k in the five previous years. This time, I decided that I wasn't in good enough shape, and certainly hadn't enough miles covered, to give the 10k a proper go, so the shorter event it would have to be.
I got there about 9 AM, plenty of time to take care of all the essentials, including collecting my number, stretches, and a warmup lap of the Chesterfield/OS/Furze triangle. Following speeches, briefings and a group warmup, the 5k runners were starting just below the Furze Road junction, with the 10k starting about 150-200m ahead.
Looking around, there didn't appear to be too many "athletic" looking people in the 5k, so I took the liberty of starting practically at the line. Off we all went, and I decided to keep it nice and relaxed while working my way through the 10k backmarkers. A young lad went off ahead of a Polish guy (both of them rapidly gone over the horizon) and then I thought there were two more ahead of me, before a Liffey Valley guy, and a girl, went past me before we turned onto OS Road.
With so little mileage, I was mindful of not going out too hard and leaving myself in a heap for the uphill fourth km, out of the Furry Glen followed by a sharp left onto Upper Glen Road. I could see the last two aforementioned runners ahead for the duration, although I wasn't really catching them. I briefly fell into the trap of "just" running with people who were in the 10k, so much so that one of them passed me back. THEY'VE ANOTHER LAP TO GO AFTER THIS! MOVE!! Having lost the handle in the 3rd km in particular, I was making ground again as we turned for home, helped by a shout from a clubmate and past winner of the ARC 10k.
LV was tying up badly, so much so that the girl caught and passed him about halfway down the straight. I thought I would get him as well, but by the time I passed the picnic tables, he'd regained his composure and managed to keep me at bay. 6th overall for me, with a time of 20:54. Not earthshattering, but still my fastest 5k this year, and my first sub-21 since Jingle Bells. An added bonus was that I wasn't in a heap at the end, unlike the 10k last year. dublin runner was there in an organisational capacity, so I introduced myself at the finish and congratulated him on his engagement before heading for home.
A good morning's work, which hopefully bodes well for the coming weeks and months. Thanks for reading. J.0 -
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A great weekend of runningtwo PB's as well well done
I suppose I'll claim a third, if you're giving them out :cool: I've run that course before, as it's used for a lot of events, e.g. Remembrance Run, Operation Transformation. I did the OT run as part of the original Lord Mayor's 5 Alive Challenge in 2013, as well as the Remembrance Run in 2013 & 2014. My time today beat all of those The fella that finished second today won the PolskaEire 5k on the same course last Saturday.
Anyway, I'm obviously still a long way off being able to shoot for actual PBs, irrespective of distance, but this weekend went better than expected, so hopefully that will continue.
Next
I'm planning to tack on parkrun #96 this Saturday, with the BHAA ESB Beach Race 5k to follow next Tuesday.0 -
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Wubble Wubble wrote: »I suppose I'll claim a third, if you're giving them out :cool: I've run that course before, as it's used for a lot of events, e.g. Remembrance Run, Operation Transformation. I did the OT run as part of the original Lord Mayor's 5 Alive Challenge in 2013, as well as the Remembrance Run in 2013 & 2014. My time today beat all of those The fella that finished second today won the PolskaEire 5k on the same course last Saturday.
Anyway, I'm obviously still a long way off being able to shoot for actual PBs, irrespective of distance, but this weekend went better than expected, so hopefully that will continue.
Next
I'm planning to tack on parkrun #96 this Saturday, with the BHAA ESB Beach Race 5k to follow next Tuesday.
So a course PB as well
Good luck at the park run and 5km beach race that will be a hard one if the sand is soft0 -
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Tue 8/5 - Rest
Wed 9/5 - Club session, Porterstown Park
I had an interview at 9 AM on Wednesday, which meant there was no recovery run on Tuesday. I'd a number of other bits and pieces to take care of during the day as well, so by the time the session came around in the evening I was dreading it. The fact that it was my first one of these since before DCM 2017 didn't help.
On the grass track in Porterstown, the first part of the session was (4 mins at sub-5k pace) x 3, with 2 mins jog recoveries. I was miles off the pace, as Paddy P was about 200 metres ahead of me by the end of this stint. After a short break, we went around the hedges four times, downhill recovery with a good push on the uphill. I felt very heavy at the end of it all, but having said that, I had to start getting back into the speedwork again at some stage. Next time should be easier
Thu 10/5 - 6.38 miles @ 8:26/mi
This felt like a slog in the evening warmth, although the time overall wasn't that bad. There was a long stoppage at the Castleknock College crossroads, but I didn't bother stopping the clock. From there to White's Gate - Castleknock - Laurel Lodge, and back around to home.
Fri 11/5 - Rest
Sat 12/5 - Porterstown parkrun
I was in two minds about how to approach this, and only decided after we started that it wouldn't be an all out effort. That would have involved trying to stay with Sarah, as she led the chasing pack for her course PB, while three fast lads tore off into the distance. Instead, a group of four formed ahead of me with Tom F, another fella I know from BHAA races, and two other lads. I tried to keep it fairly hard but steady, and although I lost it a bit through the second lap, I managed to get going again in lap 3. Tom and PC were gone, but I thought I might catch the other two, who both seemed to be fading somewhat. Sure enough, I found that I had a nice finish in me as I worked my way around the car park extension, catching the two lads in the process.
21:00, 9th overall, first age cat. This was my fastest parkrun anywhere since July 2016, so another better than expected outcome. I felt like I had plenty more to give after this one. Slowly but surely, it feels like the running mojo is on the way back
Sun 13/5 - 10.59 miles@9:55/mi
I was not looking forward to this one at all. Between a late Saturday night playing poker, drinking, and eating lots of rubbish, I was feeling fairly drained, even before I travelled over to the Dublin hurlers' sickening loss to Kilkenny. Between that and deciding to watch the rest of the GAA when I get back, it was late enough when I set off.
