May update

Week ending 25^th May

It’s been a while since I blogged and as it is nearly the end of the month it’s best to dust off the spreadsheet and see what’s going on.  Long term I hope to get in shape for the Dublin marathon on the October weekend. This will probably be my last best chance for a marathon PB but while I am building up the mileage for that I also hope to get a bit of exposure in a number of shorter races. If anything they will also double as speed/tempo workouts- some I will race hard others I won’t. Last summer I didn’t get much summer racing done.

A quick summary of how things have gone since the May weekend.

Week ending  11^th May – 35 miles in total including a 5 mile race in Kilworth and a 11 mile long run with 5 miles at marathon pace. The race consisted of 2 X 2.5 laps of a army training camp. I had no expectations as to how I would get on but after the first lap I timed myself at 17.25 minutes coming in the official results as 35 minutes exactly. My garmin gave me a 5 mile finishing time of 34.48 but of course the garmin doesn’t follow the racing line. A enjoyable race and a good night meeting up with familiar faces.  The long run on Sunday was a challenging workout 6 miles at 8 minute pace with 5 at marathon pace. In this case marathon pace was around 7.30 average. It went very well even if some of the MP miles were a bit too fast (7.17-7.27). The last mile of the MP portion was through town coming in at 7.39. The over all pace for the MP run was 7.28.

Week ending 18^th May – Again around 35.5 miles. No real significant workouts. On Tuesday I did intervals with the club in the town park. What I did learn is that whatever about the long stuff I am well off par in keeping up with some of the lads in the club on the faster stuff. Nevertheless it was a fabulous evening for it and running on grass is great for me. I probably need to work out a correct pace to run my speedwork. Jack Daniels has me down as running 6.47-6.50 for intervals and 7.15-7.20 for tempo workouts which is a good rule of thumb. I haven’t use the heart strap in a while to monitor effort, maybe more so for recovery and long running. The long run on Sunday was in the company of the club. I covered 12 miles feeling relaxed – 1hr40mins at 8.20 pace.

Week ending 25^th May- Another 35.5 mile week. Tuesday more intervals with the club. 5 X 4 minutes with the usual strides and warm up and cooldown, around 6.5 miles in total. I was trying to run at a correct interval speed but found it difficult consistency – pace varied around 6.45-7.00 minute pace. I was wrecked afterwards and I sussed that my Thursday race in Ballindreen wouldn’t be  a easy one. I ran the same race two years ago in 34.34 – a PB at the time. It’s a tough race and is part of a 4 X 5 mile race series (Shanagarry, Churchtown South, Ballycotton). I hope to complete all 4 races and hopefully get some joy in each one. Over 600 runners turned out for this one including my cousin Don Ryan. He finished in a savage time of 31.58. I however ran a average race coming in at 35.08, well behind most of my mallow clubmates. The garmin had me down as running the first 5 miles in 34.40 but tactically I cocked up by starting way down the back. That meant it took me 27 seconds to cross the start line after the gun went off and i was always up against after that. I’m not making excuses as I felt my failure to capitalise on the downhill finish in the last mile (6.49 as distinct from 6.18 in 2012) was the real difference. Lesson learned. On Sunday I ran with the Mallow lads doing 13 miles in 1hr50minutes (8.22 pace).

 

 

 

Watching the Limerick marathon

Wednesday 7^th May

Haven’t updated in a while. Nothing remarkable to report.

The big running news for me this weekend was seeing my good buddy Aidan run the Limerick marathon in a PB time of 3.26.01. This was his second marathon. His first marathon was the Cork marathon where despite having a difficult time of it he still managed to finish in a credible 3hr50minutes. Aidan is a fast guy (1.08 in the Ballycotton 10) but probably is still feeling his way a bit as a road runner. Anyway a 24 minute PB and a sub 3.30 in only his second marathon points to very positive things indeed. Aidan as usual (out of cuteness or modesty) is dampening down his chances of a sub 3.20. I enjoyed watching the finish of the marathon, maybe one to do in future .I was scheduled to run the 6 mile race in the same event but the hip and left quad muscle were feeling less than comfortable so I gave it a miss. I was more than satisfied with my  11 mile run on the Saturday running the last 3 miles at 7.30 pace and the last mile at a relaxed pace.

Monday started with the usual unremarkable but very necessary recovery run. Tuesday consisted of a 5 mile run with 3 X 1 mile intervals. I ran the same workout last week with the intervals being run in 7.15, 6.53 and 6.52. This time the first two intervals passed in 6.50 and 6.40. The third interval was a bit of a mess. I failed to start the stopwatch and ¾ of a way up the road I had no idea what pace I was doing.  I reckon around 6.55 – 7.00 pace but that’s only a guess. Either way not a great workout (too fast with intervals, not even enough). I jogged the last mile home. On Wednesday I was up In Mayfield and fancied running 6 miles around the estate and football pitch. Things started getting awkward as the dog owners and dogs started getting more numerous. The dogs (not on a leash of course) either ran in front of me, after me or under my feet so I headed down the North ring road and up Banduff. That last mile was very tough with plenty of subtle drags and pulls. I was tired at the end but happy enough with the overall pace – 6 miles at 7.37 pace.  I did regret having a few sharp words with one lady dog owner up in the pitch, should have kept the gob shut. Not out of sympathy to her but it meant losing focus on my workout.

Week beginning 28^th April (5miles with 3 X 1 , 5.60miles, 6miles, rest, rest,11mileswith 3 at 7.30, rest. Total miles 27.60).

Week beginning 5^th May (3.3 miles, 5miles with 3 x 1, 6 miles)