Another One Bites The Dust

Given my recent good form my plan is to seek out some of the shorter races during the summer months and throw a few speedwork sessions together beforehand so that I could have a decent shot at breaking a few barriers and get a few PBs in the process. I have already got the sub 18 minute 5k, which has given me renewed confidence to have a go at a few more,


sub 38 10k (Pb of 38:15)

sub 24 four miler (Pb of 24:24)

sub 30 five miler (Pb of 30:24)

I'd have to put in more significant specific training to even think about breaking some of the time barriers I would have previously considered beyond my reach such as a sub-60 minute ten miler and an sub-80 half - still the stuff of dreams, but we dream for a reason!

 

 

The timing of the Courtmacsherry 10k on Friday evening wasn't the best for me.  However it is the flattest/fastest and the most scenic 10k of all the summer 10k races and one that I had been meaning to do over the last number of years. Circumstances were conspiring against me again this year as I had signed up to pace the 3:15  group at the Waterford Viking Marathon on Saturday morning. However I decided to throw caution to the wind (being doing a lot of that lately) and head down to Courtmacsherry for the 8 p.m. start. I arrived in time to sign up and get a 2 mile warm up in.

It was still quite warm (19C) and humid but I felt under no pressure to get a specific time. My plan was to ease into a comfortably  hard pace over the first mile and see where that takes me. I was looking out for club mate Keith, who I had spotted during my warm up, but could not see him. Not to worry, I was certain i'd see him during the opening mile as he tends to open hard.......  and sure enough as the pace settled over the opening half mile I spotted him out in front as a long line of runners snaked along the flat shoreline towards Timoleague. By the time I was on his shoulder the average pace was 6:04, which was the split for the opening mile - a bit fast for a guy seeking his first sub-40 10k. Over the next mile and a half I continue on at a steady effort, gradually reeling in and passing a few more guys although the pace does slow. There was a noticeable headwind during this opening half, from which I tried to seek shelter behind a guy in front, until he moved to one side to let me pass.

I am on my own for the next mile into Timoleague, with the two front runners coming against me at the start of the short loop through the village. The  gap to the four or five runners I can see strung out in front of me is not closing - I have reached my cruising speed, although miles 2 and 3 have been much slower than my opening mile (post race splits of 6:14/6:24) I hope that the return leg, with the wind at my back will be faster. I pass the 5k mark with 19:22 showing on the Garmin - doesn't look like a sub-38 or even a Pb is on the cards this evening unless there is a serious injection of pace. Still the gap to those in front marginally reduces as we head back out the coast road to Courtmacsherry, with a constant stream of runners coming against us on the opposite side of the road.

If there's one thing that my endurance base has given me over the last few months it's the ability to churn out a reasonably hard pace for a reasonably long time, which stands to me now over the closing miles as we wind our way back to Courtmacsherry and the finish line. There are  about 7 runners strung out in front of me, including Carmel Crowley (2nd Lady) and a few with Bandon and St Finbarr singlets. My steady pace takes me past 2 guys as I slowly gain on Carmel and  2 guys from St Finbarrs (one of whom is running in Vibrams). I have no idea of pace or time, until I hit the 5 mile mark with 30:46 on the garmin - just about on PB pace (6:09) by my rough calculations.

I am on the shoulder of two guys at this stage and manage to pass one. The other guy, who had been running with him, put in a surge and is gone out in front. I keep a steady pace behind him but cannot close the gap, as I have absolutely no raw speed (This is where a few 400's at the track would come in handy). We continue on like this as the village gets closer and I start counting down the remaining time as the effort is beginning to show. I can see the finish line about 300m ahead when out of nowhere a young guy (19 or 20ish) in a Bandon top goes flying past me at twice my speed and proceeds to gain on and pass the guy in front. I have no response for that type of surge (and never will), but I do respond when I see the clock at the finish line ticking down 37:5x and put in my own little surge to cross under the finish gantry at 37:57 for a shiny new Pb and a sub-38 minute 10k. Very happy considering the shape my legs were in after last weekends endurance fest. Had I been a bit more focused in training for and targeting a 10k Pb I would have been aiming for somewhere between 37:10 and 37:30 - still it's nice to leave something out there to aim for.

I hadn't realised that there was a chip start and as I wasn't one of the Duracell bunnies on the front line it took me 5 seconds to cross the start line giving me a chip time of 37:52 and 16th place out of 331 (15th place on Chip time). I was also third M45, which netted me a cotton T-shirt to add to my vast collection, but it was never about the shirt.


 

Marathon Training Week 10 of 10 (Time to Shit or get off the Pot)

My final training week for Portumna ended with a long run of 26.2 miles, where the programme called for 26.2 miles at target race pace, with recovery deferred to the end - a real ball breaker for sure!

With the 100k starting at 8, the 50k at 10, the Marathon at 12 and the half at 2 I was a little concerned that the 5k looped course through Portumna Forrest Park would get a bit congested, particularly over the closing stages of my marathon, when my ability to say "excuse me please" or "coming through on the left/right" would be severely tested and the temptation to abbreviate the request to something less polite would be overpowering, particularly over common sections of the course, with people running in both directions on a path 6 to 8 feet wide, some of whom wore earphones, oblivious to their surroundings.

I drove up with Clubmates Ann and John, with Denis, Neil and Charlie in the 50k advance party and Killian overnighting for the 100k.

We arrived in plenty of time to pick up our numbers and cheer on our clubmates who were already out on the course. The marathon started close to the village, 2.195km from the start of the 5k loop - so the plan was simple - a 2.195km run to the Forrest Park and 8 x 5 k loops of the park. Somehow counting 8 loops seemed far more palatable to the brain than breaking it down to miles or, god forbid, kms.

After donning our gear we managed to hitch a ride to the start line with race director Seb Locteau (real nice guy ;-). I still went for a short 4 minute warmup (7:09 pace @ 130 HR). The weather was very changeable with sunny spells and light rain - although the heavens opened up just 4 minute before the start as we all huddled under trees at the side of the road to keep dry for as long as possible. As the race had to start with exactly 4:00 on the clock (start of 100k) we lined up as the rain pelted down, although about 10 seconds into the race it stopped as suddenly as it had started and the sun came out. 

Peter Mooney, the only fast guy I knew on the start line (3rd in Cork in 2:35), strode into the lead, followed by a guy in red, with myself and another guy taking joint third spot - although we were soon relegated to joint 4th, as a guy in black passed us out and soon after moved into second position as we entered the Forrest Park. My opening pace is fairly relaxed, although in the high 6:40s is still sub-3 hour pace.

I got chatting to the guy beside me, Andrew, who said he was only running to half way as he had picked up the number from a mate who was unable to take part. That took the pressure off a bit as my competitive side was beginning to surface, despite the fact that I was running for a time and not a position - how was I to know the ability of those around me.

The garmin display was showing total time (to check against my pace band), lap pace (set to mile laps) and total average pace - which was moving down towards 6:40 during Lap 1 of 8. Before the lap was over we had passed the guy in red and were now in joint 3rd. I suggested that Andrew might be tempted to run the full given that a podium finish might be in the offing, but was silently releived when he said "not a chance" as his longest run in the last year was 10 miles - third place was uncontested for the moment - early days though.

Halfway through Lap 2, the 2nd placed guy in black pulls off the course in front of us, or at least I assumed he did as one minute I could see him and the next minute he was gone. Andrew and I continue on, with the lap and overall average pace coming down into the 6:30s. Early in Lap 3 we hear someone approaching fast from behind and settling in behind us instead of passing us out. Doubting that it is any of the 100k/50k front runners I look around and see the guy in black, who says he is quite content to run along with us, saying that he had to stop to take a stone out of his shoe. He introduces himself as Brian and asks are we going for sub-3 as we are currently on 2:53/54 pace. He reveals that his PB is 2:58 and that he more than likely will blow up during the second half - sweet music to my ears - although I am far from complacent as I could well blow up myself. I confirm that my PB is 2:56, but don't tell him that it is only 12 days old - can't show any sign of weakness ;-) We all run on together, with no obvious threat from behind as far as I can make out from the out and back section. Peter Mooney is comfortably well out in front.

