Training Run Times

RACE REPORT

Shocking morning of weather up here, gusting to 80kph and horizontal rain, I had decided there was no way I was running sitting there looking out at it. At about 1.45pm I was eating lunch and my phone bings - its the neighbour across the road wondering if we were cycling down to the race.. I couldn’t let the fella down so I gave the wife the end of my BLT, ran up and jumped into the running gear, and off we cycled in the rain, although the wind had stopped. Locked the bikes, took off the jackets and it was already time to head to the start line for a 3pm gun.

We took up a position about 2-300m back from the start line, a few minutes standing around and we were off making our way through the crowd. I said I’d stay with my neighbour for the first km and then let him off and I decided I wouldnt bother with my watch at all as I had no expectations/target other than finishing under 41 minutes.. the usual jostling as there was huge numbers, but great atmosphere and we were clipping along nicely along the edge of St Annes Park. At about 1km I decided I’d let him off as I wouldnt have held the pace he was pushing for the rest of the race, I’d run my own.

It’s a great course as you take a few quick rights and end up crossing back through the start area again at about 2km so you have loads of encouragement from the crowds, at this point I realised I had caught up with my neighbour and passed him. Out onto the Howth Road and then a left down Vernon Avenue. We had the wind against us here but there was large numbers of runners and it is a nice downhill section for about 1km so didn’t really notice the wind. Left back towards the park again at about 3km feeling great and passing runners as I went

Next up is a right hand turn that brings you downhill again to the seafront, hard left and you run up along the coast. The wind was behind us for that stretch and you could really feel the benefit of it. I had a sense I was going well so I decided to look at my watch to see how I was going only to realise it had made a decision to change the format completely so I had none of the metrics I wanted anymore, including the distance! Asked the guy next to me.. 6km, 2km to go.

Hard left and there’s a tough pull up Watermill Road along the edge of the park again, this is the bit where you really wish you had way more training on board and you weren’t looking at the energy gauge draining quickly! Head down, keep pumping.. plenty of support out on the road encouraging everyone on, it really does make a difference for some reason.

Left again at the top and I realised I wasn’t sure where the finish line was as it was a different course this year than I had run before. I had no watch to figure out where it might be so figured it was the same spot we started at. I was out on my feet at this stage so I asked a course official what was left and she said .4. OK, 400m, the finish line is where the start line was up around the next bend in the road.. I had a small bit left so I put foot down and passed a good few, there’s the line but as I approached I realised there was no clock on it and no-one was stopping once they were through it, and I had emptied the tank. Shouted to another official, 600m left.. he might as well have said 600 miles! At this stage I was gassed so it was a case of not giving in, we had a lap of the green to go.. right, 300m, right again along the short edge, and right into the finishing straight. At this point I realised the clock was showing 39.30 so a really decent time was on.. it gave me the last jolt for the final 200m crossing the line for 40.00 on the button, but that time wouldnt have deducted the time I was getting from my start point through to the start line

My chip time is 38:5X mins.. I can’t believe I ran anything beginning with 38 given the lack of training and the hassle with my hip.. delighted with it. I hadn’t a morsel of energy left in me, that is it for 8km. Somehow my hip never came at me, I did a 6km walk with the dog earlier this morning and wonder if that acted as a warm up.. either way thats also very positive. It also meant I beat the neighbour by over a minute :)

It’s a class event for anyone who could make it sometime
Great report and great performance, well done
 
Great Report there HH. You certainly benefitted from the sensible start.
Yeah, glad I let him off as I knew it wasn't in me, was surprised I caught up with him again so it clearly wasn't in him either! He'd be a far more experienced runner, think he might have been pining for times he ran previously.

Looking at my splits they were pretty consistent given I was just going with my gut/how I was feeling
4:50, 4:52, 4:55, 4:47, 4:52, 4:50, 4:54, 4:5X
 
Yeah, glad I let him off as I knew it wasn't in me, was surprised I caught up with him again so it clearly wasn't in him either! He'd be a far more experienced runner, think he might have been pining for times he ran previously.

Looking at my splits they were pretty consistent given I was just going with my gut/how I was feeling
4:50, 4:52, 4:55, 4:47, 4:52, 4:50, 4:54, 4:5X
Ah the Honey trap that snares all old men eventually.

Well done Honkey, good running. A nice tick or two above your half performance
 
Ah the Honey trap that snares all old men eventually.

Well done Honkey, good running. A nice tick or two above your half performance
He was running me through his previous times on the cycle back, it was his 10th Raheny 5, and its slower year on year!

He has a Dublin HM entry though so he will be kicking off his training again now, he did the Waterford one late November. I might tick along on some of the weekend training with him if my hip behaves.. will be pissed if it holds together and I have no entry though!

I need to put a fair bit of time on the bike as well now, Beara 110 or 140km coming up in may, and the buddies are pushing for the 140km which does the Healy pass climb a second time I think
 
Midleton park run this morning, at a guess id say close to 500 took part,
Ideal conditions, Needless to say the first 1/4 mile was very congested,
Once gaps opened it was fine, Incredible at roughly half way to see the leaders coming back towards us.
At mile two i caught up with a few, one of them stepped aside and said drive on,
I replied my mind wants to but the legs cant, My watch said 26.45, no idea what organisers will have my time at,
Very enjoyable, many parked in carrigtwohill and hopped on the train
 
Midleton park run this morning, at a guess id say close to 500 took part,
Ideal conditions, Needless to say the first 1/4 mile was very congested,
Once gaps opened it was fine, Incredible at roughly half way to see the leaders coming back towards us.
At mile two i caught up with a few, one of them stepped aside and said drive on,
I replied my mind wants to but the legs cant, My watch said 26.45, no idea what organisers will have my time at,
Very enjoyable, many parked in carrigtwohill and hopped on the train
Nice one - was that on the greenway Jimmy? Great to see it being used if so, and 500 is a brilliant turnout

Seems like it would block the greenway for regular use or did everyone just shuffle around?
 
Midleton park run this morning, at a guess id say close to 500 took part,
Ideal conditions, Needless to say the first 1/4 mile was very congested,
Once gaps opened it was fine, Incredible at roughly half way to see the leaders coming back towards us.
At mile two i caught up with a few, one of them stepped aside and said drive on,
I replied my mind wants to but the legs cant, My watch said 26.45, no idea what organisers will have my time at,
Very enjoyable, many parked in carrigtwohill and hopped on the train

636 participants according to the results page. Impressive turnout.

 
Nice one - was that on the greenway Jimmy? Great to see it being used if so, and 500 is a brilliant turnout

Seems like it would block the greenway for regular use or did everyone just shuffle around?
Yes on the greenway, it worked fine, There is a 10 mile race there in march as a fundraiser for an east cork track,
 
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