A Busy Week

From a running point of view I got a lot in last week. From my training side I did my biggest week ever in 75 Miles and not all where easy miles. Tuesday was interval session of 6*1K @ 5K pace off 75% recovery. Aimed for 4:02 for each but the last one my legs where gone ended up been 4:05 even with me pushing it. The next day was a 12 mile run which I sometimes do in lees road. Anyone who runs or has ran in there will know the undulating nature of the trails. Again another very tough session on the legs. This followed with a 2-3 miles with the C25K group that evening. Recovery day on Friday and Saturday started with the inaugural lees road parkrun which I was acting as one of the timekeepers and was followed later that evening by a 8 mile General Aerobic Run. I have started to make this a fartlek in Ballybeg Woods with and one minute get up as fast as I can climb on a slope of over 45°. Overall the session is not hard but the hills add the reminder of what it is like to be flat out without battering the legs to death. Sunday saw me finish the week with the small job of pacing the Tralee Marathon for the 5 hour bus.

parkrun comes to Ennis

I had been asked to have a look at a suitable course for the parkrun in Lee’s road Ennis. The run was to take place as much as possible in the wooded section and we could not use the cross country track as it crossed the entrance road. This would mean the course would be very undulating and no mater what way it went would have some tough short climbs. The finalised course had some reservations regarding the finish area so on Friday Night we changed it to allow it finish and start in a wide area but this meant 2 loops up a very steep hill. On the day we had 130 runners which was very good considering the 2 largest Primary schools had Confirmation that morning. No major issues on the day and I was well impressed by the concept, and hopefully this will go from strength to strength in the future. The course lived up to its billing only one runner under 20 minutes.

In Kerry again

My second year to pace this at 5 hours. Between 50 miles in the legs and only 3 hours sleep on Saturday as I was gigging to say the least I was not fresh. Recently with the C25K group if I don't wear 2 pairs of gloves my hands get numb. Several times when getting ready one of our pacing team tried to relive me of a pair but I was having none of it. The wind factor today would mean I was in for a long cold day. Got to the start and noted numbers where down on last year. My starting group consisted of 5-6 Kerry Crusaders ladies and a few lads willing to take a risk running with them. Soon we where off and moving along nicely. Mile One no marker not to worry, Mile two none again by the time I heard Garmin's beeping around me for the third time there still was no sign of a marker. Final saw the three mile marker but it was way out, now starting to worry as 11:25 pace is not anywhere near a natural pace for me. The fourth Mile marker appeared to be correct but we where now close to a minute up. Group was going along nicely plenty of chat. Got to the turn in Banna a nice section but on the day the wind was now in our face so I gave back the minute hear and in the climb back up to Ardfert. At this point I had noticed my group of Crusaders had got noticeable quieter and over the next 2-3 miles they fell away. Coming out of Ardfert there now was only two left in the group. Paul and Donie, Donie was chatting away but Paul had got noticeably quieter. The pull up to Chruch Hill would see him fall off the back. At this point we had caught a cork native with plenty of support. Even managed to snag me a Cork flag as they passed cheering in the car. The two guys where going well and picked up a bit as we entered Fenit. This left me on my own. From here to Tralee it was a lonesome run with a cold headwind and I was now glad my fellow pacer didn't snag my gloves as at least my hands where warm. Passed Donie at 23 his race was done. He had mentioned several time that he always fades at this point. Again proves if you believe its going to happen you will always be correct. I was at this point the most hated runner on the course. There was maybe 7-8 runners ahead of me dreading my approach, stealing the odd glance behind to see if I was catching them. For some reason all but one stayed ahead. I caught 4 of them but three passed me again on the way into Tralee determined not to let me catch them again. Pretty soon the finish was there and I crossed 4:59:20. The lack of a 26 Mile marker had me in a bit of a panic but Once I saw the finish I knew my pace was okay. Thought I was good snagging myself 2 chocolate Santa’s only to discover later some intrepid young lad got his hands on Ten of them.