Before Lap 3 is over Andrew begins to fall behind and Brian and I run on. We pass 16Kms (10 miles) just after 1:06 (post race splits suggest 1:05:58). During Lap 5 Brian begins to pull ahead. Looking at a "6:29" lap pace on the Garmin I am not concerned and continue on at my own pace. At the turnaround he is about 30 or 40 yards ahead and remains there until he gradually comes back to me as we cross the timing mat together with 5 Laps done - 3 to go.  He is a little surprised to see me, complimenting me, saying he thought I had fallen off the pace as he had kept the same pace/Hr. While he certainly had dropped me, my garmin suggested that it was more than likely due to a surge from him rather than any fade from me. Maybe he was trying to mess with my head - either way I was content to follow my own pace for as long as it would last. We ran on together, both of us content to have company to help pace each other. Approaching the Lap 6 turnaround (12.5km to go) Brian begins to fall behind. I continue on, still relatively comfortable in churing out a pace in the 6:30s/6:40s. I never know how far behind he is, but I am still running my own race.

The stress begins to come on as I cross the timing mat at the end of Lap 6 - 10k to go with about 2:12:36 on the clock (20 miles), which matched my pacing band exactly - although my pacing band had been arbitrarily based on a 2 mile cut-in from 7:00 pace to 6:35, with a very ambitious 6:35 pace all the way to a 2:53:30 finish. All I thought of now was that I needed a 42 minute 10k to get under 2:55. Could I run 2 x 21 minute closing 5k loops, which I equated to 6:52 (3 hr Marathon) pace.

The early pace of Lap 7 remains in the 6:30s but gradually fades. After the turnaround (7.5km to go) I keep an eye out for Brian, who is not too far behind - perhaps a minute or two - certainly not far enough to give me any level of comfort. I push the pace as comfortably hard as I can, taking the last swig from my gel (diluted honey, molasses and salt) before crossing the timing mat for the penultimate time, handing my gel belt (with car key) and bottle to Thomas, who was standing on the sideline having completed his "training 50k run".

5k to go with the clock showing 2:33:09 (I think) - just under 22 minutes to get under 2:55. I figure I need 7 minute miles to get there. The early lap pace shows 6:55 on the garmin. I try to push the pace to bring it down as much as possible but don't make much of a dent in it - the closing stage fade is well and truly upon me - this is where valuable time can be rapidly lost without realising it - putting a new meaning to the throwaway comment "how time flies". I'm counting down the closing kms. The drag up to the turnaround is tough - the usual greetings to fellow runners out on the course have faded to a weak thumbs-up. Coming off the turnaround there is no sign of Brian, so while I am "comfortably" in second place my focus is entirely on getting under 2:55 and now is not the time to relax.

Approaching the 1 km to go sign and I'm hoping for a 2:50:00 on the Garmin to give me a comfortable 5 minutes (8 minute pace) to achieve my target. However the Garmin gives me something like 2:50:20 and a 4:40 closing km requirement. In my energy depleted state I cannot convert this to my normal mile pace and assume that I need 7 minute mile pace and with the lap pace displaying "6:59" on the Garmin I am far from relaxed. I am on the last long stretch before the final turn to the finish with the time showing 2:52 - 3 minutes remaining - counting down each minute in 90 strides -

"reach the tall trees at the end of the path in the first 90 strides" - 2:53:08

"reach the end of the trees and the final left turn in the second 90 strides" - 2:54:00

"I'm surely going to make it now just 100 yards or so"

- punching the air as I cross the finish line with 2:54:35 on the clock, exhausted by the effort of the last 3 -10 - 20 minutes, even if they are the slowest miles of the day.


I might have relaxed a bit more over the closing km had my brain been able to correctly convert a 4:40 km to 7:31 mile pace.


Who was there to greet me as I crossed the line but Kate Harrison, the Girl whom John and I had paced to a 4th place 2:28 (correction 3:28) PB finish in Limerick at the start of May - a fitting end to a marathon PB day. Kate had volunteered for race support for the day.

2 Marathons PBs in 12 days is certainly contrary to conventional wisdom. However I am confident that it is a once off and never to be repeated.

Pacing My Way to a Marathon PB

I am a fan of the cut-in, particularly for the longer races. My Marathon PB in 2011 was achieved using a 6 mile cut-in - I didn't catch the 3 hour pacers until Mile 8.  A few weeks ago a plot began to hatch in my head. The Cork Marathon was two weeks out from the goal of my training programme - Portumna 26.2 on 15th June. Pacing 3:30 (my normal gig) would only tire me out and be of no training benefit so I opted for the 1:30 half, which would give me some decent race pace miles. However the 1:30 slot was congested with high quality pacers already so, in the absence of an overall 3 hour pacer, I recruited Conor Anderson to pace one half of the 3 hour full (with yours truly doing the other half), although with a 58 minute result in the hilly Cobh 10 miler, Conor was more than capable of pacing the whole distance. I even gave him the second "glory" half to pace, although I had an ulterior motive (sneaky fecker me). Firstly I wanted to get at least 15 miles in at MP and I wasn't going to run a 2 mile MP warmup/cooldown. Secondly (and here's where the real sneaky bit came in), if the form was good (and the weather conditions allowed!) I would push on for a full 26.2 mile MP run. To be quite honest, there's no turning back if i'm still running out of town along the South Link Road at Mile 16.5.

The first half went pretty well, although I had to do about a mile warmup around the back streets of the City Centre, to get me to 6:50 pace effort. I had a good crew with me from the off, including clubmate Ken (who was gunning for his first sub-3)  - christ, what am I talking about! Last time out I was part of that crew - I was a hairs breadth away, ability wise, from those around me (and that hair could be in either direction) - "faking it" big time ;-)

The morning was a bit humid, but the cloud cover kept the sun from striking. I lost my baloon around mile 5, but still had a laminated card on my back "3:00 - 1st Half", strategically velcro'ed on, so that I could whip it off later. I had built up a cushion of about 20 seconds by the time Conor joined us at Mile 12 on the Mahon Walkway, mentally relaxing over the next mile as Conor took over - passing the half way in 1:29:43.

After crossing the timing-mat I whipped the "bill board" from my back and bid Conor and the gang "Adieu" and struck out on my own, still unsure of my plan, other than to pick up the pace and see how I get on over the next 3 miles, which would take me back into town (where my car was parked anyway). I pressed the lap button on the Garmin to assess pace and would not touch the watch again until I finished. The pace in the walkway towards the Marina was reasonably steady in the high 6:20's (Garmin), as I passed one or two - a bit more lonely out there now. I had expected to merge with the HM runners before the 15 mile mark, where both courses converged and shared the same route to the finish. The half was to start 1:30 after the full so I would expect to be surrounded by the sub-1:30 half marathoners. No sign of them - maybe they started a little late - turns out they started nearly 30 minutes late, so the course would remain pretty lonely.

By the time I got to the 3rd relay changeover (Mile 16.3) the average pace on the Garmin read 6:23 (so about 6:26/27 real pace). My better than best plan was to keep the "real pace" sub 6:30 to the finish for a sub 2:55 result, but with the toughest part of the course in front of me that was going to be a tough ask.