I'd originally planned to run from the house to the Phoenix Park, but my wife suggested I drive down, which turned out to be an excellent decision. The first part was a lap of the Park. I actually was running around 9:30 miles until I got around the far side of the zoo. From there on, I was averaging 10 min plus. If you think you're running slow, run slower
For the second lap, I turned up the Acres Road and back up Chesterfield Avenue when I got back up to the Phoenix monument. I'm not in any pain, but just feeling wiped out at the moment. Has to be done though Thanks for reading. J. 0 -
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Mon 14/5 - Rest
Tue 15/5 - BHAA ESB Beach Race, Sandymount - Break Like The Wind
I chose this one over Terenure, as with my lack of fitness there was no way I could have had a decent race there. Knowing my own mind, I would have ended up trying to "race" the people I would normally expect to be around, and as a result get washed away in the tide. It probably would have ended up being a similar scenario to the K Club....out too fast - left behind - DNF? - No? - Ok, switch off and jog it in :rolleyes:
With rain falling throughout the afternoon and early evening, it was a less pleasant walk out to D4 than I'd expected. Registration was quick and easy. Warming up with Paddy P and John Todd, we'd a strong wind against us on the way in, and wet sand further limited the scope for any fast times.
All of this 5k race takes place on Sandymount strand, out and back twice. On the way out for the first time, even with the wind at our backs I was working hard, while trying to find the harder sand closer to the wall where feasible. I could see Paddy pulling away already, as I had a good battle with AJAYC for the first km before leaving him and one or two others.
The out and back nature of the course means you can see others coming towards you on the other side. For the most part, however, I tried to focus on what was in front of me. I found it really hard on the way back in, as Tom F and a few others passed me after about a mile. I did manage to get two or three myself - impetuous young lads who'd gone out at a pace that even I knew they had no hope of sustaining in these conditions. The wet sand underfoot added considerably to the difficulty level. It was quite a relief to reach half way, although I was passed by Vanessa (3rd F) just before the turn.
I don't remember too many positional changes in my second outbound stint, apart from Terry C catching me just before the last turn - he'd been tracking me for most of this section. Keeping the breathing going was tough, but I got around the last corner, and from there I reckoned it was 5 1/2 minutes of hard work to the finish. Terry had caught a young lad a few yards ahead, but I wasn't able to latch on. Hence I was working on my own, and it seemed like the finish was miles away. Marthastew (on her way to another category prize) gave me a shout along here - I was too tired to respond in kind I did notice a lad getting tired up ahead, and also he somewhat bizarrely moved out of the way to let Terry and the other fella through. Hmmm, maybe I'll try that. Sure enough, as I picked up the pace in the last 200 or so, I went by him with little or no resistance. From there to the finish, I didn't pass anyone else, nor was I passed, although two BOI lads were quite close. I was relieved to reach the van, and out of breath after a slog through the sand, but I needed something to start raising the HTFU levels again.
Time: 22:09
Position: 57/160 (5th M45)
Quicker than my 22:19 in more favourable conditions last year, and also I was second scorer as we picked up a team prize. A pretty good evening's work overall.
Next
I'll be heading out to Garristown for the Windmill Run 10k, on the morning of the 27th. I'd love to think I could make an attempt at the BHAA Dunboyne 5 Mile work two days later, but that would be very foolish of me, especially with the mileage as it is. Indeed, with so many races coming up throughout the summer, it's going to be hard to resist the temptation of "racing to train", as opposed to sitting down and examining the options properly. But this is something I'll have to do, if I'm to get anywhere near the level of improvement that I'd like to see this year. Either way I should enjoy working my way through it To Be Continued! 0 -
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Sounds like a decent race, J - it's a race I avoid like the plague, as I don't fancy the sand. Looks like a good time to me with those conditions. Congrats on the team prize.
Absolutely. Even the fast lads got slowed down quite a bit. The fella who finished second in 17:15 ran Porterstown parkrun in 16:37 on Saturday. Always nice to pick up a team prizeOOnegative wrote: »+1, decent time no doubt running on sand. Well done WW.
Yes indeed, it certainly seemed like a lot further than 1.25km or so coming back in!I can't imagine racing on sand - the thought of it gives me the terrors! Fair play to you for doing it, and well done for beating last year's time!
So there's no way you could be tempted to try the Clontarf Half Marathon? There will be another one on November 17 Beating last year's time was very pleasing to say the least.
Early running signs this summer are positive, once I play my cards right in relation to training and race selection/strategy. Just to give ye an idea, here's a list of some races I found, as well as those I have coming up in the next few months. These are primarily the longer races; I also plan to reach 100 parkruns, and get all the Dublin ones visited again.
Sun 27/5 - Windmill Run 10k, Garristown
Wed 13/6 - BHAA Trinity Track (800m/2000m last year), Trinity College
Sat 16/6 - Castleknock 5k
Sun 24/6 - Irish Runner 5 Mile, Phoenix Park
Sat 7/7 - Clontarf Half Marathon
Sat 14/7 - Irish Runner 10 Mile, Phoenix Park
Sun 22/7 - South Dublin 10k, Clondalkin
Sat 28/7 - Mullingar 10 Mile
Mon 6/8 - DLR Bay 10k
Sun 12/8 - Rock 'N' Roll Half Marathon
Sun 19/8 - Kilcock 10 Mile
Sun 2/9 - Frank Duffy 10 Mile, Swords
Sat 8/9 - Ratoath Half Marathon
Sat 22/9 - Dublin Race Series HM, Phoenix Park
Those in italics are possibles. Of course, this is only a small subset of what's actually available. For someone who loves their racing as much as I do, it's going to be hard to pick a good 2 or 3 more, rather than trying to race an additional six or seven just because I can.
Castleknock or IR5 will be one or the other; definitely not both. As for the rest of it, I'm leaning towards the South Dublin 10k, as well as unfinished business with the R'N'R. But it's so long (August 2016) since I raced a 10 mile!
Thoughts?0 -
Wed 16/5 - 3.15 miles @8:55/mi
Between work and GAA, I just about had enough time to fit this one in. I consciously slowed down around the Carpenterstown loops; although on this occasion, I didn't do the second one in its entirety, thinking I'd covered enough ground for a handy recovery run.
Thu 17/5 - 7.12 miles @8:13/mi
I decided to try a variation on some of my regular Phoenix Park routes. After coming in through White's Gate, instead of turning up towards Castleknock, I went around the Chesterfield Avenue/Furze Road/Ordnance Survey Road triangle, before heading back out through White's Gate and home by the Castleknock College route. Some amount of midges on White's Road. I'll have to work harder on my breathing! As Ronan from the Ross O'Carroll Kelly books might say, "A shut mouth catches no flies"
Fri 18/5 - Rest
Sat 19/5 - Tolka Valley parkrun - A Sort Of Homecoming
Due to logistical issues (i.e. wife needed the car in the afternoon) I had to give the IKA Run For A Life a miss this year. Instead, I hopped across to Finglas, to tick another parkrun off the list.