Need for Speed

Its a bit short

Nothing to do with the measurement of the course but several comments from runners surprised to see me lining out at the start of a 5K race. After a 2 mile warm-up with some strides thrown in for good measure just to bring the legs up to speed I was lined up pretty much near the start to get a clean get away. Pretty soon we are off, the undulating nature of the course pretty much summed up an over reliance on a watch to pace oneself. I went out too quick realised it on one of the sharp climbs at about the 1K, then eased off too much when Siobhan from Ennis Track breezed past me. As she is in and about 20 Min 5K runner I had to latch on to her coat tails by picking up the pace again. The climb up to 2K say me drop maybe 5-10 seconds of her but on the downhill section I was catching her back. We hit the flat at 3K where my breathing was pretty much in hyperventilation mode as she began opening a gap here, then I could hear the footsteps of another runner catching me fast he passed me at 3.5K, I dug in and latched on and hung on for dear life for the next 1K before he finally dropped me. With only 500M to go and only that hill to negotiate I just kept the head down and pushed through as best I could. Crested the hill with the finish in sight Siobhan had just crossed and I could make out 19 on the clock. I put the hammer down but several seconds later it turned to 20, I kept the hammer down to fall gracefully over the line clock at 20:15 20:23 (see comment). In reflection I don't think I could have gone any faster today. Positives to be taken from this race where the only two runners to pass me after 1K only beat me by less the 15 seconds so I didn't fade too much in the later stages. Chopping 60 seconds off your PB in six months without speed work shows that there is potential for even greater improvements.

What can you expect

You cannot expect results without putting in the work. Since Seville I have ran very little miles @ 5K pace or faster. Actually it has been none existent. Tonight my legs never gave me any cause for concern, its just I could not get enough O₂ into them. In hindsight the aerobic base is there in my legs big time I just need to start putting it to good use. I should break 20 for 5K and possible get a sub 40 for 10K, times that where dreams 2 years ago but there is some work to be done to get there.

Adjusting Focus slightly

While my main ambition since getting my Boston Qualifier is to run 50 Marathons before My 50th Birthday, I now have got the racing bug so I should be able to mix in some shorter/harder races if I am wise with my training. I will leave this off until my return from a long earned break (got none last year with exams and unwell wife) in the Algarve in Mid June.

A crack at sub 20 5K

Illusions of greatness

Recently it has been in my head that I might be able to have a crack at a sub 20 5K or at least that was the plan. At the start of training for Seville the club ran a surprise timed 5K run one night on the infamous Mile loop. I clocked 21:15 off no training, so for Seville I did all of my intervals @ 20:30 5K pace on a flat track. With the exception of the last one 3*1600 (6:30/6:45/6:55 horrible session) all where completed at that pace. On Thursday I plan racing the 3rd Clare Athletics 5K Summer Series, so to find out what kind of shape I am in I did the 3*1600 session again on Monday evening. The session was tough and really opened my eyes to the torture I may have to endure to nail it on Thursday. Times 6:23/6:26/6:30, not ideal but the first 1600 was relatively okay and I felt very confident about finish out the session like this. During the second 1600 the wheels came off, badly, the harder I tried to maintain the pace the slower I got. I decided that I would pace the last one @ 6:30 pace which was probably my correct pace for the session. Now this will land me between 20:15 and 20:30.

So there are a couple of points to note about this session both positive and negative:

• It was solo which makes it harder especially when running into the breeze so this pace may not be as hard in a race
• Ran today on a track, race is on an undulating course net uphill for the first 3K down hill flat to 4.5 with a bitch of a hill at the gate of lees road in the last 500m.

Race Plan

I have thought back to the day I covered the watch and ran 14 miles MP from feel. Was completely surprised at the pace been 15 seconds per mile quicker then what I was expecting. So Thursday night the plan is no watch to hold me back or worry about. If this results in me going out too quick and burning up then so be it but it could also result in me going out too quick and holding on till the finish and dipping under 20. Only time will tell.