My fuel consisted of a gel flask in my pocket containing a mixture of honey (90%), black strap molasses (9.9%) and salt (0.1% pinch) watered down a little to make it reasonably squeezable but not too watery so as to minimise weight - plenty of water out there on the course (ps water stations were excellent). The "gel" did turn out a bit on the viscous side and required a fair bit of coaxing out of the flask. I waited until the half was complete to take my first swig of it's sweet nectar, forgetting that there was no water station around to wash it down. I used it again twice (miles 17 and 22 approx).

The pace slowed to 6:27 average running out the South Link, up the ramp and down to Turner's cross, still running reasonably strong, spotting a group of 5 ahead including clubmate Tony, who ran 2:56 4 weeks ago in Limerick. I gradually reel them in and pass by at Ballypheane Church (Mile 19), one of the guys worriedly querying whether or not I was still pacing 3 hours and relaxing when i assured him I wasn't.

I am still keeping a steady pace although the average reading on the garmin fluctuates between 6:27 (bottom of downhills) and 6:29 (top on inclines). I pass the 20 Mile mark with 2:14:23 showing on the garmin - over a minute and a half ahead of the 2:16:00 I had for my 2:59:19 finish in Dublin 2011and feeling stronger.

The legs were feeling the effects now, particularly on the uphills but still able to open up on the downhills until they are behind me as I turn right on Inchagaggin Lane and then right onto the Straight Road, where the gentle easterly wind blows directly into my face for the next mile and a half, passing Miles 23 and 24 with the average pace now showing 6:30 - at least 30 to 45 seconds behind my 2:55 finish. The last 2.2 mile are all about holding it together as the effort become noticeably harder and "6:31" comes on the garmin - knowing that each second creep in average pace is a 13 second addition to my goal.

I divide the closing 2 miles into 5 sections -

1. Kingsley to Top of Mardyke - keeping the pace as solid as I can
2. Mardyke Walk - Long and straight, can't wait until it's over (40km mark) - finally left onto
3. Distillery Walk - Over the bridge - past the 25 mile mark - very quite here as there are no spectators on the walk - finally onto the
4. North Mall - finally a bit of support and encouragement from the crowds, although the route along the north bank of the River Lee to the Opera House Bridge becomes a bit of a drag until at last I am on
5. Camden Quay and turning right onto Particks Bridge and Pana, being pulled home by the crowds, but as the street is curved I cannot see the finish line and when I think I can see it, it turns out to be a "timing-mat" to "introduce" runners to the MC at the real finish line, hearing him welcome home the second and third placed women, Angela McCann and Nollaig O'Neill. I spot 2:55:5x on the clock, but my final push isn't enough to get under 2:56 - funny how a 2:55:57 feels so much better that a 2:56:01, which is my final chip time, delighted with my result, which is a PB by over 3 minutes and a finish that is certainly less dramatic than the last time. Clubmate Ken crosses the line a few minutes after me, punching the emotionally charged air in sheer delight after his 2:58:58 finish.

My half splits were 1:29:43 (60th overall) and 1:26:19 (30th overall), indicating that I passed 30 of the 59 that were in front of me at the halfway point - the only way to run a marathon ;-) What a day!

Since I broke 3 hours in Dublin 2 years ago, I had wondered whether or not it was a "once off"

and would I be able to do it again and today was all about proving that I wasn't a "one hit wonder"

What to do in Portumna on Saturday week is the next challenge - upgrade to the 50k perhaps and try for a different PB! The best part of today was the pint and sandwich in good company at the "Long Valley" after the race - much better than honey and black strap molasses any day - the best races are always run (relived) in the pub.

Marathon Training Week 8 of 10 (First PB of the year)

Most of the work is done. The two most challenging session of the final 3 weeks are

• 18 Days out - 17 mile run with 15 @ MP (5, 4, 3, 2 & 1 mile with 2 minute rests)
• 11 days out - 5/6 x 1 mile @ 10M Pace (LT pace and no faster)

As I traditionally pace the Cork City Marathon on the June weekend (12 days out) I opted to pace the first half of the 3 hour marathon instead as part of my scheduled 15 miles @ MP - close enough and certainly more training benefit than pacing the full distance at a slower pace.

This meant that I would have to run the 5/6 x 1 mile @ 10M pace as part of my scheduled track session on Tuesday. However as most of the club would be running the John Buckley 5k at the Marina I decided last minute to give that a go instead - ok the pace would be faster and the distance shorter, but it sounded far more attractive than running laps of the track to a specific time. Yet I was half afraid to race it as I didn't think I had the necessary speed in my legs and the willingness to go through the pain that normally comes with the shoter races. Afterall my attempt at 5 x 1 mile @ 6 minute pace a few weeks ago did not inspire me and i'd need to break 6 minute pace average to get a PB (sub 18:39).

For me the thing about racing a short race is to get a good long warmup in, gradually increasing the pace from a gentle jog to a few minutes at race pace within 5 to 10 minutes of the start, so my body is ready for the hard effort from the gun. With all my preparation I managed to leave the Garmin on the kitchen counter at home - the HR monitor around my chest would be no good. This was probably a blessing in disguise because I know I would be guided by my watch/pace throughout the race as opposed to listening to my body. I managed a 3 mile warmup with nieghbout Ian, whom I had coaxed into coming along. A few minutes of fast pace running (no garmin, so I can't say what pace - oh the freedom) and I am on the start line a few rows back. It's pretty tight as we are pushed back behind the start line before the race can start. After the gun I take it easy as there is a mad rush to get started and one wrong step and you'd end up on the deck with hundreds of feet trampling over you. The course is pancake flat - my last run here was 3 years ago when I came within 1 second of my PB (18:40).

I set off at a comfortably hard pace passing Mile 1 in 5:46 (timekeeper) in the shadow of Clubmate Ronan, who was aiming for beating his previous time of 18:26. I was pleasantly surprised by the time, but had been there before in a 5k, early days. The pace/effort remained the same, passing Mile 2 in 11:33, still on the same pace, although I translated this time in my head as a need to run a sub 5:30 last mile to get under 18 minutes - in hindsight I was thinking of a 5:27 mile to get 17:00 for 3 miles.

I continued on pushing the pace and passing one or two runners who were flagging more than me, the pace still hard but manageable. Past the 3 Mile mark (no timekeeper) so running blind towards the finish line (no glasses either) delighted to see 17:5x as the finishing clock came into focus, pushing to cross over the line in 17:57 (5:46 pace - even all the way). Delighted!

The race between 3rd and 4th Female was taking place around me over the closing stages, with both finishing just in front of me. They obviously had a bigger incentive than I to run "eyeballs out". My Pb got me 70th overall out of 968 finishers, showing how strong the field was. I thought it was a breakthrough race (and it was in terms of breaking a 5 year Pb) but my 1:22:32 HM in 2011 suggests that my 5k equivalent should be 17:50.




Mile 2.8 - surrounded by Clubmates Austin and Ronan

The remainder of a week was spent running 5 to 8 milers at a reasonable pace with my medium long run deferred until tomorrow's MP session at the Cork City Marathon - should be fun. Best of luck to all those running/pacing the full, half and relay.

Weekly Mileage - 44 Miles

Avg Weight - 76.8 Kg

RHR 37



Connemara 2012 - Running with the Irish Kenyans

Sunday was my third time running the Connemara Ultra but the first time I raced it without being forced to walk - although i'm certain there were times during my slog up the  2 mile "Hell of the West" that my running was at walking speed.