I'd been looking forward to this one since it was first rumoured. Following early course confusion, the friendly volunteers seem to have got this one bedded in nicely. There's a nice few ups and downs, particularly in the short lap, but thankfully we don't run down the lower road closer to Cabra - the climb back up is Waterstown-esque.
Anyway. A group of six headed out, with me following. A lad in a green Simon Home Run top passed me just after the T junction, and then I was running alone throughout the long lap and for most of the first short lap. Two guys passed me on the way around the GAA pitch. I couldn't be bothered racing them. This meant that the final lap was a solo one, apart from lapping a few runners, and I felt it on the last hill on a very warm morning.
22:01, 10th place, first age cat. Not too bothered about the time to be honest. I'm one closer to the parkrun century, now on 97. I'll be back for another go at this one, when I'm a bit fitter
Sun 20/5 - Club running, Phoenix Park
I was unsure whether I'd make it out for 7, following beer and wine last night. Maybe I'm more determined to get the miles in than I realise! Six of us were away just after 7. My legs felt heavy and tired, but I was able to stay with it. 7.19 miles@8:24/mi for the opening stint.
After a brief pause, AMK and a few others joined us for the next 5 mile stint. Usual Chesterfield/Wellington/Khyber/Acres/Chesterfield loop. I stayed at the back, until I picked up my pace a bit in the last kilometre. 5.05 miles@8:22/mi, so 12.24 miles for the day.
It's my longest run of the year, about 30 miles in total for the week. Not too bad with a 5k race and a parkrun in there. Anyway, I'm mindful of not increasing my weekly mileage too much too soon. Thanks for reading. J.0 -
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Mon 21/5 - Rest
Tue 22/5 - 7.55 miles@8:32/mi
Fairly standard run from the house into and out of the Phoenix Park, with one exception. With Sunday's race in mind, I decided to exit PP at Knockmaroon Gate (Mount Sackville) and take on the climb from there back up to Castleknock. I've run this stretch of road downhill numerous times, but this would be a first. I didn't try to race up it; the aim was to be reasonably consistent. Not fast by any stretch (8:41 for Mile 5, which covered Mount Sackville to Castleknock College), but I was happy with my work.
Wed 23/5 - Club session, Porterstown Park
After a 1.5 mile warmup, coach told us we'd be running at sub-5k pace for a total of 14 minutes, in three segments (2 min rec). So grand, we're thinking - everyone thought the first one would be four or five. Six proved to be tough going to say the least, especially as I had John Todd on my heels. Three and five were a bit more manageable, and I covered a decent amount of ground. The second part of the session was running around the hedges (250m or so hard uphill, recover on downhill). I felt strong on these, and overall in far better shape than I was in my previous club session two weeks previous.
Thu 24/5 - 8.00 miles@8:25/mi
Sweating buckets on this one. To add a little bit onto the distance, I went around the North Road, before turning at the Hole In The Wall and right again at the Áras. I was trying to keep ahead of a runmuter from the Áras past Castleknock College, so some of this was a lot faster than I intended.
Fri 25/5 - Rest
Sat 26/5 - 2.95 miles@8:50/mi
Easy laps of Porterstown, before parkrun volunteering. Out for dinner and drinks with my college gang on Friday night, so a low key run definitely suited
Sun 27/5 - Windmill Run 10k, Garristown
"Sleep with one eye open,
Gripping your pillow tight"
Pre Race
After a shambolic outing at the K Club, I was determined that I wouldn't race another 10k without putting a reasonable amount of work into the build up. So with a few good weeks in the bag, I pointed the car deep into North County Dublin, for my second time taking on this event. Collecting my number from the friendly volunteers was quick and efficient, so I'd lots of time to take care of essentials and warm up. Passing the finish line, the DJ just happened to have "Enter Sandman" playing, which brought a smile, as I wondered if this race would be the nightmare the course profile suggested :pac:
Just after 9:30, as I found a spot a couple of rows back, we got a 5 second countdown, and away we went.
1-3
The 10k started near the bottom of Garristown's Main Street. Straight away, we climbed up past the finish and on up the hill, for about 550 metres until we passed the 5k runners at the top of the hill (great support from them!) and continued straight through the crossroads. There was some downhill afterwards, but already my effort levels felt closer to 5k than 10, and the sun had come out, so I found shade where possible. After about 1.5k we turned right down a narrow country lane, with a poor road surface and a drag around 2k. I got passed by two or three around here, but passed one or two others while trying to keep my form reasonably consistent. Crossroads about 2.6k, and then right up another hill, to the highest point of the course at Garristown reservoir. Already I was feeling plenty of burn in the legs, and breathing was hard, but there would be some respite on the way.
4-8
Downhill from the reservoir, and then some flat stretches before we turned down another lane. I made up a few places in these kms, striding well on the downhills, or at least better than anyone around me. I'd been tracking a Portmarnock runner for a while, and eventually passed him just after halfway and a trip up another hill and into County Meath. While not being too bothered about time, I was trying to at least do some things right; shortening my stride and working the arms on the climbs, while I occasionally remembered to relax my shoulders even when things were getting tough. Roughly between 6.4 and 8.5k, I really felt like we were in the dead zone - long straight stretches and pain levels increasing, even though it wasn't too hilly or anything. I only got passed once in the second half of the race, at around 8k, but to be honest I was a little disappointed, as I thought I'd got rid of the guy.
9-10
Right turn at the end of this road, but before I even turned, I could see people struggling on what's known locally as "The Bog Road". It's an insanely steep climb 9k into a 10k race. My only thoughts here were to keep the legs turning and resist any temptation to stop. While I managed that, I wasn't gaining on anyone ahead. After a little bit of downhill, there was still time for one more uphill, from the bottom of the village, past the 10k start, and up and up we went. I didn't feel like I'd much left, but then I started speeding up approaching the gantry, although not quite quickly enough to catch anyone.
Time: 45:56
Position: 31/155
I'm actually happy with that time, even though it's a lot slower than my PB of 43:19. This was never going to be an attempt at lowering that record. For comparison, in 2016, as a tuneup for the Connemara Half, I ran this race in 45:49, on a different and more favourable course - the Bog Road climb came at 6k then.
