Last of the Summer Wine

Week of 7 Feb

Thanks for all the comments - it’s great to get the feedback, regardless of performance, but always better when the result has been good. Reflecting on the race again, I can’t really pinpoint anything that could have gone much better, which is a statement I have rarely been able to make. I am particularly pleased that I managed to do what I hoped for after the midweek Winter League session - to finish the race with three miles like I’d just run. I’d worried that the session might have been a tad close to the race but there were no ill effects.

Just recovering this week mostly. Got a club text about running the National Masters Cross Country next weekend but declined.

Mon 7 Feb

30 mins recovery

A plod along the seafront during GAA hour. I’d had a sports massage earlier in the day and probably should have left it at that - legs weren’t up for any kind of running really, and I was pretty bonked. Bumped into Ferris so at least had company for a bit of this.

Tue 8 Feb

No running. Yesterday’s vibe was a sign to take a day off.

Wed 9 Feb

54 mins easy around Dublin Port. Checked out the new road layout. Great to see a lot of progress has been made on the new Greenway construction. Hopefully the momentum continues.

• This week: 14k (9m)
• This month: 67 (42)
• This year: 395 (245)

I was wondering if anyone would pick up on the alcohol thing. I'm not planning on total abstention but for me, staying away from it for a few weeks has had noticeable benefits in terms of sleep, hydration and general energy levels. Like a few others, I noticed my consumption increasing noticeably during the early restrictions and lockdowns, and it kind of stayed there a bit longer than I would have liked. I'm no prude when it comes to the drink but I'm happy to take a step back every so often and this one is long overdue.

It can be a sensitive subject - I remember starting a thread here years ago about alcohol being the elephant in the room for some runners, including myself. The general reaction was, we're not professionals or elites, and we shouldn't obsess too much about the downsides of things we enjoy doing, etc, and I get that. But at the same time, I'm happy to experiment with it to try to find the right balance, especially as an older runner who might not have the powers of recovery I once had.

Not sure how much of a factor it was in the recent performance - probably not huge, as it's fairly comparable to the November half marathon where I wasn't particularly abstemious in the buildup. But certainly something for me to look at.

Week of 14 Feb

This week, more base building, and a Winter League outing on Weds.

Mon 14 Feb

62 mins with 40 @ ‘steady’

As is the usual Monday routine, dropped the boy at GAA club. Warmed up as far as the Wooden Bridge then tucked into a 40-minute sub-threshold run. It was a crisp evening and I was happy to see I was hitting just faster than marathon pace with the HR in the right zone. That’s a sign of notable progress over the last few weeks. Would have done a bit more tonight but time was tight. Told afterwards to start choosing lumpier routes for these runs - that won't be problem next week as I'll be up in Donegal.

Tue 15 Feb

35 mins recovery on the Collins Ave loop. Weary enough going, no love for this one.

Wed 16 Feb

An email from work colleague and former clubmate M, inviting me to pick up my share of our BHAA winnings from the EIR cross country a few weeks ago. It took me a while to find his office in the Arts Block labyrinth but eventually the swag was mine. A cool €15 in hard cash, effectively refunding the annual fee, and bringing my career earnings to €65, a book bag and a set of coasters. The life.

Winter League Round 6 - 2 miles (10th in 13:01)

Arrived early enough to get in a couple of laps of the hallowed Wade Ave circuit, noting the general windiness abroad. I wondered how much it would affect the race - certainly would place question marks around managing a PB effort, which I’ve been thinking about. Tonight was also the Donagh Lynch Cup, a club handicap race (where you don’t know your handicap til the end, or possibly not ever). I figured as they’d stuck me in Division 3 for the series I might have a generous number, so was prepared to give it a bit of a lash. Lined up in a more businesslike slot than usual and hit it fairly hard from the start, and after the first 400m I found myself not too far behind K, who was pulling away though, even as I went past G and a few other enthusiastic starters. If I could keep K in my sights for a while it would be an achievement, as I was already in my usual no man’s land position at the first turn, 600m in. To add to the excitement, one of my shoelaces had opened, but there was no way I was going to stop. Kept the effort up on All Saints Road, with a nice tailwind, which seemed to follow us around the second turn onto Wade Ave also, although by now there was someone on my tail. Kept the head down and got on with it, pleasantly surprised to hear the timekeeper shout 6:26 as I completed lap 1. A decent clip, and if I could keep it up I’d be in good shape. Down Howth Road the second time, however, the wind was more of a factor with no other bodies around, and I started to feel a bit sorry for myself, especially with the shoelace flapping annoyingly about. The runner on my shoulder made a move - I heard the footsteps echoing closer and he went by exactly where I'd passed a rival myself last time, just past the turn onto All Saints again. Not the runner I had thought it might be, and I let him go, lamely enough. He was looking pretty strong to be fair, but I might have put up more of a fight. At least I could focus on his back for a while, which provided some distraction until the final turn where I think I was able to pick it up and finish reasonably strongly, in what turned out to be 10th place in the small field of 34. My form had felt poor in the second lap - very clunky - and when I looked at the watch and saw just over 13 mins I realised just how much slower lap 2 had been. Oh well. A few more rounds still to go, and my best placing to date. More importantly, another few Division 2 scalps taken. 😎

Turned out I finished second in the handicap race, so at least I seem to be exceeding the expectations of whoever calculates these things. The winner was G, the guy who finished behind me in 11th. He’s not even in our club and amazingly they let him leave with the trophy. 😜 Damn shoelace. Probably cost me the 10 seconds. 😁

Another lap to cool down, so 9.33k / 49 mins for the evening.