The Start

The day was warmer than expected. While it was cool in the shade of the buses that dropped us up to the start line from Maam Cross it was pleasantly warm standing around under a clear sky in the early morning sunshine chatting to Liam and Thomas. It was certainly going to be a warm day. Thomas travelled up to Galway with me the day before and we both stayed the night with Liam in his patents apartment in Salthill. To add a bit of excitement to the Ultra the current 100k world champion, Giorgio Calcaterra, was specially flown in from Italy to see if the magical four hour barrier could be broken on the course. Unfortunately the course record holder, David Kirkland (4:03:29), who was scheduled to run was out due to injury so it would be a one horse race at the front. Where else though, would you get the opportunity to not only meet but to compete against (ok - run the same road as) a world champion, even if he was only using it as a training run for the upcoming 100k world championships in three weeks time. The Italian interest didn't stop there though - The Italian TV channel Rete4 was covering the Connemarathon for their program "Correndo per il monad" which translated in English is "World Running" The broadcast was following the presenter, Roberto Giordano, as he competed in the ultra - more about him later.

 

My plan was to go out at about 7:30 pace and run by feel, which suited my lack of a GPS enabled watch. Thomas was planning 7:15 pace with a few other guys and Liam was heading out at about 8:30 pace. I was happy to run on my own as I could concentrate on my race. This was my first marathon/ultra in which I had swapped my usual carb loaded breakfast for a cup of coffee.

The First Half

It took a few seconds for me to cross the starting mat and in no time the world champion was out in front disappearing off into the distance, with Mick Rice and a few more of those capable of 4:30 and under following in his wake. I settled into a comfortable pace, ignoring the 168 heart rate reading on the Garmin. The first few miles were pretty uneventful. Thomas was in a group of 4 or 5 about fifty yards ahead, including last years female winner, Carol Morgan, which told me that I was more on less on my target pace. I missed the first mile marker but mile 2 came in 14:59 - bang on 7:30 pace. Mile 3 in 7:32 and 4 in 7:28 give me 29:59 for the first 4 miles.

I came on the shoulder of Gerry Duffy (of 32 marathons in 32 days fame and winner of the 2011 UK Decca Ironman - 10 in 10 days) who tells me he went out a little fast as his plan was to start at 7:40 pace and pick up the pace gradually with the aim of coming in under 5 hours (7:37 pace average). I kept to my pace and gradually pull away assuring him that he would probably see me again before the day was out - "hopefully at the finish line" he said. I had my doubts as I was sure Gerry was a better practitioner of endurance event pacing than I was. If I was to have any chance of getting under 5 hours I would have to bank some time for the last hilly HM. In anticipation of everything falling into place on the day I had two sub-5 hour pace bands with me. The first was a very ambitious plan to cover the marathon in just under 3:10 (1:33/1:37) so that I would "only need" 8:25 pace average for the last HM (1:50), which is what I though I would need, minimum. The second, which was more achievable for the first 26.2, was a 3:14 marathon (1:38/1:36) requiring 8:04 pace average for the last 13.1(1:46), which I knew would be very challenging. The choice was to either go out fast in the hope that I wouldn't blow up or go out more steady and hope that I would have enough left in the legs to power through the hills of the last half. Either way there was no easy route to a sub-5 hour finish and the clear skies and rising temperatures were only going to make it tougher. As it turned out the path I followed was somewhere in the middle - well, until about mile 35.

Over the next few miles my natural pace quickens and the gap to the group that Thomas is in gradually reduces. Miles 5 to 10 in 7:25 - 7:21 - 7:21 - 7:11 - 6:49 - 6:59 (10 miles in 1:13:05 - 7:18 pace). The sub- 7 minute miles surprised me but I wasn't too concerned as I was running comfortably and there had been a few downhills. This section of the course, on the main Galway/Clifden Road, was  littered with short sections of roadworks with traffic lights, which had us dodging in and out between queued traffic and at times running up on the grass bank to get by buses, as the road wasn't wide enough for the both of us. I eventually joined the back of Thomas's group as he stopped for his drop bag at the 10 mile water station. The leading lady was a few yards ahead. Shortly after we turn right heading for Lough Inagh and the marathon start.

We pass the leading lady before mile 11, with a group of 6 or 7 forming that would run together for the next 6 or 7 miles, the first time in a ultra that I ever ran in a group. Miles 11 and 12 come in 6:54 and 7:35 (could the mile markers have been a bit out?). We can see the marathon start off in the distance as the line of runners snake around the shores of Lough Inagh.

We are joined by the Italian filming crew following the exploits of Roberto Giordano, who happens to be in our group. The whole thing feels a bit surreal with this cameraman sitting on the floor of a minivan with the back door open and camera pointed towards us - The Irish Kenyans! - it certainly felt like we were Roberto's pacing group. At one stage Thomas got between the cameraman and Roberto, who was shorter than him, and we had a joke that we'd all be on youtube that evening - funnily enough a short clip appeared on the Irish National News that evening, showing that exact moment - the link is here (about 20:42 minutes in - RTE must have picked it up off the cutting room floor - Thanks to Denis Looney for the link as well as the loan of his running belt). A while later Roberto is interviewed from the side window of the van as we all run in the background. Over the next few miles he surges back and forth - probably to get a good shot of him passing us. I didn't see much of him after mile 15 or 16 (turns out he finished just under 5:30) We crossed the first HM timing mat just under 6 minutes after the marathon start - 1:35:54 on the Garmin. 

The Second Half

It didn't take us long to catch the back of the marathon field - shortly after the 14.1 mile mark, which came in 7:10. The encouragement we got as we passed down the left hand side of the road passing the continuous stream of marathon runners felt great and partially explained why the pace remained steady. We gradually reeled in another 2 ultra runners and the group was eight for a few miles. We didn't know how many were ahead of us as there were no other ultra runners on the horizon (As it turned out we were the pack chasing down the top 5 runners and we all ultimately came in between 5th and 18th place). Miles 15.1 to 19.1 in 7:04 - 7:04 - 6:54 - 7:34 - 7:07. I managed to pick up my first drop bag from the 16.1 mile water station without breaking stride as it was easy to spot my orange with black polka-dot bag among the more blander colours - quickly replacing my empty bottle with a fresh bottle of perpeteum, which would last me the rest of the race.

I knew the pace was a little too fast for me, but I decided to ride the train for as long as it would last, or as long as my legs would allow. Approaching mile 19.1 the group began to split up with three guys moving ahead of me and the remainder dropping back a little. I just kept the same effort going, not consciously increasing the pace to keep in contact with the lead group or dropping back to run with those behind me. I knew I would see them again soon enough.

We turn right onto the Clifden to Lenaun Road and the first real hill of the day. It doesn't feel too bad but I can feel my pace drop as my stride shortens and for the first time in the race I can feel myself pushing slightly against the boundary of my ability - the time in a race when the real work commences. Two Ultras pass me going up the hill. Mile 20.1 comes in 6:58, which I knew from last year is a short mile. Sure enough the next two mile split comes in 15:38 (I missed the 21.1 mile split)  giving 7:32 average for the 3 miles - the first sign that the days of the sub 7:30 miles were fading. I picked up my second drop bag (a few gels and a tube of bio-freeze - calf cramp insurance) at the 22.1 mile water station. Over the next few miles the road is undulating and I notice that I slow considerably on the uphill sections regaining my speed on the downhill and flat sections. One of the chasing ultras (Max from the UK) passes me here and quickly moves ahead. I salute a couple of marathon runners from Clonakilty Roadrunners - delighted to see a club from my hometown getting off the ground. Finally I am on the descent to Killary Fjord and I can pick up the pace a little, although the warm headwind adds to the discomfort of the rising fatigue. By now I feel that a speed (effort) limiter has been activated somewhere in my subconscious and while I am still relatively comfortable I do not have the energy/inclination/active muscle fibres to go faster. Miles 23.1 to 25.1 come in 7:32 - 7:04 (downhill) - 7:38.

