Paces

With my HM PB pace now pushing south towards by 5k PB pace I though I'd have a look at all my PB paces from 100m to the marathon and see if there is a pattern. Discounting my PB paces from 100m to 1 mile (although it is good to know that I could hold my own with the World Marathon Record holder over 100m) all my PB paces from 5k to 21.1k are getting quite close to each other - between 6:00 and 6:18 with a bit of a gap to my 15 mile PB pace, which I hope to close on Sunday, and a chasm to my Marathon PB pace (Not even in the same minute).

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No doubt about it, my (current) strength lies in the middle distance races from 10k to 21.1k, where all my "breakthroughs" have come from. I seem to be able to hold a decent pace for quite a few miles but haven't yet extended it to 26.2. Nor do I appear to be able to increase the pace by much over "shorter" distances. I know "specificity" in my recent training has something to do with it, but I also think that I am more "suited" to certain distances.

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With 2 weeks between the Charleville HM and the 15 mile Cork to Cobh race on Sunday my training is all about maintaining form. I did complete 2 "speed" workouts since Charleville and although they were similar in that they both fell into the broad "tempo" category they couldn't have been more different.

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The first, a club run on Saturday, which might look the toughest on paper, consisted of a 5 mile tempo, 3 minutes standing recovery (I took 4) followed by 4 mile tempo. The key to this workout is maintaining a consistent steady pace, leaving enough in the tank to complete the session as fast as you started it. The 5 miles was a 2.5 mile out and back along the old Monkstown/Passage line, which I completed at a fairly consistent 6:19 pace. Despite the 4 minutes standing recovery I found it easier to get into the pace for the 4 mile tempo, again out and back along the rail line. While the effort felt tough it did not get any tougher as the miles passed and I managed to keep the pace consistent at 6:21 - ideal "specific endurance" training.

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The second session was at the track last night - 16 laps in lane 3 (4.14 miles), single file with the leader, who changes every 200m, setting the pace. I completed one of these on the Tuesday before Charleville and it felt relatively comfortable @ an average 6:18 pace. Last night was different, the pace was faster particularly at the start ( 2 laps in 3:03 = 5:54 pace, slowing down to 6:06 pace after 4 laps). 10 of us started but a few dropped by the wayside. With 4 laps to go I dropped off the back, leaving 5 to finish the session. I ploughed on on my own completing the session in 25:35 (6:11 pace), 26 seconds faster than 2 weeks ago but feeling the effects much more, no longer comfortably hard and calves quite tight afterwards.

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While the pace of both session varied by only 8/10 seconds per mile the effect could not have been greater. Maybe it was the varying pace of last nights session (good training for tactical racing) compared to the steady pace of Saturday's tempo's, which I am more used to. Maybe I wasn't fully recovered from Saturday's session, although there's no reason why I shouldn't have been or maybe I can run 6:20 pace all day but 6:10 is too much, who knows.

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Riding the wave

Sunday's HM PB is now my breakthrough race, my best result according to McMillian, eclipsing my 10 mile PB of 1:02:38 set in Dungarvan last year - I should now be capable of 1:02:09 over that distance and a 2:54:04 Marathon. In fact I was asked by a few people would I not give up the 3:30 pacing job in Dublin and go for the sub-3 hour. However running a fast half does not necessarily translate to running a fast marathon - anyway i'm committed to pacing Dublin and looking forward to it - the sub-3 can wait for another day.

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I sent a text to Race Director, Michael Herhily, on Sunday about my missing chip result and he said he would check the finishing video and put my time up on the results, which places me between 26th and 27th, 1 second behind the guy in front (even at the halfway timing mat - but I was actually about a minute behind him at that stage). I then got a call on Tuesday night from Glen of ChampionChipIreland who said he had read my blog and wanted to resolve the discrepancy with my finishing chip time - he said that my chip had registered at the start mat and the halfway mat (41:38) but for some reason did not register at the finish - I could have missed the mat at the finish but have no recollection of doing so. Glen sent me the amended results yesterday - I must say i'm very impressed with the level of attention my missing result has got.

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My negative split of 42 seconds was enough to gain me 8 places over the second half of the race (35th down to 27th - If I hadn't faded over the last mile i'd have made 24th place). This result shows that all I need is 5 or 6 weeks of speedwork off an endurance base to get in race shape. Two months ago I struggled with an average 6:55 pace on a downhill 15 miler, and felt worse at the finish than I did last Sunday (partly due to blunted speed from the 100k 4 weeks before perhaps). 1 month ago I failed to crack 40 minutes for 10k (I know it was hilly). On Sunday I ran 4 sub-20 minute 5ks (fastest 19:07) or 2 sub-40 minute 10ks (fastest 38:50) so I think I'm pretty much at the top of the curve - I just hope I can stay there until the 15 mile "Cork to Cobh" on Sunday week and have at crack off my 15 mile PB (set a few weeks after my previous HM PB in October 2008).

