Once in a Lifetime....for now

skyblue46

2018 Review

Apparently this is the done thing so who am I not to join the party. Overall it was a year that hit all the targets I had set for myself in running terms but there were one or two 'what ifs' when I look back on it all. For me the year was broken up into 3 training phases with a target race at the end of each one. First up was a HM block with Bohermeen being the target, next up was a 5-10k block with Dunshaughlin 10k as the target and finally a marathon plan which of course would target DCM. I won't go into detail about the races as there are race reports in this log.

Half Marathon Training

I started this block with a PB of 1:40:45? from the Dublin Half a few months previously. I had felt that was my best run of 2017 and wasn't sure if I could better it by much. I really enjoyed the grads plan and stuck to it pretty rigidly. The only race I ran in this period was the Raheny 5 (33:51) which knocked nearly 4 mins off an early 2017 PB. In hindsight it was probably the first time I raced myself to exhaustion but certainly not the last!

The Bohermeen Half was perfect. It was a bright crisp day, perfect running conditions. I ran as well as I could have and finished in 1:34:12 which was a 6:35 PB and 1:47 faster than I was aiming for on the day. A brilliantly organised event.

5-10k Block

Without a shadow of doubt this was my favourite part of the year. We had fantastic weather, the races I ran were all really well organised and the tae and sandwiches brought a new high to the whole thing! I ran 4 races during this period. Bristol Myers Squibb 5k (19:23) which was my first sub 20 and a 1:17 PB, Bob Heffernan 5k (19:12) which chipped another few seconds off it, the Government Services 5 mile (32:15) which knocked 1:36 from my PB in Raheny and finally the Dunshaughlin 10k (40:07) which knocked 4:3x off a soft PB.

Marathon Block

I began this in high spirits off the back of the summer results but quickly came to realise I was missing out on lots of little races that I would have found hugely painful and enjoyable! The training itself went really well. My 10 mile and HM prep races couldn't have had more different outcomes. I did the inaugural 10 from 10 in Kilcock with a hope to go sub 70. My only previous attempt at the distance in 2016 had been 82:20 or thereabouts. I ran a good race even if the last 1.5/2 miles into the wind along the canal really pushed me beyond my limits. Finished in 68:02 which I was thrilled with. My half in Ratoath was a terrible run and I'll not revisit any of the gory details. 1:33:18, a 54 second PB but not what I was hoping for. I knuckled down to the last few weeks of DCM training and thankfully it all came good on the day. 3:16:37 which was a 31 minute improvement on my 2017 effort. I couldn't have asked for more. That was followed by a great afternoon in McGrattans with Boardsies old and new.

Post Marathon

Hit by a niggly little foot injury that curtailed running severely. Plodding along at the moment. Ran Jingle Bells in 20:52 but didn't over extend myself at all.

Parkrun

Not a big thing for me as work means I don't get too many chances to go to them. I had two highlights from them all the same. I completed the Dublin set and I crossed the line first in the Darndale Parkrun. Ok it was a 7 person field and I ran 21:07 but it's still a '1'!

The Main Event

When looking back on the year the non running highlight has to have been the helper mentor role which ariana kindly asked me to do on the Novices thread. I absolutely loved it. Yes I had to play the bad cop but that's a part which I was born to play! The core group on the thread were a fantastic bunch and it was a pleasure to assist them in any way I could. Some hit their targets, others missed but all were heroes in my eyes. My one hope is that as many as possible of the gang continue to run, continue to learn but most importantly continue to enjoy their running.

Bits n bobs
So that's a brief overview...10 races, 9 PBs, a sub 40 10k that got away, a sub 20 5k and the best marathon I could have run. :-)

Some numbers....I should end the year on 2261 miles. This should have been higher but the last 8 weeks practically reduced to nothing. It will still be 1003 miles more than 2017. I had a 119 day streak early in the year and will have run on 301 days of the year.

Thanks for all the support and advice ye have given me throughout the year. It really has been greatly appreciated.

Swashbuckler

Great review and a hell of a year S. Well done. Looking forward to seeing your progress in 2019.

Wubble Wubble

That's some year S. Very impressive race performances and mileage, especially considering where you were a year or two ago. Recover well for 2019. Looking forward to more and more improvements!

scotindublin

Brilliant year Sean; you have to be up there with the most disciplined and dedicated posters on here. Get yourself right and push on again in 2019.

No doubt catch up at some point in the next few months. Bring on Dunshaughlin again in the summer I think we owe that course one!

Happy New Year when it comes.

C

tbukela

Well done on a great years running in 2018. I've really enjoyed following your log and your always well considered comments across the forum. Best of luck with your goals in 2019.

MY BAD

Great review and a fantastic year. No doubt bigger things to come in 2019

eyrie

It's been a hell of a year! A real pity that you've been semi-sidelined for the last little while but it looks like you're well on the way back now, and nothing could take away from what went before it!

Unthought Known

Well done Sean, a fantastic year! Looking forward to see what you can do in 2019.

skyblue46

Ah folks ye are all very kind...:-)))

OOnegative

I was shown you first in McGrattens and to be honest I was disappointed when I first seen you, total contrast to what I was expecting. You were slim, old and happy!! S, your an absolute inspiration to this place, a man i’d gladly follow into battle.

You’ve had a great 2018, not the way you wanted it to finish to be fair but you had the hard work done by then. Here’s to a better 2019, plus can’t be easy for a Dub to have his young lad starring for the Royal!!! Happy New Year S.

skyblue46

OOnegative wrote: »

I was shown you first in McGrattens and to be honest I was disappointed when I first seen you, total contrast to what I was expecting to be honest. You were slim, old and happy!! S, your an absolute inspiration to this place, a man i’d gladly follow into battle.