With half a mile to go to the 26.2 mile mark Thomas and 2 other Ultras (Liam & Ray) come on my shoulder and pass me by. Thomas was sure that I would latch onto them but, while I was reasonably comfortable I had only one gear and with the hills to come I wasn't going to risk everything just to keep pace - it was a matter of conserving as much as possible to ensure I got to the end at the fastest average pace/effort I could maintain for the remaining 13.1 miles. There's no point in being a hero for 3 miles and walking 10. I forgot to take the split crossing the marathon mark but was a few seconds behind Thomas, who recorded 3:12:20 for the full - I give myself 3:12:30 (1:36:30 for the second HM). The best was yet to come.

The Third Half  (what an oxymoron)
The Connemara Ultra/Marathon/HM really begins in Lenaun - the rest is just a race to get to the start line the quickest. So here I am on the start line with a group of three who arrived just before me, with a mile and a half of a hill facing us. Unfortunately I have arrived in the poorest shape, which was quickly evident as the three in front quickly pull away. My performance going up hill is fairly pathetic today for some reason. The mile to 27.2  comes in about 8:35. Somehow I managed the mental arithmetic to determine that I need an average pace of 8:12 over the last HM to get under 5 hours. I can't remember how I calculated it but it was bang on for the 1:47:30 HM required. I decided to hold off on assessing whether a sub-5 was possible until I got to the top of the hill.

As the road levels out Mile 28.2 come in 8:16 - "This is not going too well". I plough on as the road in front of me gets busier as I hit the back of the half marathon field. Mile 29.2 passes in 7:45 - "That's an average of 8:00 for the last 2 miles, the dream is still alive". I pick up my last drop bag at the 29.2 mile water station - a bottle of coke and some jelly babies. The jelly babies are hard to take but the coke never fails to let me down and I hang onto it for the next 3 miles until it is drained completely.

While I take water at every station, all bar a mouthful is poured over my head, neck and shoulders to keep me cool so that less energy has to be diverted from the few remaining working muscles in my legs to run the air conditioning system. While I did not feel thirsty I suspected after the race that I was well dehydrated, which was evident by the fact that I took on plenty of fluids after the race but did not pass any until about 6 that evening. The next few miles are undulating and while I suffer on the ups I run reasonably well on the flat and downhills, noticeable by the increase in the number of runners I pass. Miles 30.2 & 31.2 pass in 8:15 and 7:45, yo-yoing around an average 8:00 pace.

I get chatting to a couple of marathon runners who quiz me on my training. Given our pace and the time on the clock I ask them are they aiming for a 3:30 finish (5:00 ultra finish) to which they respond "at the moment" - my sentiment exactly. They pull ahead on the ups but come back to me on the downs and flats. The next 2 miles pass in 8:28 and 8:30 and my 5:00 finish begins to enter the realms of fantasy. While my legs are turning over pretty well, maintaining a respectable pace despite the rising fatigue I know what lies ahead. The next 2 miles to the 35.2 mile water station pass in 7:48 and 7:59 but the toughest challenge of the day lies straight ahead, the 2 mile steady climb up through the saddle in the hills before the drop to Peacocks Hotel and the finish line. This is where I have to put the head down and concentrate on my own pain, ignoring everything going on around me.

Shortly afterwards, out of the blue I get an overwhelming urge to stop and walk "just for a minute" and I haven't even reached the real hilly section yet. It takes all my mental strength to resist, promising myself that I can walk in 2 minutes time - just hang on for another 2 minutes and sure enough the urge subsides, temporarily postponed - i'm a sucker for delayed gratification. Thankfully the mental trick works and the urge does not return with the same potency and my body is allowed to drag it's sorry ass up the hell of the west technically running, but going no faster that Michael Jackson's moonwalk. I get passed by another Ultra runner but can offer no resistance except to wish him well as even in my fatigued induced state I know he is pushing for the 5 hour target. My mile splits are shockingly slow at 9:33 and 10:09 (no improvement on last year there). There's certainly something wrong with my uphill running today.

I can't remember what exact time was on the Garmin when I crested the hill and the tower of Peacocks Hotel came into view off in the distance. But I calculated that I needed to run 6:50 pace or less to get there. I decided to push the next mile and see what split I got knowing full well that it was a fruitless exercise - but my ego needed feeding. So I push at what I think is a hard pace knowing that it is probably well short of the mark and as I pass the 38.2 mile mark after 7:55  I ease back a little - the sub-5 battle long lost on the Hell of the West. The first muscle spasms of the day hit my calves over the last mile so I ease back and dance around the road shifting my weight distribution to avoid the onset of full cramps. Mile 39.2 comes in 8:17 and I coast into the finish as the clock shows 5:02:32 (5:02:28 chip time). Delighted to be finished and a full 22 minutes inside last years PB.

The Aftermath.
 It didn't take long for my legs to seize up and the cramping to begin as I sat chatting to Thomas at the finish line. I met up with the guy who passed me going up the hell of the west (Aaron) to see if he got his sub-5 but unfortunately he was 53 seconds on the wrong side of it - still a great result. I got up and walked around to keep the blood flowing to/from the legs but immediately began to feel nauseous. I remembered then to lie on my back and raise my legs up against a railing for 10 minutes so as to allow the blood flow more easily from my legs (i.e. let gravity do the work instead of relying on my heart) and after that my legs were relatively ok and my appetite returned. Thanks to Jo and Niall for providing every assistance at the finish line - excellent care and attention - Niall even providing a quasi pillow while I lay on my back. Liam came in shortly afterwards in 5:44 or thereabouts and went through more or less the same routine, although his cramping appeared to have been more severe, judging by the profanities he uttered. After a soup and sandwiches and copious amounts of water we hopped on one of the buses and returned to Galway for the night and the start of the carb reloading. Liam and I made it into the post race party/gig in the Quays for a few pints of the black stuff, with Liam regaling a captive audience of half marathon ladies about his life as an ultra runner - you could see the look of awe and admiration on their faces. After our second endurance event of the day we crawled into bed shortly before 2 a.m. with my head competing with my legs for No. 1 on the recovery stakes the following morning.

I don't know if I could have raced Connemara any better. Going out a bit faster didn't cost me too much. It's hard to say whether or not I could have run the last HM say 8 minutes quicker had I ran the first 26.2 5 minutes slower, who knows. Maybe if the day was cooler, if I ate a decent breakfast, if I hydrated more, if I ran higher mileage in training, if I wore a lucky charm ...if...if...if.  All I know is that I did the distance justice this year as my legs (calves) were the limiting factor in previous years - I think the increased running in the vibrams helped to strengthen my calves over the last year.

Funnily enough I feel that it is my ability to recover has improved noticeably over the last year with no significant aches and pains or DOMs after Sunday - early days yet perhaps. However I joined the club track session this evening for 4 x 1 mile @ 7:44 pace and the most discomfort came from indigestion following the continuous binge eating since Sunday.

I don't know what it is about Connemara but since I first ran it I keep coming back every year just to get my ass kicked, pushing the limits of what I can endure and promising never to return - only to fall in love with it all over again once the pain subsides. Reminds me of a successful marriage.

p.s. During my lunchtime run with Brendan on Thursday he suggested that the Connemara Ultra was more like giving birth but since neither of us had experienced it we settled on a "typical marriage".

Mallow 10 By Numbers

It late in the evening so i'll be relatively brief. I got my 10 mile PB in Mallow today, but for the 28 seconds I knocked off my Ballycotton time 2 weeks ago (21 second PB) I went through a whole lot more suffering. Whereas in Ballycotton I suffered during the last mile (and still ran it in 6:02), today I suffered pretty much for the second half of the race. The race was also a polar opposite to Ballycotton, whereby my 55 second negative split two weeks ago was replaced by a 39 second positive split today - to be quite honest it felt as if it was worse, so perhaps the struggle over the second half of the race limited the damage.