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Finally the best of luck to a few guys out there racing this weekend:-

• Richard running the River Ayr Way Ultra - His first ;)
• Marty & Clubmate Pat running the Berlin Marathon.
• Bob in Tokyo running a half marathon.
• Nearly forgot about Trevor and Mike running the Fredericton 10k/Half.

Also hello to Richard Forrest, a reader of this blog, whom I met this week for the second time, not at Charleville where you would think as we both raced on Sunday, but in the County Library, where I was attending a meeting during the week. Keep up the running and maybe i'll see you on the road from Cork to Cobh.

12 Miles to Go

11.5 Miles to Go 400 yards to go 15 yards to Go

10 Yards to Go

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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Pushing the limits

Specificity

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Training programmes normally culminate with a peak specific endurance run about 10 days out from the main event - the optimum time for the training to be of benefit - leave it too late and the body will not have absorbed the full benefit of the session - for a marathon it's normally longer (2 weeks + before race day) as the body may not be fully recovered in time for the race. By peak specific endurance I mean the toughest race pace workout of the programme.

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As I have not followed a programme for the Charleville Half next Sunday (apart from joining the club speed sessions in late July/early August ahead of the National HM last weekend) I reverted to my running library to pick out a specific endurance workout that might do the trick. One that interested me was the 3 x 5k @ HM pace for "Highly Competitive" runners in "Run Faster" by Brad Hudson & Matt Fitzgerald - sounded like a tough mother - there was a slightly easier version of 4 x 3k @ HM pace for the "Competitive" runner or the 6 x 1 mile @ HM pace for the "Low-Key Competitive" runner. Naturally I gravitated towards the most difficult one.

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The one doubt I had was that my peak run was scheduled for last Thursday - 5 days after running the Dingle marathon. I know, if I was serious about training for the half I would not have run Dingle - but there's serious and there's SERIOUS and the offer to pace Dingle was irresistible. My first run after the marathon, a 5.8 mile unintentional progression run with Brendan @ 7:29 average pace on Wednesday went off without a hitch. Still the doubt was there on Thursday - Would I be recovered enough? Would I complete the full session? Would my pace suffer? As the Garmin has lost it's GPS function I headed for the track with the mindset of "see how I get on". While previous HM pace sessions had been @ 6:35+ pace I decided to head for a pace closer to my PB pace of 6:27, which fitted in perfectly with running in lane 3 (1:40 laps or 50 second half laps - easy to remember 20:02 for 5k or 20:50 for 5.2k = 12.5 laps in lane 3).

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The first 12.5 laps went off reasonably well, can't say they were easy (because they weren't) but I was a few seconds below target - 20:44 (19:56 for 5k).

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A walk/jog 400m around the track in 3 to 4 minutes (a concession from the scheduled 90 second recoveries) and start into the second 5.2k.

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Hit the target again - 20:44. Although I was fairly fucked at the finish and felt reasonably happy to call it a day. However Brendan, who was at the track running 800's at the same pace and had joined me for a few laps earlier on said he had one more 800 to do so I ran with him with the intention of running 1k but extended it to 2k and then 3k (3.12k in lane 3). I probably could have run on but my calves were getting tight and the next club session was starting - no point in risking injury - 7.5 laps in 12:25 (11:56 for 3k)

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All in all 13.52 km (8.4 miles) @ 6:25 pace - that'll do me.

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Mixing it up

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My legs were a bit dead for Friday evening's short 4.5 mile recovery run on grass but I wasn't about to give them a break as I had signed up for the 150k Rebel Tour leaving CIT at 9 on Saturday morning, heading down to West Cork - Crossbarry, Bandon, Enniskeane, Dunmanway, Clonakilty, Timoleague, Ballinaspittal, Kinsale, Belgooly, Riverstick, Ballinahassig and back to CIT.

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The weather forecast wasn't great but the day turned out better than expected. There were 500+ cyclists at the start line (and equal numbers signed up for the 80k and 50k routes, starting at 10:30 and 12:15) There was a lead car for the first 55k to Dunmaneway (1st food stop) to keep the pace from going suicidal - yet staying with the front group required a fair amount of work, which I was willing to put in as the alternative was cycling into a headwind on my own at a much slower pace. I got dropped about 8k out from Dunmanway but managed to catch on to another guy's wheel and get pulled back in - 40 to 50 in the group by the time we hit Dunmanway. While it wasn't a race (I'd be left for dead in a race) I enjoyed the challenge of having to put in the effort to keep pace - kept me focused.

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For the remaining 95k I paired up with Eoin/Eoghan/Owen?(take your pick) from Douglas (who was cycling a hybrid!!!) as we took turns at the front to keep a steady pace. The sun came out as we hit the coast road from Timoleague but the strong south westerly wind was a struggle at times. 2nd food stop at Ballinaspittle (ate & drank like a horse) and we headed south for Garrettstown, where the cross wind blowing sand off the beach cut into our arms and legs.