The South Dublin 10k on July 22 may provide an opportunity to attack that PB, plus by that stage I'll have a lot more miles under my belt. Afterwards, I grabbed a coffee while sampling delights such as cherry bakewells, Swiss roll, and chocolate Rice Krispies. All of that made the drive back to D15 a more comfortable (less sore?) one Thanks for reading. J. 0 -
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Mon 28/5 - 3.60 miles@9:22/mi
Two very slow recovery loops of Carpenterstown. It did pretty much what it said on the tin. Tired legs, but no DOMS to report.
Tue 29/5 - 9.79 miles@8:25/mi
With GAA on Wednesday, I decided to try this run tonight instead of attempting to mimic a club session, or something from one of the plans, alone. Through Laurel Lodge and Castleknock (a lot of stops and starts) to the Phoenix roundabout and down the Acres Road, before turning up behind the hospital and out by White's Gate. It was longer than I thought, and very hot, but it was a nice run to chalk up, two days after a hard 10k.
Wed 30/5 - Rest
Thu 31/5 - 8.05 miles @8:25/mi
I wasn't feeling too enthusiastic about getting out in the heat again. However, once I got the first mile or so out of the way it was fine. There was even a sub-8 in there, which was probably a bit fast, even allowing for it covering the steepest downhill as I passed Mount Sackville. Honestly though, even though it was very clammy and humid, I felt comfortable with the actual running part of it. It helped that I took to the grass quite a bit, to save my old joints Even the drag from under the M50 up to Carpenterstown didn't feel like a chore. Maybe it's my imagination, but I think I may be getting more comfortable with this "easy" pace.
May Review
Having got my first "proper" month of running under my belt for quite some time, I feel that things are starting to come together just in time for the summer racing specials. More training and less racing seems to be helping in the overall scheme of things. I ran approximately 135 miles this month. Strava says 118, but my Wednesday club sessions and various other minutiae are not included there.
I ran three races this month. Taking the 5k option in the ARC races was definitely the right decision, as I was rewarded with my fastest 5k this year - on a fairly challenging course, which ordinarily wouldn't see too many fast times. The other two weren't easy either, but a wet and windy BHAA beach race, and a very hilly 10k, brought better than expected outcomes given my current level of fitness. They certainly weren't picked for PB attempts :pac: Three more parkruns brought my total to 97.
As regards the next few months of running, my race schedule now looks like this:-
Wed 13/6 - BHAA Trinity Track 800m/1 mile
Sat 16/6 - Castleknock 5k (entered, but will not be racing it)
Sun 24/6 - Irish Runner 5 Mile, Phoenix Park
Sat 7/7 - Clontarf Half Marathon
Sun 22/7 - South Dublin 10k
Sun 19/8 - Kilcock 10 Mile
Sat 8/9 - Ratoath Half Marathon
Will there be PB attempts in there? Absolutely! For example, my 5 mile PB is now over 4 years old (34:08, Terenure 2014) which is a joke really. In fact, apart from Castleknock, I should hopefully be in a position to shoot for the stars in most or all of the above. Unfortunately, I'm double booked for this year's Docklands 5k, and I'd signed up for Clontarf before I found out about the Day of Irish PBs.
In other news, I stuck to my guns and refused to flinch as DCM sold out today :pac: However, I did manage to bag the early bird rate for Connemarathon 2019
Thanks for reading. J.0 -
Fri 1/6 - Rest
Sat 2/6 - Porterstown parkrun
After a very wet warmup lap, a decent crowd appeared for this one. Unusually, a good few from the club were lining up. I tried to keep it reasonably steady in the very humid conditions. First two laps weren't too bad, but just as I thought I might catch one or two clubmates on the last lap, I started fading as well. Even so, I had a bit of energy for a sprint at the end, but didn't bother as I wasn't going to catch anyone or be caught. 21:25, 18/91, 4th age cat. Two away from the century
Sun 3/6 - Club run, Phoenix Park
A run of two halves on a very warm Sunday morning. The first 8 o'clock stint was fast (sub 7:30) but I wasn't too bad until I got dropped on the Khyber, and ran most of the remainder of this stint alone. 7:44 for the first 5 miles.
Onto the trails at 8:45, and after a mile of this, the group pulled clear as we worked around the outside of the OS grounds. After 6 out of 7 sub 8:01 miles, my pace fell off the cliff going through the more hilly and tiring terrain, and even a return to flatter ground on the Acres brought no respite in the warm sun. It didn't help that I decided not to eat in advance of this LSR. Plus I was getting a bad stitch on the way up to Castleknock Gate, so I decided not to run the OS/Furze/Chesterfield triangle before finishing.
11.83 miles today, so it wasn't my longest run this year. However, 38.4 is my highest weekly mileage this year. Possibly that came into it towards the end. Anyway, overall I'm happy enough with my progress. I'll try and increase the mileage a little bit more next week, before the summer racing starts. Thanks for reading. J.0 -
Mon 4/6 - Rest
Tue 5/6 - Nothing. Best intentions and all that. The car service turned out to be a lot cheaper than was feared, so we decided to eat out somewhere rather than driving straight home
Wed 6/6 - Club session, Porterstown Park
Another very warm evening in D15. 1.6 mile warmup from the house including easy laps of the grass track, then three laps of the hedges where I pushed hard on the uphill while keeping it very easy on the downslope. This meant I didn't have as much energy for the main part; 14 mins at 5k pace, which this time was split 5/5/4 with 2 min jog recoveries. In 18 minutes overall I didn't quite get to 4k. 1.9 mile cooldown to finish off.
Thu 7/6 - 9.55 miles @ 8:37/mi
Although the temptation was there to try and chase some of the lost miles from Tuesday, I stayed along my planned route. Even going through the S bends and up the Khyber I was keeping in the 8:20-8:45 pace range, which is quite pleasing going back over it. My wife rang me just as I was at the top of the Khyber, which is why those of you following on Strava will notice a sharp drop in pace at that point I initially found it hard to get going again in the heat, but even so I managed my quickest ever climb up White's Road. There would be another bonus to follow. My wife guessed correctly that I would take the shortest way home, and was waiting for me with just over a mile to go. Lazy, spoiled or both? You decide
Fri 8/6 - Rest
Sat 9/6 - Club session, Polo Grounds
Thankfully I had the car this morning, as opposed to having to run over 2 miles to meet the coach at White's Gate. Call was made to head to the Polo Grounds. I'd never run here before, and to be honest I wasn't looking forward to clipping around in the heat. Similar to Wednesday, except there were three jog recoveries; however the recoveries were shorter (about 90s). First 2 minute stint felt ok, but I was really flagging after the next 6 minute run. 4 was tough, but then I took off hard from the stands down the long straight for the last 2 minutes. Thinking we would finish at the corner, I pushed up through the gears, before almost completely stopping while Paddy P and Keith passed me, with still about another half a minute left. Ouch.