Going Well to Mile 6

   

I started off a few rows back (in hindsight I could and should have started up front as there was no timing mat at the start and the first 400m was a struggle to stay upright as I dodged in and out between slower runners). I shared the first mile with Brendan and despite the fact that it contained a reasonable climb we managed to churn it out in 6:18. The road levelled out during mile 2 as we turned left onto the Cork/Mallow Road - Mile 2 in 6:15 (a bit surprised that it was not much faster). Clubmates Anne-Marie and Colin were 30 yards ahead (both with PB's well under 62), with John O'C 10 yards further ahead (PB about 61:58). I ran at my own pace and closed the gap over the gradual downhill mile 3 which came in a relatively fast 5:53. Turn left onto the Killarney Road - took a drop of water at mile 3.5 and joined a group with Colin and Anne-Marie - sharing the lead so as to shield the others from the frustrating head wind - Mile 4 in 6:07 (feeling relatively strong). Shortly after Colin and Anne-Marie began to pull ahead slightly - Mile 5 in 6:16 and halfway in 30:49.



Internal Struggle at Mile 6 or 7



I thought that if I could maintain pace and even split the race I'd get comfortably under 62 minutes. That was a big IF though, as there would be no repeat of the downhill 5:53 mile 3 during the second half. We turn left away from the headwind and onto a minor road with a few short ups and downs and I began to feel the pressure. Colin and Anne-Marie are about 10 yards ahead in a small group of runners, including Tom Sheehan of Bandon AC, whom I had shared a few of the middle miles of the Clonakilty Marathon with last December - he was looking very strong today. Mile 6 came in 6:16.

At this stage maintaining pace relative to those in front was becoming uncomfortably hard and there was no thought of trying to close the gap - just the negative thought of "when is the gap going to open up...I don't know how I can keep the pace going" To reinforce this negative feeling Mile 7 came in 6:26 which is my slowest so far and a real dent in my confidence as it is all I can to to maintain the effort. All i'm thinking of is the number of minutes left to run. A guy came on my shoulder on a short incline and I was fully expecting him to pass but I appeared to have a faster pace on the flat and declines and he yo-yos back and forth behind me for a mile. Mile 8, coming in 6:12 explains why I am still on the tail of Colin and Anne-Marie. I keep the leg speed going but the effort is becoming more and more unsustainable. Still I maintained pace compared to those in front with one or two of the group coming back to me. 1 guy , in particular shared most of the last 2 miles with me.

Mile 9 comes in 6:20. Just hang on for 6 more minutes. I keep the pace steady, knowing that I have nothing in my legs for the typical push over the last half mile. Left onto the Bridge over the Blackwater - 5 minutes left - cross the bridge and left again - 4 minutes left. The guy beside me begins to pull away, Colin and Anne-Marie also increasing the gap as the paces quicken in anticipation of the finish line. I am just hanging on, no zip left - just a minute left as we approach the last corner - I am passed by 3 guys in quick succession and have no response - legs like jelly - 50 yards left - I hear applause for someone behind and with the finishing line in sight my subconscious allows me to quicken the pace for the brief sprint to the line - 6:14 for the last mile - nothing like the strong 6:02 final mile in Ballycotton and 1:02:17 for the 10 mile PB. Glad of the PB but disappointed that I didn't get under 62 minutes.

I can't explain why I found the race so tough compared to Ballycotton - there's a fine line between comfortably hard and uncomfortably hard and I must have crossed it today. Certainly the day was warmer and the headwind didn't help - but I don't think they were much of a factor. Maybe there's a lot to be said for the slow start in Ballycotton - should I have aimed for a 31:00/31:20 first half so as to set myself up for a 30:40/31:00 second half? Still tough, considering my 5 mile PB is 30:24. Maybe last weekends 30 miler was still in my legs. Interestingly it took me more heartbeats to complete todays run compared to Ballycotton (627/km compared to 623 two weeks ago - and they say Ballycotton is tougher) Either way 62:17 was all I was capable of today and that's my first PB of the year, not bad for an old guy of 46 I suppose. The results put me in 78th place out of 1,088 finishers and 12th M45 (there's a few faster old guys out there). Well done to Mallow AC for puting on a fantastic, well organised race.

I'll leave you with another table comparing some of my shorter distance PB's with the corresponding times for these distances I ran today - maybe it's time for some short race training. Have a good week.

Carpe Diem

10 Days Ago

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Hi xxxx (Organiser of Dublin City Marathon Pacers) A long shot here I know. Any chance of me racing Dublin instead of pacing............I have a good chance of getting under three hours based on recent form......................................

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9 Days Ago

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Hi Grellan, it should be ok for you to race, since we have 3 others at 3:30...........................Game On.

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I kept the whole thing low key, not telling anyone so as to keep the pressure off.

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The Short Version

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There were a few surprised clubmates at the start line this morning. Apologies for the deception, especially Killian, who had told me last weekend that he was aiming for 3:30 so he'd be sticking with me. Hope you had a good day without me Killian.

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My plan was a 4 mile cut-in from 7:20 pace to 6:40 - catch the 3 hour pacers before hitting Dolphins Barn (mile 11) and tuck in behind them for the expected headwind out the Crumlin Road to the halfway point and strike on from there - I make it sound so simple. The first 5 miles felt tough (35:06 - clock time) as I felt warm and clammy and my HR was 10 BPM above where it should have been. Seeing the pacer balloons off in the distance and getting no nearer, despite the 6:45 Garmin pace, was mildly irritating.

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I bided my time and managed to increase the pace gradually on the descent out of the Phoenix Park and was more or less on their tail by mile 8. I stuck with them to the halfway point (1:29:42 - my official clock time) but did not forge ahead as I felt i'd do better to keep with them a while longer. At mile 16 I decided to forge ahead as I knew that if I stayed with the pacers my chance of getting under 3 hours would be slim - i'd never keep the 6:50 pace on the drag out Clonskeagh to Fosters Avenue (18.5 to 20.5) and trying to maintain it would kill the last 10k.

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I don't know how far ahead of the pacers I got but could hear the cheers for them not too far behind - it certainly was a risk running in this no-mans-land, where most of those in front of me were slowly been sucked up by the relentless 3 hour pacing hoover. I passed mile 20 in 2:16 (1 minute off target) leaving 44 minutes for the final 10k (7:05 pace). On getting to the top of the last "hill" at mile 20.5 I though I had it in the bag as the pacers had not caught up and it was downhill or flat to the finish - how wrong I was. My Garmin Pace from mile 20 was showing 6:45, passing miles 21, 22 & 23 - still no pacers but by now the encouragement from the spectators was something like "Great running lads, keep ahead of the pacers" - I still didn't look back but kept the head down as advised and now had to work hard to keep the leg turnover.

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A few runners went past at mile 24, but thankfully none with balloons - more like an advance hunting party - I certainly felt like the prey. The 3 hour hoover was bearing down on me - the cheering crowds were deafening - my legs were turning to jelly - the pace that had once come naturally had to be fought for desperately, I hadn't come all this way for a 3:00:20, I can't let it happen.

