Windy Wednesday

I have switched my training block from 3 Sessions every Ten days to 2 sessions every week. This suits better as I intend to do more races at weekends this makes more sense to me. This means that the other session is mid week on a Wednesday. I am alternating between long tempos and 5K/10K paced interval sessions every second week. Track in Ennis at the Fairgreen is very open and the last 3 nights I have visited it there has been a gale blowing. This makes it very hard to judge what my actual pace is. I would like to believe it is sub 20 Minute for 5K but I have not hit that pace in any of the recent sessions. Last Wednesday was no exception only adding to the fun was hail showers that where hitting you like a machine gun. Those things are seriously sore. I did a shorter session as in 6 * 300 @ 5K 3 times. So of the earlier paces did hit the magic figure but I doubt I could hold this for a full race. I would not need to wait that long to answer the question.

Resolution 5K

Opened the door at 7 AM on Saturday morning to l et the cat out, she promptly changed her mind as quick as I noted not ideal racing conditions. One of those hail showers with a nasty northerly breeze would make life difficult today. Run in Clare the brain child of Jason Moloney is a new race series combining of a new 5K with three other races in Clare. A new Five mile in Quilty, Kilnaboy 10 and Eamon Maloney 10K, this hopefully will increase the numbers in Quilty and Kilnaboy races. Judging by the numbers that ran on Saturday it has got off to a good start. Over 700 people turned up to run this including yours truly. I had C25K group in the morning so was under time pressure to make the start. Had packed a backpack, ready to go when I got home. After a very cold C25K session I got back to Ennis earlier then expected and had time for a quick cup of coffee and banana. Jogged to the start at the gates of Lees road and dropped my bag over the wall.

Race

The start was bedlam. 700 runners on the road and cars still coming both ways. Learnt later the Gardaí refused the request to close the road for any period prior to the start. A lot of first time runners ended up liming up totally in the wrong spot. Soon we where off and suddenly I had to jump over a young lad (9 or 10) who had fallen at the start, luckily he escaped injury but I dare say it wasn't a pleasant experience for him. After that the race was perfect, I soon settled into a group who seemed to be ticking nicely along at my pace and provided some shelter from the cold North Breeze in our faces. Just as we approached 2K mark and the turn off to the main road I couldn't pass up the opportunity to pass Jason under the watchful eye of Gerry Hayes. Probably took a bit out of me as the group dropped me shortly afterwards. Wasn't really bothered as we now had a tailwind and there job was done so things where getting serious now. Held off a bit for the 3K mark, course Downhill/Flat from here, hit the afterburners but only lasted till the turn back to the finish. Was totally gone at this point and with 800M to go, plenty of runners where starting to pass me. Finally saw the finish and decided that no more people where to pass me. Slogged it out with Rita Kierce (2nd Lady) over the last 200M and just held her off. Over the finish side of the road and now regretted my snack of an hour ago as up it came.

Reflection

I ran this again without the worry of a watch and finished with a time of 20:25. Two seconds outside a PB, I was hoping to get closer to 20 and I have to accept that's where I am at the moment. Legs really felt strong throughout, but I just wasn't comfortable once I tried to push on for the last 2K. Maybe some hill sprints/sessions might get me over that hump, or just do more races this year between 5K and 10 Miles.

No Smoking Campus

Head Banging

Advised by Lorraine Consultant to apply for a Medical Card for her after he episode last year. Filled out the forms and sent away with Doctors Letter. Some head banger in Finglas decides that I do not meet the financial criteria so refuses it but also cancels Christines Medical Card two weeks before her Breast Reconstruction Surgery. Trying to get the the plonker who signed off on it to reverse it immediately was next to near impossible. Could not even get to talk to him/her on the phone and spent nearly a week ringing up and each day been asked to produce letters from surgeons, doctor etc regarding her condition. So a trip to Pat Breen T.D. was required and in fairness to him he got it resolved within 24 hours but should our elected TD's really have to deal with issues like this. The public service need's a major revamp, if I took this long to acknowledge and rectify a mistake I made with a customer I would quickly go out of business. As for the complaints procedure its a joke, its like another tribunal with the amount of information they want to furnish.

Annoying Announcement

Herself indoors finally got the call up for her reconstruction Surgery in Galway in the middle of March. This would mean 7-10 days in Hospital. After about 3 days I was sick of hearing that rather annoying speaker announcement at the entrance to every hospital which is repeated every 30 seconds. You know, the one about this is a non smoking campus. Well I think it would drive you to taking up smoking again. When Christine was released early I was delighted to hopefully not be seeing any Hospital Campus for another while. Unfortunately this was short lived as a bad reaction to Pain Relieving Medication that Christine was sent home with landed her back in A&E unable to hold down food or water in Limerick two days later, (missed Pakie Ryan 10 miler as a result) where she had the pleasure of been in the company Twenty other patients on trolleys. I dread to think how A&E staff would have coped with a major emergency that weekend because you could not swing a cat in there. Another week in Limerick which didn't really resolve the situation. She was discharged on Friday but is looking likely to be readmitted again as her GP is still not happy that she is unable to hold down solids. If she does go in I will be forced to bring a pair of snips and rectify that Announcement.
As a result of all this my training schedule is all over the place. I am getting the major sessions in but my Recovery sessions are hit and miss. I need to address this as my left hip/adductor is acting up a bit again.