About 5.7 miles in total, including strides, warmup and cooldown between White's Gate and the Polos. I was half tempted to jump in a parkrun afterwards, as there was still time to do so, but common sense for once prevailed, so I missed aquinn and P's Porterstown visit, as well as fletch finishing first on his 100th in Hartstown.
Sun 10/6 - Club run, Phoenix Park
I arrived at 8 for this one. Seven of us headed away from Castleknock Gate. A suitably chuffed with himself AMK (following Friday's 5k PB) and some of the other speedsters took off down Chesterfield, while I stayed back with, among others, a new lad and a clubmate who ran the Edinburgh Marathon two weeks ago. 7:26 and 7:37 was too quick for the first two, so we eased off while the fast lads disappeared over the horizon, to the extent that we couldn't see them from the top of the Khyber :eek: 8:02 average for the first 5 miles.
Onto the trails for the second stint. The first mile of this was a too fast for me 7:50, so I peeled off the back of the group a little earlier than intended, and headed along Furze Road having climbed the hill out of the Furry Glen. The rest of the run was more to "my" pace. 8 miles for today @8:05/mi; under 30 miles for the week. I'm racing the 800 and mile in Trinity on Wednesday, so we'll see what impact a shorter Sunday run will have on proceedings Thanks for reading. J. 0 -
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scotindublin wrote: »Good stuff J.....the heat was shocking on the Polos yesterday that's where we are most Saturdays over the summer.
Thanks C, not the easiest introduction! I'm a winter runner; this warm weather doesn't agree with me at all. I still feel as if I'm a little bit behind where I'd like to be with races coming up, but the next few weeks will tell a lot.800 and the mile, eh? Which one is the priority (so I can target the other one).
Definitely going after the 800. I don't think there's much point in holding back in that one, when there's only about an hour to the mile anyway. Since I'm now standard 14, it doesn't look like we'll be in the same races this time. That said, from what I remember of the last two years, there's not a huge difference between 11-13 and 14-16.
Both PBs are soft (2:46/6:03) but with rain forecast for Wednesday, it'll probably be asking a lot to crack them on the wet grass. Sure we'll see who turns up and give it a go :pac:0 -
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Wed 13/6 - BHAA Trinity Track, Trinity College
Pre Race(s)
After the extended dry spell, it was something of a surprise that I ended up walking through the rain from work to Trinners. I'd forgotten that we all get moved up one in standard for this races. So although my BHAA standard is 14, I got moved to 13, which ensured that I was running in 11-13 (Group 4) and not Group 5 (14-16). As I predicted, these races were much the same level anyway.
While warming up with John Todd, I saw Murph_D arriving. RedRunner was there as well, with two decent Group 5 outings on the night. Duanington also made an appearance, but purely in a supporting capacity. I mentioned to DD beforehand that any Boardsie smackdown would be very one sided. Talking myself down, or speaking the truth?
800 metres
There must have been about 30 at the start line for this race. Unreal. Certainly way more than last year. Position would be vital, I thought. However, with these races being so short, you can't spend too much time pondering.
The opening 200 metres were ridiculously slow - as if nobody wanted to be in front. My old DCM 2016 buddy Bill B was near the head of affairs at this stage, with me in about 6th. D moved to the outside heading around the top bend, so I moved out around Bill to follow him. As we reached the bell, most or all of the field were probably still in very close proximity.
The fun started as we went around the bottom bend, as the pace shot up, and there were a fair few elbows out and lads nearly tripping over each other. While all this was going on, for some reason I didn't engage at all. More and more runners passed, and yet I didn't really respond. In fact, as I crossed the finish line, I was convinced I was last. To my immense relief, there were still 5-10 stragglers coming down the straight as I looked behind me.
Mile
Nearly an hour later, I decided to go to the front at the start and see where I ended up. 200 metres in, a Lucan Harrier went ahead and I stayed on his heels. At the end of the first lap, I was second and working hard, but that's what you expect in a mile race. Two more passed me on the second lap, but I was still close and I hadn't given up on redeeming myself. The BHAA twitter has this part filmed, but not the bit at the start where I was leading :rolleyes:
Lap 3 was where the hurt started to kick in. Come on, only 3 minutes more(?) of this! MOVE! This time mentally I'd a lot more interest, but the speed I needed to get back to the front wasn't there. D moved ahead as we turned onto the home straight, and try as I might I couldn't stay with him. 7th with one lap to go.
Last lap under way, and this is hurting more and more, as runners are continuing to pass, although at least this time I finished ahead of Bill, so I've still got some bragging rights in Porterstown On the home straight three or four passed me. A tough outing, 13th overall, and for what it's worth, about 12 or 13 seconds behind D. Like I predicted, a very one sided Boardsie smackdown!
Thu 14/6 - 5.29 miles@9:06/mi
Shuffle pace around Carpenterstown and Porterstown.
Fri 15/6 - Rest
Sat 16/6 - Castleknock 5k - Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before
Pre Race
Fair enough. I insisted here and elsewhere that I'd no intention of racing this. However, after my performance in Trinity, I was deliberating about taking another course of action. After a nice relaxed warmup lap of the Castleknock College pitches with Paddy P, I was feeling good and (kind of) ready to go.
Here's the thing. Even talking to AMK (pacing 23 here) at the start line, in my own mind I hadn't committed to racing it. Himming and hawwing, giving myself too many outs.
Km 1
Off we went, slight drag from the main Castleknock College entrance to the crossroads, then right down the hill on Tower Road. The skipper was pacing 20, which in theory should have been perfect for me if I wanted to go hard here. I guessed he was banking time on the downhill, so I sat back and ran with Bernard for a minute or two, before letting him go as we reached the 1k marker.