Normal Service Resumed

PMP or PME

What is my PMP time? I am aiming for sub 3:25 in Portumna so you would say its sub 7:49 pace. However if you enter my 10K PB set this spring various calculators will spit  out times ranging from 3:28 to 3:19 and just because a calculator spits out a certain time there is no guarantee that you will achieve this on the day.  Recently I have started to introduce Planned Marathon Pace into my Long Runs and Tempo sessions so what pace should I be running these miles at ? 7:49 obviously.
First of these session in the bridge one morning. A favourite of the running coach, some of the lads were doing 15 miles 2 miles warm up with 3 * 3 Miles PMP with 1 mile recovery in between. There PMP speed was around 8:15 so I tagged along at that as I had a 20 mile session down for the day. First 2 were grand but I decided when the others had gone their merry way to try the third @ 7:50 pace, by then the breeze had picked up and 2 miles where on an incline under these conditions it was a struggle to hold the pace. A struggle I won but it was more LT/10K effort. I was pretty disappointed with this at the time. The next session 10 mile PMP run, after two miles a malfunction on my watch meant that it lost connection with foot pod and HR unit (watch battery low) thus leaving me with a dumb stopwatch. I ran the rest of the run on feel as I had no clue of splits on the route. Finished with 1:16:40 for 10 miles 7:40 pace suitably elated and trying to figure out did that run come from. Conditions were ideal, which brought home to me that these runs should be done by effort rather than sticking to a pace. I have now reverted back to the old method of the body telling the brain when we are at Marathon Effort. Last 2 runs have been done like this and in wet and windy conditions. One was at 7:55 pace and the other at 7:49 pace. So currently my marathon pace is anywhere between 7:40 and 7:57 pace largely determined by factors outside of my control, the Irish Weather. Rather than trying to hit a certain pace in my PMP runs I have now resorted to running on what it should feel like or what I perceive it should feel like.

Short Stuff ain't easy

I have pencilled in two of the Clare Sports Partnership Summer Series races just to sharpen me up for Portumna, so on Friday last for the first time in nearly three years that I have raced a 5K or 4 Miler in anger and it showed. It was also my first opportunity to wear the new club gear. After a 2 Mile warm up with some downhill strides I hit the start, goal was to get as near to 27 mins or 6:45 average as possible. Course is uphill first mile undulating for second and third with a downhill stretch to the finish. Fresh breeze which will be in our faces on the way home so it should make the splits more even.

Lined myself up two or three rows back near Liam Daly of Ennis Track. I reckon if I beat him or could stay with him I would be near enough to my goal time. A quick word from James Sexton at the start about KM markers that took up legs and walked and off we went. From the offset it was clear hanging on to Liam was not going to happen, stayed with him for first half mile but no way I was going to hold this pace up. Tucked into a group of six, first mile split was 6:47 second mile started with a quick downhill but Liam was still gaining and at the first left turn I was 20 seconds or so behind. At this point I concentrated on staying with the group as the last mile and a half were going to be into the breeze. Mile 2 slightly quicker 13:29 still on target. After this the wheels came off. Group started to split, 3 lads in front picked up the pace dropping three of us but the other two guys were slowing dramatically leaving me on my own.  Try as I could I failed to bridge the gap to the guys in front who eventually split as well. Mile 3 showed 20:45. Final mile is downhill when some guy come alongside. I tag onto him for as long as possible maybe half a mile but he gradually he got away from me. Coming towards the finish I could see an Ennis Track vest coming alongside, I dug in and picked up the pace enough to open and maintain the gap till the finish. Cross the line James Sexton calls 27:28. I don't even look at the watch, my lungs are on fire and my stomach is about to evacuate its contents which very nearly happened.
The usual cup of Tea afterwards but for personal reason I have to make a quick exit so I don't hang around. Final results show me finishing 37th out of 185 overall. On reflection I was not in 27 minute shape and my lack of races/bad luck cost me maybe a 27:15 as I failed to stay with the 3 guys in the middle of the race but nonetheless another PB bagged. Next race is 5K in Ennis at the end of the month just before my Taper.

April 25th

          12 Miles, 10 Miles PMP 1:16:42 @ 7:41 pace,  No HR with 1 Mile WU/WD

April 28th

          15 Miles Long with 3*3 PMP and 1 Recovery 23:12/7:44,23:15/7:45,23:33/7:49, No HR 2 Miles WU/WD

May 1st         
          8 Miles Tempo 6 miles 44:46 @ 7:28 (10K pace + PMP) with 1 Mile WUWD

May 5th

          13.1 Miles Long run 1:59:28 @  9:09 pace, Pacing GLR Half Marathon

May 8th

          20 Miles, Long Run last 8 Miles 1:03:19 @ 7:55 pace

May 10th

          6 Miles, 4 Mile Road Race 27:28 @ 6:52 pace