You’ve had a great 2018, not the way you wanted it to finish to be fair but you had the hard work done by then. Here’s to a better 2019, plus can’t be easy for a Dub to have his young lad starring for the Royal!!! Happy New Year S.

Hahahaha...thanks, I think! I'm not as old as I look...that's a gentic white hair and baldness thing.. the rest is a long ongoing life of abuses!

Yes I was thrilled with the year tbh. While there's some backslapping going on I have to say I look at your input on boards as an inspiration. It's not based on runners of your standard only, or a training group, not on an interest in a distance or surface...I love the way you have a word for everyone.

Kellygirl

An amazing and inspirational year Sean. Thanks for all the advice - it’s always spot on ... and I do listen even if it takes a while to implement sometimes ;-)

skyblue46

Kellygirl wrote: »

An amazing and inspirational year Sean. Thanks for all the advice - it’s always spot on ... and I do listen even if it takes a while to implement sometimes ;-)

Yeah it took you a year to go to the grads plan! That's a while alright ;-)

Swashbuckler

skyblue46 wrote:

Yeah it took you a year to go to the grads plan! That's a while alright ;-)

And a shiny new pb to show for it. People should listen to you sooner

Kellygirl

skyblue46 wrote: »

Yeah it took you a year to go to the grads plan! That's a while alright ;-)

Swashbuckler wrote: »

And a shiny new pb to show for it. People should listen to you sooner

Ha ha. They should!

BrownEyes79

I knew you had a great year S but when I see it all written down it seriously is incredible. You’re definitely an inspiration to me and thank you for all the motivation you’ve given me (knowingly & unknowingly) over the last year! Looking forward to sharing some post race sambos with you soon!

Murph_D

Terrific year alright, on and off the road. Kudos!

aloooof

That's about as impressive a year of running and improvements as I've read on the logs here, some going.

(And further evidence that your 'bad cop' routine on the Novices thread was merited )

ariana`

Amazing year S. And i have to join the others in saying you are an inspiration and a source of continuous support and encouragement to me along with many others. Bad cop or not thank you for being you

skyblue46

Ah Jaysus, yiz will all have me sobbing into my cornflakes here!

Baby75

You are an inspiration S and seeing it all written down I knew you did brilliant but you really have had an amazing year I hope you enjoy 2019 as much if not more

Will you make Bohermeen if yes I might see you there

ariana`

skyblue46 wrote: »

Ah Jaysus, yiz will all have me sobbing into my cornflakes here!

Now that's a sight a good of us might pay to see :pac:

skyblue46

Baby75 wrote: »

You are an inspiration S and seeing it all written down I knew you did brilliant but you really have had an amazing year I hope you enjoy 2019 as much if not more

Will you make Bohermeen if yes I might see you there

Haha...what's all this inspiration mullarkey? I just followed a few training plans that were laid out on here...

Yes I'm about to go and enter Bohermeen. As the very wise Mr E Cabello pointed out there is more to it than PBs. I love the buzz around these races and won't be avoiding them if I'm not in the best of shape. So yes I'll see you there. You'll find me in the community centre on a chair beside the food tables

scotindublin

See you in Bohermeen for some coffee and cake!

skyblue46

scotindublin wrote: »

See you in Bohermeen for some coffee and cake!

You can keep me some when you finish!

Baby75

skyblue46 wrote: »

Haha...what's all this inspiration mullarkey? I just followed a few training plans that were laid out on here...

Yes I'm about to go and enter Bohermeen. As the very wise Mr E Cabello pointed out there is more to it than PBs. I love the buzz around these races and won't be avoiding them if I'm not in the best of shape. So yes I'll see you there. You'll find me in the community centre on a chair beside the food tables

just shhh and take the compliment

Good you better keep me some cake so I know I won't PB on the day but I will be very happy to finish it and take part I enjoy all that as well

Mr. Guappa

Best of luck for 2019, it's good to see you getting back towards regular running. Let's hope for an injury free year ahead. Thanks again for all the wisdom imparted to us novices for DCM, and the continued interest in our progress.

Huzzah!

skyblue46 wrote: »

Haha...what's all this inspiration mullarkey? I just followed a few training plans that were laid out on here...

Yes I'm about to go and enter Bohermeen. As the very wise Mr E Cabello pointed out there is more to it than PBs. I love the buzz around these races and won't be avoiding them if I'm not in the best of shape. So yes I'll see you there. You'll find me in the community centre on a chair beside the food tables

I think transfers are allowed, in which case you're very welcome to my entry.

Just a really fantastic year of training and results. Lots to admire and aspire to in terms of work ethic.

skyblue46

Huzzah! wrote: »

I think transfers are allowed, in which case you're very welcome to my entry.

Just a really fantastic year of training and results. Lots to admire and aspire to in terms of work ethic.

Oh I wouldn't do that....you might yet decide to run it???

Huzzah!

skyblue46 wrote: »

Huzzah! wrote: »

I think transfers are allowed, in which case you're very welcome to my entry.

Just a really fantastic year of training and results. Lots to admire and aspire to in terms of work ethic.

Oh I wouldn't do that....you might yet decide to run it???

Nope - MSB 5k is the following week and will be my focus, so I’d be delighted if my Bohermeen entry went to a good home. Let me just email the organisers to figure out how to do the transfer and I’ll get back to you.