• This week: 27k (17m)
• This month: 137 (85).
• This year: 465 (289)

Week of 14 Feb cont

Thurs 17 Feb

Rest.

Fri 18 Feb

60 mins easy

Headed out through the south city before the worst of the Eunice-related winds. Was still pretty blowy all the same - when I got to the Sandymount coast my skinny frame was taking a bit of abuse. Headed inland but then somehow two turns later I ended back on the same road. The mysteries of the southside!

Sat 19 Feb

8.1k inc parkrun #170 @ steady

It was pouring rain as I headed out towards Drimnagh, hoping to cross Brickfields off the Dublin parkrun list. Hit loads of traffic lights and got there just before 9:30 but as I was jogging through the gates, an exiting runner told me the run was cancelled due to flooding on the paths. Oh well. I pulled up Griffeen’s details on my phone and thought, it’s 10k away, even if I start late I’ll be in before the last of the walkers. Off to Lucan but when I got there, circling part of the park in the car looking for some activity, there was no sign of any runners at all. Anyway this was a ridiculous plan. Rather than park and go looking for the course I decided to call it off and maybe head to the Phoenix Park for a few miles. On the way there, passing through Palmerstown, I thought, well, would be nice to run the Waterstown course again. In I go, passing the start area, see a few people on the course, think maybe I can beat the tailwalkers to the finish. And so I did in the end, although it required a bit of a sprint, finishing in just over 24 mins (gun time 54). Nice chat with the timekeeper, who promised to visit us in St. Anne’s some day. Another lap of the course to cool down. It’s a hilly enough loop, but as I discovered on the cooldown, hitting parts of the park I hadn’t seen before, it could be far worse! 

Sun 20 Feb

LR - 90 mins 

A damp but quite balmy morning - I didn’t have much of a plan for this, just to run at least 90 mins, ending in St. Anne’s where A and the boys were on jr parkrun duty (the lads volunteer rather than run these days). So up the Howth Road and a tour of the Raheny environs in the wind and rain. Quite enjoyable while it lasted, but I kept to the minimum duration at the end, glad of the coat and warm clothes I’d stashed in the boot of the car. Low mileage this week due to two rest days and some runs at the bare minimum distance. But it’s only February.

Signed up for a couple of the Race Series events this summer - Frank Duffy (of course) and Fingal 10k.

• This week: 61 km (38 mi) - 338 mins
• This month: 171 (106).
• This year: 499 (310)

Week of 21 Feb cont

Fri 25 Feb

42 mins recovery

Once more around the loop.

Sat 26 Feb

Letterkenny parkrun (5th finisher, 22:13)

Finally made it to Letterkenny, for the launch of Sanctuary Runners Donegal. (Sanctuary Runners is about showing a bit of solidarity with people in Direct Provision, as much about the tea and chat than the running/walking. The mrs is more involved than me - I don’t attend many of the runs but I do enjoy the craic when I do.) The course in Letterkenny is quite interesting - three laps of a loop that circles the derelict mental hospital before entering the small but elegant Town Park. The whole thing is on the side of a hill so plenty of up and down. Pretty challenging! The plan was a tempo effort, which I probably exceeded considerably on the uphills. Glad I didn’t have the HRM with me. Started at the back of a group of six at the front, pushed past one of them in lap two and help on to that spot for the rest of the run. The nature of the course means you’re doubling back in places and eventually lapping people, so you’re never on your own. Did a few more kms around local housing estates and roads afterwards, before the tea, banana bread and chats. 

Sun 27 Feb

LR - 116 mins 

Last Donegal run for a while - 12+ miles past the Croagh caravan park and back via Drumbarron. Once again, passed another runner - you wait ages for one and two come along in the same week. Another year older today. Relentless! 

• This week: 76k (47m) - 420 mins
• This month: 247 (153)
• This year: 574 (357)

Thanks, P. As it happens, the log title is starting to look a bit ironic as I'm still more or less off the drink. Didn't even have a birthday tipple!

Thanks - just finished the M60 rookie year, a long way to go before the next milestone. 😱

Week of 7 Mar

No racing this week! More of the usual, and some warm weather work at the end, all going well. 

Mon 7 Mar

65 mins @ sub-T. 

GAA hour - barely enough time to squeeze this one in before the lad’s training hour would be over. No warmup, which is a bit reckless. Straight into steady mode up the Howth Road, looping around by Donaghmede and Kilbarrack and back down through Raheny. I kept an eye on the HR this time to make sure I didn’t fall asleep and the result was a good honest steady run. Ready for my dinner after that. Fell asleep on the couch later, but then lay awake half the night. Have been sleeping well in recent weeks/months but the insomnia is starting to kick in again. 

Tue 8 Mar

60 mins recovery around the Griffith Ave, Glasnevin, Drumcondra. Wearing my woolly marathon hat, which meant a hello from any other marathon hat wearers. 

Wed 9 Mar

Rest. Had the gear in the bag at work but was very busy, and anyway the sound of the rain on the office window never stopped. 

• This week: 23k (15m)
• This month: 82 (51)
• This year: 673 (418)