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The pacers were upon me before mile 25 as we crossed the Grand Canal. I surged to keep with them - down Westland Row, left onto Pearse Street, desperately hanging on - knowing that the longer I stuck with them the better chance I would have of coming in within the 30 second cushion they would leave in their wake between 2:59:29 and 2:59:59. Past Trinity College clinging on for dear life, down Nassau Street, half a mile to go and bang! pacers gone - the effort of the last mile had all but depleted my reserves, - my subconscious mind was floating somewhere above my head in some sort of out of body experience as it had all but failed to convince me to stop and was abandoning ship before the shit hit the fan - and boy did it hit - legs wobbly, staying upright was a struggle and one last desperate message from the conscious mind to the legs to sprint the last 400m was met with a resounding "would you ever go and fuck yourself" before the communication line between head and body went permanently dead. If you ever saw that you-tube video of the battle for 4th female at the 1997 Ironman World Championships you'd get an idea of where my body was over the last 400m (although not quite as bad obviously).

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I still managed to move forward at about 10 minute mile pace in a sea of fog managing to see 2:59:2x on the clock, but not knowing where exactly the finishing line was. It was all captured on National TV as the marathon was being televised this year and the commentator took a particular interest in those managing to scrape under 3 hours, especially the shaky looking ones saying "Congratulations to Greelan McGrath on his sub 3 hour marathon" - lest there be any doubt. (He didn't mispronounce my name - that was the name on my entry -i've been called worse)

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My condition at the finish line got me a free wheelchair ride to the medical tent for a few tests and a bit of rest before going on my merry way - and what a merry way it was.

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The official results give me a finish time of 2:59:19 (chip) and 2:59:29 (Clock) with a Clock half of 1:29:42 - so pretty much even splits (1:29:32/1:29:47) with a slow start, fast middle and a short but dramatically slow finish.

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Cork to Cobh - A 15 Mile Tempo Run.

Today was the fifth anniversary of the first race I ever ran - Cork to Cobh 2006 (1:58:29), in preparation for my first marathon (Dublin in 3:47:12). Looking back now it does seem strange that my first race should be a 15 miler, you could see where I was headed.

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Since 2006 I have come back every year to run the road from Cork to Cobh and reducing my 15 mile PB in the process.

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• 2007 - 1:42:32
• 2008 - 1:38:56 - PB coming into today - failed attempt at a MP run.
• 2009 - 1:43:15 - MP run for Dublin (3:08:56 current PB)
• 2010 - 1:39:57 - A summer of triathlons and no endurance running.

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Given my form at the Charleville HM 2 weeks ago I knew that, illness or injury permitting, I was on for a PB today - the only unknown being by what margin?

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My primary goal was a PB, all things going well I should get under 1:37:30 (6:30 pace) and if I was on top form I should have a crack off 1:35 (6:20 pace) - McMillan gave me 1:35:11 (1:35:29 for the 13.07 mile Garmin measured HM) after Charleville. I didn't feel on top form getting up this morning (maybe 90%), stopping off in Tesco's en route to the race start for some paracetamol.

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I warmed up with Clubmates John x 2 & Derek. My plan was pretty simple - keep the pace in the 6:20's and if I feel good for a few faster miles i'll know. While I didn't feel 100% I was going to put my faith in my body's ability to churn out steady fast miles - if it didn't last, well at least I gave it my best shot. Derek was aiming for miles in the 6:25 to 6:30 range for his MP attempt at sub 2:50 in Dublin, so I aimed to keep him in sight.

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The day was warm and overcast with a slight easterly breeze. I placed myself a few rows back, and got off to a reasonably unimpeded start covering the first mile in 6:26 followed by a 6:27 - already 13 seconds above the 6:20 average for my "A" target. I wasn't that bothered about it so early in the race but decided to keep a tally of the deficit so as to focus on something. For the first few miles out the Lower Road I was on the shoulder of Derek (not literally).

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Miles 3 & 4 in 6:21 & 6:20 - "14 seconds over - try to keep under 20 seconds for five miles which will keep me on sub 1:36 pace". Derek, sticking to his high 6:20's pace, was behind at this stage.

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I caught up with a group of four or five just after the 4 mile mark approaching the Island Gate and kept the same metronome pace, eventually pulling ahead and coming alongside clubmate Eric, who was targetting 1:35. Mile 5 in 6:19 (13 seconds over). A short while later Eric falls behind and I am on my own. Passing Glounthane Church approaching 6 miles a Guy comes from behind and asks a few spetators how Ireland is doing at the rugby "leading Italy by 26 to 6" is the response - good news all round. The guy looks very comfortable and I assume he will pull ahead. But when I get a cheer from clubmate Laura (supporting boyfreind Paul, the ultra trail legend) he says "so you're Grellan of the running blog - make sure and give me a mention". That's how I met Rory O'Sullivan on the road from Cork to Cobh, good to see you Rory.

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Rory said he had run the Charleville & Cork Half Marathons and so as to gauge how I was doing I asked him what time he got in Charleville. "1:26" he replied. "If you keep this pace, you're going to beat that time today, you look very comfortable". "I dunno, I could blow up yet" was his reply. We ran on in silence towards the 7 mile mark. Miles 6 & 7 in 6:24 & 6:25 (22 seconds over 1:35 pace - need to keep under 30 at halfway to keep on pace for a sub 1:36)

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A gradual rise to the halfway point (3:11 lap => 23 seconds over) I take my one and only gel approaching the mile 8 waterstation as Rory falls behind (Didn't see you at the end Rory so I hope you did well) and I am joined by one of the guys I passed earlier. Mile 8 in 6:23. The guy on my shoulder more or less stayed with me for the rest of the race - good to have company although the only exchange we had over our 7 miles together went something like "It gets hilly towards the end?" to which I replied "a few long drags really, but not that bad".

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The next few miles went a bit faster, aided perhaps by the gel and the drop from Cobh Cross. Miles 9, 10 & 11 in 6:15, 6:18 & 6:19. (17 seconds off 1:35) - "Could I make it back, although the worst is yet to come with the gradual rise, particularly mile 14". We passed 2 runners before mile 10 and shortly afterwards were told by a spectator that we were number 29 and 30. "who'll be number 29 at the end?" I thought. Historically over this section of the race I have found it particularly tough as fatigue sets in and and course throws a few inclines at you just to try and break your rhythm, but today I felt reasonably ok still comfortably hard but no higher gear available. We pass a walker before mile 12 but get overtaken by another guy in a West Waterford AC vest shortly afterwards - still 29th & 30th. My running companion falls behind a few yards every now and then but catches back up, giving me hope that he is nearer the limit than I.

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The undulating road blunts the speed a little taking the pace back into the 6:20s with miles 12 & 13 coming in at 6:27 & 6:22 (26 seconds over). We gradually reel in and overtake a guy in an orange top as the road rises up over the rail line for the slowest mile 14 in 6:37.

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One mile to go, time to push on and sure enough my companion goes out in front by a few yards and while he never gets too far in front the pep is not in my legs or my mind to put in the extra effort needed to catch him. This is the norm for me at this stage in a race - unless I am being chased down over the final 100m, I will rarely put in an "eyeballs out" effort, subconsciously settling for a sub-maximal push in the knowledge that the reward is not worth the effort. Still I push hard over the final quarter mile downhill into Cobh, half out of hope of catching the guy in front and half out of fear of being overtaken - neither happened as I crossed the line in 1:35:32 - 32 seconds over and 6:09 for my last and fastest mile of the day. With that result McMillan gives me a 1:22:50 Half - not too far off Charleville, although today I crossed the HM mark in 1:23:29.

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Another PB in the bag - delighted that I was able to maintain an even pace throughout without any noticeable fade, covering 3 x 5 miles in 31:53/46/53 (2 x 7.5 miles in 47:53/39 - negative split). My calves were a bit tight afterwards but not as tight as after last Tuesdays 4 miles on the track @ 6:11 pace. I think Paul was spot on with his comment on my last post as to the likely reason why 4 miles @ 6:11 pace should feel at least as tough as 13.1 @ 6:18 pace - my lactate threshold is somewhere between 6:11 & 6:20 pace. Rule #1 - Know your LT pace. Funny how 10 seconds per mile can mean the difference between blowing up after 30 minutes and running solidly for 90 minutes and beyond. Beyond? Hmm..........26.2?

