Monday 19 March 2012

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.







11 comments:

  1. Well done Grellan. I can't help but notice that your 'readline' for HR is relatively low compared to mine. That said, your aerobic HR is lower than mine as well. I have often run races like this over 170 for the whole race but then I train at 140-155.

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    1. Yeah Richard, heart rate is all relative and also drops with age - so maybe when you reach my age you'll be racing at 165 HR.

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    2. That's true. In my early 30s I'd race at mid-170s, 10 years ago, low to mid 160s, now at nearly 55, low to mid 150s.

      On the short race training below... I'd think you'd go 30 secs quicker for a 5k if you knew you were stopping at 5k. Might need speedwork for 800/1500 PBs though.

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  2. Interesting comparison. As my old mate Christina once sang 'it's a fine line between pleasure and pain'. Worth attacking it though - you gave yourself a chance of a 61:30 and ended up with some great split times.

    Looks like you could get PBs for all distances 10k and under even if you didn't do any short race training. Just rock up and go for it!

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    1. Ewen, i'd think I'd need to do some training for the shorter, more intense, races.

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  3. Your race report sound quite similar to mine in Ballycotton and even the picture from mile 7 resembles mine at the same point in B, with the flushed face.

    Of course the 30 miler was still in your legs just like I had Donadea in my legs 2 weeks ago.

    And just like I wasn't allowed to complain about a new PB, neither are you. ;-)

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    1. I agree Thomas, an exact replica of your Ballycotton experience, albeit a minute slower. I'm not really complaining but a bit perplexed as to why I suffered relatively early in the race.

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  4. Agree with Thomas - a 30 miler one week before is not the ideal taper. Considering that, a great effort.

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    1. Cheers Bob, I agree that the 30 miler would not be the ideal preparation - for Mallow that is. Hopefully it will be ideal for Connemara.

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  5. congrats grellan, a pb with all that volume and no proper taper represents a great achievement. wonder what you might achieve with just a little taper? maybe the short race training will take you to the next level. good luck in connemara

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    1. Cheers Marty. I'm still undecided as to what i'll target after Connemara. More that likely i'll wait until after the race as there is no point in deciding now.

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