Km 2
Still fast downhill as we passed Mount Sackville before turning into the Phoenix Park. I was feeling comfortable as we entered Knockmaroon Gate. Now would be the time to start pushing if that sub 20 was to be a possibility. So what do you think I did? Tear off after those who'd passed me earlier? Nope. Switch to cruise control, and don't be annoyed if a guy who finished ahead of me in both races on Wednesday passes me again.
Kms 3 & 4
Much the same here, as we passed along Ordnance Survey Road before turning left and through Farmleigh. In these two kilometres, I was passed by 8-10 runners, while only passing one or two back. In my head, I'd settled for this. Sure 21:xx wouldn't be too bad. There was the usual wind tunnel going through Farmleigh, but although I thought some runners ahead were slowing, I wasn't making much impression. There was a guy calling out positions at the 4k marker. 53rd says he. I was 40th last year.
Km 5
Slight downhill before we exit the back gate of Farmleigh and turn right, back up the hill we came down in the first kilometre. Surely I can do better than 53rd. Can't I ?
A Cru runner ahead (who won her mile race on Wednesday) was fading fast on the hill, and I didn't meet with much resistance as I made up one place. Considering the severity of the hill in the last kilometre, I felt like there was plenty left in the tank. However, although there were probably 4 or 5 more places to be made up from here if I went eyeballs out, I only managed to catch a Donore girl on the slope down to the finish line.
21:04. 50th overall, as yer man in Farmleigh counted the pacer. 14th M40.
Last year 20:49, 40th overall, 12th M40.
This was the first time I didn't get a course PB, having taken part in all five of these races. K reckoned I looked very comfortable as I finished. Hmmm. She wasn't wrong. It didn't stop me tucking into the goody bag, as well as numerous other treats on offer, before heading home.
Sun 17/6 - Club run, Phoenix Park
Between this week's races, and dinner and drinks with my wife last night, this had the potential to be a tough one. Surprisingly, I felt well able to keep the pace up, under 8 for the first four miles (including the Khyber) before myself and Bernard eased off (8:16) for the last mile of this stint.
I was feeling good after this, so I decided to stay with the 8:45 trail runners and see how long I could hang on. I actually shocked myself by how well I was able to stay with the group. Probably better than I've ever done in fact. Even though the pace was high enough for me (7:51/7:36/7:32) there was plenty of chat among the group, which definitely helped. I even went to the front for a few minutes, before I peeled away after we'd completed the trail around the hospital, and turned up the Acres Road for some WW paced running (8:16/8:15) on my own to finish off. 9.88 miles @7:50/mi average. Which proves that I didn't give anything like my best yesterday. Even so, I'm delighted to have this run under my belt.
Next
Irish Runner 5 Mile next Sunday morning in the Phoenix Park. There's a 4 year old PB (34:08, Terenure 2014) that really needs to be lowered. However, it won't happen if I just go through the motions. If I can't, or won't, take myself out of my comfort zone, it's likely to be another mediocre outing. I'm feeling confident about this one all the same. 35 minute pacers, and familiarity with the course, should be to my advantage. Will this be the start of a summer of PBs? Thanks for reading. J.0 -
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Mon 18/6 - Rest
Tue 19/6 - 6.00 miles@8:22/mi
Carpenterstown & Porterstown loops; not notable in themselves, but I had to head out early (3 PM) for these, as I had a GAA match in the evening. Unbelievably sweaty conditions!
Wed 20/6 - Club session, Porterstown Park
I decided to run up from the house, and after a few slow laps of the grass track, it was straight into the hedges. Four of these, where I was quite happy with my pace. Interesting to note that in each case I was at my fastest at the little kink to the right (6:17/6:12/6:10/5:38!) The 14 mins at 5k pace wasn't so good (4/4/3/3 with 2 min rec) I started well enough, but then Shane pulled away, and I was running on my own for a long time, until thankfully John Todd caught up, and I had someone to run with for the last few minutes.
Thu 21/6 - 5.04 miles@8:56/mi
Carpenterstown loops. I didn't quite complete the third one, as I caught up to a clubmate walking his injured bike home, and stopped the clock as I decided I'd done enough.
Fri 22/6 - Rest
Sat 23/6 - 2.42 miles @9:52/mi
"Just an easy shakeout" says he. I shoehorned this one in between walking the dog, the Wurdled Cup, and my second GAA match of the week. It certainly didn't feel easy, even when I wasn't in the middle of my 5 x 10s strides. Stifling heat. Again.
Sun 24/6 - Irish Runner 5 Mile, Phoenix Park - Happiness Is A Wine Gum
Pre Race
Hot or not, this would have to be a push at beating a PB from ancient history (Terenure 2014). Last one I raced on the road was Raheny 2017 (35:17). I don't count the RTÉ 5, as I was so drunk/hungover that it was purely about finishing, nothing else.
I got there early and had a chat with the clubmates setting off on their 8:45 trail run, before I wandered down to the start, took care of essentials, and then had an easy warmup around the Furze/OS Road/Chesterfield triangle before finding some shade for stretches. All the while the sun was beaming down. This was going to be tough. After I got a few strides in, I was pleasantly surprised to bump into clubmate Podge. We lined up beside the 35 min pacer, and after the usual announcements, we were all set to go.
Mile 1
I decided to go out hard, ahead of the pacer as we headed down Chesterfield Avenue. Bit surprised that we were going right around the Phoenix roundabout before turning on to Odd Lamp Road. Not to worry. Keep it steady through here, nothing dramatic. The bit of tree cover here helped. I had to up the effort a small bit on the North Road, but overall, happy so far.
Mile 2
Still climbing past Phoenix Park school, up to Ashtown Gate before losing the tree cover and a bit of a breeze in our faces coming down to Castleknock Roundabout. I'm feeling very much in control here. Breathing is good, shoulders for once relaxed, stride is even, keeping the head up. We actually reached the roundabout before the leaders reached it on the other side. Freddy the Kenyan had a challenger at this stage. I didn't actually see the mile marker here. I'm guessing it was at or near the turnaround point. Still well ahead of the pacer as we turn, and now I'd caught up to the Donore girl who I passed on the line in Castleknock.
Mile 3
Slight drag up Chesterfield, made harder by the u-turn. Even so, I recovered fairly quickly and continued to push on. Stay with this. Still a lot of work to do. Left at Castleknock roundabout, and I get another shout from Dave C, who'd stayed behind to support. Along OS Road, there were no hills, but even in the shade I was beginning to struggle. I grabbed a water bottle just after the Ordnance Survey, but then I had to stop for a few seconds to take some fluid on board. Back out of the shade as we went into the dip on Knockmaroon Road, and now it was starting to hit hard. Several lads had stopped already. I was determined that I'd have to be carried off to be a DNF this time!