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Charleville HM - There's life in this old dog yet.

At 10 this morning I was lined up in the Car Park of the St Josephs Foundation, Bakers Road Charleville with 400 others for the start of the inaugural Charleville Half Marathon. My training had gone pretty well and all the indications were pointing towards a new PB (< 1:24:30) or something close enough. I was coy enough about predicting my finish time, stating a target of "about 1:25" if anyone asked - although a few club mates asked what time I was pacing, as I never appear to be racing these days.

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My plan was to start relatively easy @ about 6:40 pace and drop down to the 6:20's over the first 2 miles - a version of the marathon 6 mile cut-in I talked about a few months back. I had a gel tucked in my ass pocket for a bit of mid-race refuelling about mile 8. I borrowed a functioning Garmin from a friend to keep an eye on the pace (no HR monitor though - thought about bringing my Garmin for the HR monitoring but decided to Keep It Simple)

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The gun went and we streamed out of the car park right turn and down the road at a comfortable pace. Right again onto the Kilmallock Road - Garmin reading 6:15 average lap pace - a bit too fast but everyone around me was running this pace - in fact people were passing me. Geraldine O'Shea of St Finbarrs AC, who normally finishes behind me in races passed me out.

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"WTF ... maybe the Garmin is not showing the correct pace, after all I do feel comfortable.....maybe she's doing the relay (4 x about 5k)"

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The Garmin was reading correctly as we pass the 1 mile mark in 6:15. Geraldine gone ahead. Two Guys from Galtee Runners pass me. Mile 2, which includes a slight rise comes in 6:27 - a more sensible pace - but a sign that maybe I went out too fast.

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The road is dead straight with a line of runners strung out in front of me and a noticeable group about 200 yards in front. Miles 3 and 4 come in at 12:43 total - nice and steady. I go ahead of the 2 Galtee Runners after the 5k water station (about 19:39) but the younger one comes back at me and moves ahead. The group in front has split up at this stage and I pass a few who have fallen off the back, including Geraldine. Keeping a steady pace in the low 6:20's Mile 5 comes in 6:21 - continue to pass a few - into Kilmallock and Mile 6 in 6:19. Feeling a bit fatigued now.

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Left after the Church towards the second water station (I take my first bottle of water here) - over the halfway timing mat and look at the watch - 41:34 ( x 2 = 1:23:08)

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"Close to 1:23 pace - I'd need a negative split to get under 1:23 though - tough ask as most of the 2nd half is west into a headwind - still feeling good - make hay while the sun shines"

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We are now on a minor road with a gradual downhill. Passing the half way mark gives me a bit of a boost and my pace picks up with Mile 7 coming in at 6:08, pass a few more with the Galtee Runner just up ahead. Feeling very good over this section of the course and I take advantage - Mile 8 in another 6:08 - can't believe how relatively easy that came. Running on the shoulder of Galtee Runner now and I can tell he is making an effort to keep with me as his breathing is more laboured than mine as we both gain on another runner. A 100 yards later and they are both behind me. Mile 9 comes in 6:11. Still going strong but feeling less comfortable. 100 yards ahead is the 2nd Female (I think) and over the next mile I gradually reel her in as we both turn right onto the main road for home passing Mile 10 in 1:02:46 - 8 seconds outside my PB - which just happens to be my best result ever - this is going to be good. Mile 10 in 6:14.

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The road ahead is long and straight and with my myopic vision I can just make out a runner in front, 150 to 200 yards. With the 2nd female behind me at this stage the course becomes quite lonely and it is a matter of keeping the head down as the strain begins come on. Mile 11 in 6:18, slowing down but still ahead of my target pace - just keep the last 2 miles under 6:30 pace and I should get under 83. A gradual rise now as the pace slows, the guy in front is getting gradually closer, so I must be doing alright. Mile 12 in 6:21 as I enter Charleville, with the road continuing to rise, probably not a lot but enough to wreck the head - legs and body feeling the strain now, all I want is for it to be over - must keep it together. The guy ahead is now just 40 yards away and 10 yards behind another guy as we turn left for the final half mile. The Garmin tells me the lap pace is 6:31 - there's nothing I can do about that, just don't let it drop any more. I have no incentive (or energy) to take on the two guys in front. In fact I get passed by a guy and can do nothing to respond. I had put in my surge from mile 7 to 10, that was my race, nothing left. Mile 13 in 6:31 as I turn left into the St Joseph's car park for the final 100 yards - cross the line and stop the Garmin at 1:22:32 - magic!!!

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Delighted with my result, I had set out 6 weeks ago to target this race and see if I could get a PB and I nailed it - my history of doing this is a bit hit and miss so all the sweeter when I do it. The only niggle is the fact that the Garmin recorded a distance of 13.07 miles, a tad shy of the 13.11 regulation distance for a HM - still a 1:22:47 allowing for the correction. Never did take that gel afterwards, maybe it would have helped me over the last few miles.

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Well done to North Cork AC for putting on a great event, well marshalled and the refreshments afterwards were second to none. My only gripe was that my time was not up on the results posted in the hall afterwards, despite the fact that I wore a timing chip, which they removed after the race.

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It's Official

My 100m PB has finally been ratified by the Cork County Board - 16.53 seconds. My third PB of the year after the 39.3 miles and the 100k, and unlike those races I was back running (racing) within 12 hours. McMillian gives me anything between a 3:03 and a 3:15 marathon for my effort - if only I had practiced using the starting blocks (practiced at all) and broke the tape at 14 seconds I'd be on my way to a 2:40 mara (all for the want of 2.53 seconds) - ah well there's always next time. . As I was toeing the line at the start of the race the MC announced over the PA system that the last race that one of the competitors ran was 100k (leaked from the club chairman). As the rest of the guys appeared to all know each other, they all looked in my direction - all I could do was shrug my shoulders as if to say "why not?". At least the spectators knew the reason for the 2 second gap to the guy with all the struggling slow twitch fibres.

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I celebrated my new PB by joining some clubmates on a tempo run this morning, most of whom are training for the National Half Marathon Championships in Waterford on 3rd September or one of the other HM's in Blarney/Charleville a week or 2 later.

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The plan was 25 minutes of fast running sandwiched between 1 or 2 miles of warmup/cooldown. Six of us in all met up in Carrigaline at 8 (Joe, Micháel, Norman, Paul Daly, Paul Hickey - out celebrating the birth of his firstborn - congrats Paul & Myself) for an out and back along the estuary walk to Crosshaven (old rail line) - flat and fast. After the warmup we eased into the faster pace - too fast for me at the start as I slipped to the back with the two Pauls shooting out the front. I maintained a steady pace in the mid 6:20's counting down the minutes to the 12:30 turnaround. Joe had told me on Thursday that the pace was going to be around 6:50 (must have been the salesman in him). with 12:30 on the Garmin we all turned and headed for home (avg pace of 6:24) - some with more ground to cover than others depending on how far they got. The return leg was a battle of mind against body as the rising fatigue in my legs coupled with the slow motion ticking of the clock eroded away at my resolve - yet the pace remained steady @ 6:24 and I ended my 25 minutes within 10 yards of where I started - good solid pacing - any faster on the outbound leg and my pace would almost certainly have suffered on the return.

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A slow warmdown to the cars and we were all set for the day ahead. Where else would you want to be on a warm summers morning.

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Measured my resting HR this morning at 35 (average over 5 minutes - min/max 33/39) lowest ever - maybe my HR monitor is malfunctioning as during some of my easy runs this week my recorded HR shot up as far as 170.

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