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For the final 40k or so we joined those doing the 80k and 50k and the road became more congested. Yet we maintained a steady pace, surprised that my legs were holding up reasonably well and after 5:06:02 in the saddle we arrived back at CIT. Eoin had 149km on his Garmin - 18.2 mph @ 131 HR. I cycled the 4.6 miles to and from CIT with neighbour Ian to get my (our)first century ride (101.8 miles) - and he only bought his bike in July - with his longest ride @ 35 miles!!!

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The Limit

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Despite fuelling well at the food stations yesterday I awoke this morning 1 kg lighter than 24 hours earlier. I wondered would this be an advantage for the scheduled 15 mile hilly club run at 8 this morning. I was in two minds as to whether I should run it at all as the only pace on offer was 7:30 miles. Clubmate Vivian, who had also completed the rebel tour, was also a bit apprehensive about doing the run. The first time I ran this route I pulled up with a calf strain 13 miles in and had averaged about 8 minute miles at that stage. Running 7:30 average pace over this course with 100 bike miles in my legs (not to mind Thursday's peak speed session) was going to be rough.

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Vivian and I were the only fools to join John O'Callaghan, who had scheduled the run. We were joined by Paul Daly about 2 miles in - none of us had a workable GPS watch so the pace was guestimated (turns out we were quite close overall). The run certainly was a challenge for me with my HR maxing at 161 at the top of the toughest climb, about 6 miles in - I was at my limit. I managed to recover on the flat/downhills which enabled me finish the run intact although a slight tightness at the base of my left hamstring/back of knee after yesterdays cycle escalated to "ache" status and requires a bit of TLC with the foam roller. The average for the 15 miles was 7:27 pace @ 137 HR - glad to be finished and looking forward to a rest day tomorrow.

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Home for a shower and quick breakfast before heading off to support friend Puds (Liam) and clubmates running the Blarney Half Marathon. Puds, who comes from a cycling background and dips in and out of running had told me that he was training for the race with a target of coming in under 1:20 and sure enough he finished 13th overall in 1:19:49 - there's a guy who sets a target and knows what he has to do to get it.

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Have a good week.

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Dingle - 3:29:Something

Fantastic day in Dingle today. The rain and wind cleared overnight for a bright and mild morning - perfect for running a marathon.

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The pacers met up the night before in the "Blue Zone" restaurant for a bit of carb loading before retiring to the B&B. I was sharing with Shane (the 2hr Half Marathon Pacer), who came with the gang from the "Bridge" - soon to surpass Dublin as the most prolific marathon destination in the country. If you haven't run a marathon in the Bridge you haven't lived (I haven't lived - yet). Tom (head pacer) and Paul also made the trip from the Bridge to pace the 4:30's. Frank was down from Dublin for a bit of gentle 4 hour pacing after surpassing the 100 mile mark in the Belfast 24hr. He had Ken in tow, pacing 1:45 for the half and doing a hard sell for sponsorship for some charity walk he is doing in NYC in November. Thomas was over from Killorglin to keep me on the straight and narrow, with Niamh as official photographer and cheerleader. Aonghus, pacing the sharp end of the half at 1:30, and his wife completed the ensemble.

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Thomas and I wore our pacing kit from Cork (the promise of gear for Dingle did not materialise) with Balloons tied to our back (My balloon burst about 5 miles in - can't keep anything, me). With an undulating course and the worst hill at mile 21 our plan was to run by effort more than pace and to bank about 2 minutes by the time we reached the 21 mile mark. To cut a long story short (See Thomas for the long version) we more or less stuck to the plan, but despite our best endeavours we lost all our pacees - we had 6 followers at mile 18, whittled down to 2 at mile 21, including the 2nd female (we think) but lost them going up the hill and passed a few more on the way. Hit the top before the 23 mile mark and exchanged places with a few guy on the road down to Dingle - our Female pacee nearly caught up with us on the downhill but fell back as the road levelled out - she wasn't too far behind us at the end though. With the finish line in sight and no one to pace, Thomas showed his competitive spirit and sprinted the last 50 yards to come in a few seconds ahead of me - if he's any gentleman he'll let me have the "win" in Dublin.

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After the race I met John Meade, fresh from winning the half for a second year in a row - great running John - and Denis Kelliher who swore after the Connemara ultra that he would never race longer than 5 miles again - a man of his word (tells me Dublin will be his 13th and last marathon)

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While the course was the most undulating marathon I have run I was relatively comfortable throughout, leaving the 2 "insurance gels" in my pocket with my fuel consisting of water, a quarter of orange and a few jellies at mile 18 and a banana at mile 21. A great run on a perfect day for running - over a very scenic course - what more could you ask for? Well how about a pink digital skipping rope and an XXL reflective cycling bib (that would be a hazard to cycle in)that greeted me from my goodie bag at the finish - just what every runner needs (someone must have been clearing out their attic).

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