Mile 4
I'd passed back the people who'd got ahead of me at the water stop, but even the descent into the Furry Glen wasn't providing much relief. I tried to keep my stride steady through here, but the hill back out was to apply the coup de grace. The only people I passed here were a couple of lads wearing the IR5 T-shirts. Nice tops to be fair, but wearing them in a race you haven't yet finished is the sign of a newbie Not that I could laugh, as my pace had seriously slowed, so much so that the pacer group was closing rapidly as I turned around the hairpin bend.
Mile 5
Just after we got through the twisty tree lined section, the pace group caught up, and try as I might I couldn't hang on. Podge was still with them, but as we headed towards the long finishing straight, he'd fallen off the back as well but had got a few seconds ahead of me. Ok, there's about a kilometre left. Just me and Podge, it seems. A rare chance to get some club bragging rights :pac: Going through the middle section (regularly used for 400 reps) I sensed Podge was fading, and picked up my pace to get back ahead of him. The pacer was calling back to us, but although I was catching up to the back of the group, I was a little bit off. As I guessed, he was a fair bit ahead of 35, but it mattered not, as I'd missed my target.
Time: 34:33 (34:23)
Position: 152/1509 (27th M45)
Post Race
I badly needed to sit down in the shade at the finish. Nice chat with Podge and Ian (who, although he'd the fastest chip time of the three of us, missed the start) Surprised that I enjoyed the cucumber/lime concoction, but the chia seeds and date/raisin/seeds thingy, as well as the crisps, went straight in the bin when I got home. I had to stop in a shop on the way back for post race treats I'd actually like. The joys of being a fussy eater
Next
A reunion with an old friend, in the form of the Clontarf Half Marathon, my first HM long ago in 2013. My PB is soft here as well (1:37:30), but I could do with it being a bit cooler on the day. Thanks for reading. J.0 -
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Looks very decent under the conditions, J, well run. Glad I’m not racing this week!
Thanks D, for once neither am I :pac:Pomplamousse wrote: »Well done on a great time in such energy zapping conditions!
Thanks C, legs are tired today, very draining indeedJaysus, I had a feeling it was him! One of my lecturers from college, I remember him running on lunch but had no idea he was properly into it.
Tough day out there, that hill is a fecker! Agree with you on the goody bag, fairly dissapointed in it. Not a patch on Raheny :pac:
Yes indeed, sure he had the college top on and all! A regular National Masters runner for us, both indoors and out. Well done yourself, that hill was cruel all right, especially coming where it did!
I thought there would be more in the bag that I'd enjoy. You're right, Raheny is the creme de la creme of goody bags. Perfect for that post race sugar crash
Not quite running related, but.....
Just chilling out at home today, when I noticed that a package had arrived in the post. Long story short....I passed my exams!:D:D:D
I'm delighted and relieved all at once here, as I finished the exams two months ago, and it was long enough to be waiting on them. Doesn't matter so much any more, oddly enough :pac: Hopefully my training will not be impacted too much in the near future!
Go dtí an chéad uair eile....0 -
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Congrats on the exam results J, well done!Sounds like a seriously gutsy race, well done, I'm sure that heat added a fair few seconds to your time!
Congrats on the exams too, great to have them passed.scotindublin wrote: »Class J better than any PB.....well done!Brilliant J Well done on passing the examsNice racing on a very hot day and well done on passing the exams. That must be some relief! I blame finishing a postgrad a few years ago for getting me into running. I'd so much extra spare time, I didn't know what to do with myself and started Couch to 5k.A fellow winter runner, the racing in the heat is a killer!
Big congrats on getting those exams passed, great result.Bungy Girl wrote: »Well done Clever Clogs :cool:
Thanks so much to all of you, you're very kind, like I say that news made this week all the sweeter
Time to bring the log up to date.
Mon 25/6 - 3.59 miles @9:36/mi
Easy recovery following the IR5 and another victorious outing for the Dubs.
Tue 26/6 - Rest
Wed 27/6 - 4.41 miles@9:48/mi
I was back on Inishbofin, for a few days of eating and drinking warm weather training. With the weather being so hot, getting out early (before 7 AM!) was imperative. I ran once around the main loop road, stopping near the end to fit in a few hill "sprints" on the same hill I tried last year. OH.MY.GOD. I picked a spot, and didn't *actually* stop till I reached it (roughly 35-40s). I felt like bailing out after one, but somehow I found the will to do four. Recoveries were the time it took me to get back to the bottom. Those were done at walking pace. If I'd tried to run down, I might have found it hard to stop myself from flying through the wire fence, such was the steepness at that point. Thankfully it was all downhill to finish off.
Thu 28/6 - 3.99 miles@8:57/mi
One easy paced lap, in the opposite direction but without any sprints. Very hot again!
Fri 29/6 - 13.51 miles@9:47/mi
I did an identical run to this last year. However, that day it was much cooler. I got myself out the door just after 6:30 AM. Mercifully, I had some respite in the form of a sea breeze, but the length of time being out would be a challenge in itself. For those not familiar with it, "Bofin" is a very hilly little island off the Connemara coast, so the variances on my mile splits were quite considerable. However, this one was all about covering the distance, and getting time on my feet with the (somewhat flatter!) Clontarf HM in mind. 2 hours and 12 minutes later, I'd covered three full loops and a half loop to finish. Delighted with my longest run of the year in terms of both time and distance, although by the end I was so sweaty that my t-shirt was like a second skin.
I really enjoyed the latest few days of running there. Next time, it'll be for real. Inishbofin HM 2019, here I come!
Sat 30/6 - Rest
Sun 1/7 - 4.65 miles@8:46/mi
We decided to stop off at Renvyle to break up the journey home. I'm a big fan of Renvyle anyway, but this trip gave me another opportunity to reenact a favourite run of mine, from the hotel to Tullycross and back. Another very hilly one, where I made no attempt to run at anything close to race pace. Just over 30 miles covered for the week, which IMO isn't too bad for a holiday.
June Review
Bit of a mixed bag, but some signs of progress. The month began with parkrun 98, but I didn't improve on this total subsequently. I still haven't quite decided when 99 or 100 will be, although Porterstown will be the venue for the century.