Long Runs without Sucrá

After the last two long runs where I came very close to bonking I reviewed my HR stats for both runs. After Two hours of running I had noticed that HR was going up to over 155 bpm. With this in mind I decided to run the next 18 Miler at 9:15 pace and see what happened  Well it went swimmingly well and I really enjoyed it. All done on 500 ml of Electrolyte (Zym tab in Water). Upped the pace to 9:00 mile for next 20 miler and carried a gel just in case. This went just as well and was ironically faster than my first 20 Miler which goes to show going out too fast just burns up Glycogen too quickly.

Eamon Maloney Memorial Run

I remember Eamon not for running but dancing, would regularly meet him and his better half around the pubs in Ennis and he was a bit of a character to say the least, slightly mad but aren't we all especially those of us who tackle the Marathon Distance. Eamon ran several Marathons in his day and given this race was to raise funds for Clare Cancer Center in Kilnamona it was a no brainer to run this. Better still Jason was looking for some pacing balloon carriers so I volunteered for the 60 Minute Slot.
A nice bright day but a crisp easterly breeze kept it on the chilly side. Got my number and balloon and headed for the start. A group had assembled around me which include some ladies who were with me on the Five Hour bus in Dublin 2 years ago. They didn't stay on the bus that day but today would prove more fruitful. Not much of a delay at the start and we were on our way. Course is uphill until about 7-8K and then down hill with the wind at the back from there. I didn't mind tipping along at 6:05 pace for the first half and this kept the group together  There is a climb from 3 to 5 where some of the group fell away but to their credit they kept me in sight and managed to catch back up on the run for home. Once we hit the 7K mark those around me kicked on. One lady stayed with me while the group behind started to reel us in. Got over the line in 59:49 but the chip mat at the start did not work so competitors only got their gun time. Shame really as four ladies who bust a gut to catch me before the line were definitely under 60 nett time as they started with me but all got accredited like myself with 1:00:09.
 The tea ladies laid on a super spread for us all afterwards which means a nett gain in calories even after an hour's running.  Congrats to Jason for putting it together and will no doubt be on the calendar again next year.


March 13th
          10 Miles  8 Miles 1:04:12 @ 8:02 pace,  HR 152 with 1 Mile WU/WD

March 16th  
          18 Miles Long Run 2:46:30, @ 9:15, HR 135. 

March 20th 
          9 Miles 7 Miles 52:45 @ 7:33, HR 156 with 1 Mile WU/WD

March 24th
          12 Miles,10 miles 1:17:09 @ 7:43 pace, HR 154 with 1 Mile WU/WD


March 27th
          20 Miles Long run 2:59:43 @  8:59 pace, HR 141

Signed Up

Committed

Entered Portumna Forest Marathon last week. There is nothing like actually paying for something to focus the mind on training. Once I had done this I quickly set about drawing my training/racing schedule between now and then. Now all that is left is to complete it and avoid any major injuries

It never rains but it pours

When I started running 6 years ago, local races where sparse enough on the ground. This year there is a race on locally every weekend between now and Great Limerick Run in May. At the present moment I have only plans to race Adare 10K and pace both Eamon Moloney Memorial 10K (60 minutes) and Great Limerick Run Half Marathon (2 Hours). My main objective is Portumna and getting my Boston Qualifying time which means I may have to bypass a crack at my Ten Mile PB in either Kilnaboy or Pakie Ryan Memorial Run in Newmarket-on-Fergus.  

Running with a crowd

Normally I am rarely out of the bed at this hour of a Saturday let alone running @ 8 A.M. This was the case last week when I had my first run with B.M.O.H. Meet up the crew in the square where 3 hardy boys already had a 6 mile warm up run done. Tipped along at 8:45 pace for the first 5 miles when we split into two groups. The pace picked up a bit from here so I dropped off for a few miles and meet up with them again later in the run as they took a little detour. Finished 13.5 miles in under 2 hours and just usual stiffness in the legs. Good to run in a group like this but my training cycle is 9 days so I will still be doing some long runs solo.


Feburary 6th
          6 Miles 4 mile Tempo @ 7:38 pace, HR 158 with 1 Mile WU/WD

February 9th  
          13.4 Miles Long Run  1:57:12 @ 8:45 pace, HR 145


February 12th  
          7 Miles 5 Miles Tempo 38:51 @ 7:43 pace, HR 152 with 1 Mile WU/WD