I expected a lot more from myself in the Trinity races. Basically giving up in the 800 was very disappointing - so much so that I think my second lap may have been even slower than my first. The Castleknock 5k was a bit of an improvement, in the sense that I got close to a course PB without overly exerting myself, but switching to cruise control before 1k, instead of going after a fast time, was a bit of an easy way out.
The Irish Runner 5 Mile was where the real progress came. Not the PB I'd hoped for, but in spite of the very hot conditions, I managed to dig in better than in many recent outings, for my second fastest 5 mile time. With a successful few days of running in the West finishing off the month, I'm feeling more confident that I can lower my 1:37 half marathon PB next week. Thanks for reading. J.0 -
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Exam results come in a package, since when? :pac: Happy Summer! Inishbofin. Good luck with the half. Moderator: Television, Psychology and Dublin County North.
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The Black Oil wrote: »Exam results come in a package, since when? :pac: Happy Summer! Inishbofin. Good luck with the half. Not really. A4 envelope, since you mentioned it. I decided to use a bit of dramatic licence there :pac:
Inishbofin looked amazing last week. Another great thing about it was being able to have a dip in the sea to help with recovery from Friday's LSR.
It's shaping up to be a scorcher on the seafront this Saturday. Hat, shades, sun cream and water compulsory. Well done yourself in Docklands, that was a great 5k time in such conditions.0 -
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Mon 2/7 - Rest
Tue 3/7 - 5.87 miles@8:47/mi
I decided to fit this one in between World Cup matches. Not very well, as it turned out. First three miles were way too fast (8:32/8:38/8:41) which resulted in the remainder of the run being closer to 9 minute mile pace. As well as that, going out with no sun cream wasn't so wise, and to top it off, I ended up with a nasty little dose of chafing. Wonderful :rolleyes:
Wed 4/7 - Club session, Porterstown Park
Grand on the four runs around the hedges, in fact way better than I've done before. The second part of the session was 14 mins around the grass track at sub 5k pace, with 2 min jog recovery between each stint. These turned out to be 5/4/3/2. In general I was holding my pace reasonably well, although not speeding up enough as the intervals got shorter. Trouble was, I'd eaten too close to the start of the session, and my stomach was acting up big time. Painful.
Thu 5/7 - Rest
Fri 6/7 - 2.47 miles@9:27/mi
Just around to Tír na nÓg for a shakeout. Plan was four laps with 5 x 10s strides. 4 & 5 were on the last lap. Pleased with these, although I had to go onto the grass for all bar one, due to the straight part of the triangle being clogged with walkers.
Sat 7/7 - Clontarf Half Marathon - Lucky For Some
Pre Race
This was my 13th actual half marathon (although I covered HM distance in Wings For Life) and my 6th time to run this version. It was also my first HM, way back in 2013. Conditions were hot that day, but nothing like today. Early arrivals, myself included, made sure to grab a bit of shade beforehand, and some easy stretching had me ready for the off. With barely a cloud in the sky, off we went just after 10 AM.
Out
"Are you happy, are you satisfied?
How long can you stand the heat?"
I left the 1:40 pacers at a safe distance as we headed towards the Bull Wall. During the first couple of ks, I chatted briefly to two lads from the Sphinx AC in Coventry. I never got around to asking them what the connection was between Coventry and ancient Egypt. Google leaves me none the wiser. Maybe there's a riddle in there somewhere
Anyway. No respite from the sun as we battled through the soft sand and onto the beach. Even so, I managed to keep a good tempo going through here, although my effort levels were going up a bit along the short drag away from the beach at the Raheny end. I lost the Coventry lads heading down the causeway towards the crossroads, and the pacers were pulling away a bit, but I wasn't panicking yet, as I was passing a lot more than were passing me. Turning right towards Sutton, I was starting to drop back again, hanging onto the water bottle, drinking some while pouring more over my head. The leader passed just before I reached 9k, and later my clubmate E would go whizzing down the other side too. She went on to surprise herself (but not any of us) by finishing 2nd F.
In
On the turnaround, I hadn't given up on catching the pacers. Beating my PB of 1:37 seemed unlikely, but a four year old 1:39 course PB still seemed beatable. It wouldn't take long, however, before such illusions were obliterated. I was having to take on more and more water just to keep going, while more and more runners were streaming by, and I didn't have the energy to respond. It was time to just switch off and enjoy the scenery. At the top of the causeway, I stopped and walked at the water station. Only 4 miles left.
The beach was a real struggle on the way back. Although the temperature had dropped somewhat, the extra breeze more than compensated. I wasn't really sticking with anyone, let alone making up any places. Off the beach at 17k, and the soft sand was an awful struggle through here, followed by a short little climb to some café which I don't recall seeing in previous years. Just past this, was the final water stop. Just over 2 miles to go. I stopped again to take on as much water as I could. Energy draining away. 1:45 pacers got me before the wooden bridge. No point trying to hang on. My wife was at the end of the Bull Wall. So relieved to see her. I said as I passed "I'll get there" With only a mile and a half left, with no hills and no sand, surely I couldn't fail.
Only thing was, I was basically exhausted. I stopped at a wall about a quarter of a mile back along the promenade. Come on, get up. On I shuffled, until I had to make a sharp change of direction to avoid a loose dog at the sailing club. Sit down again. Lots of encouragement from people passing, but this is proving to be extremely challenging. Up again. Just get past the 4 mile sign (from the 5 mile race). Less than one to go. Come on! But after an hour plus of the energy slowly draining out of me, I had to sit down on the wall again. Few seconds. Take a breath. Up. Staggering now, like a boxer out on his feet. There's a few seats beside the grass. Thankfully they have backs on them. I tried once more to get up and go again, but with two lumps of jelly beneath me, it was time to call it quits. Fortunately, the 1:50 pacers passed seconds later, and one of them stayed with me while he phoned the Civil Defence folks.
Long story short. Blood/glucose was low. HR was high. It took a few minutes but matters improved. My wife drove me home, with me wrapped in a gold coloured space blanket. That got a few looks all right, but I didn't care. Bath and couch for the rest of the day. I'll be grand. Long term, I just don't think my body can handle racing in such hot conditions. I can barely walk in such heat a lot of the time. :pac: Give me a freezing, wet XC race battling through slop over this any time. Thanks for reading. J.0
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