Kilmovee 10km 2016

How not to prepare for a 10km race:

Mon - Claregalway 9.5km recovery run 37:31 (3:57's)

Tue am – Claregalway 9.5km recovery run 36:14 (3:49's)

Tue pm - Tuam AC easy run 5.9km

Wed – 2km up, 10km treadmill Z2 31:35 (3:10’s), 1.6km down. All up 13.6km

Thu – Claregalway 9.5km recovery run 37:02 (3:54's)

Fri - Treadmill 7.1km easy run 30:15 (4:15's)

Sat – Kilmovee 10km 33:32. All up 15.4km

Sun – Claregalway 9.5km recovery run 36:40 (3:52's)

Total for week 80.0km

The legs were in bits Monday and Tuesday after the 10 miler. By Wednesday I was feeling okay so I did a threshold run on the treadmill. Big mistake – after that it felt like I’d ran a marathon and by the time the 10km came around on Saturday I wasn’t right. With hindsight I would have been better advised to take it easy all week with no sessions

Normally I would have been licking my lips as there was a good field for the 10km race. Conditions were tough – very breezy and I took it out fairly quick with the first km covered on around 3:05. I then settled into my running with another guy (Eamonn) and John Byrne as we battled the wind. Our group stayed together until around 4km by which time I was struggling – the other 2 didn’t speed up, I just slowed down and fell off the back!

The rest of the race I was hanging on watching the other 2 race each other up front. I did try one final push after turning at around 7km and getting some help from the wind but there was no closing in on the leaders. I then just kept ticking over the last couple of kms eventually crossing the line in 33:32 for 3^rd place (well outside my course record of 32:17 from last year).

Not my greatest work but explainable – the legs just weren’t right and a shame I couldn’t give a better account of myself. Nevermind, onwards and upwards and just the kick up the behind I need to go back and start training a bit harder. Well done to Eamonn who won the race in 32:50 and to John who finished a close second and looks in great shape for the marathon.

Here’s a photo with my "please let this race be over" face on:

Craughwell 10 mile 2016

Tuning up for the 10 miler:

Mon - Claregalway 14.8km recovery run 56:10 (3:48's)

Tue am – 2.0km up, 12km threshold run 40:46 (3:24’s), 2.0km down. All up 16.0km

Tue pm - Tuam AC easy run 7.1km

Wed - Treadmill 10.0km recovery run 36:18 (3:38's)

Thu – 2.0km up, 6 x 30 secs, 6 x 3mins, 2.0km down. All up 10.7km

Fri - Claregalway 11.1km recovery run 41:41 (3:45's)

Sat - Claregalway 8.6km easy run 37:41 (4:23's)

Sun – Craughwell 10 miler 52:56 (3:16’s). All up 23.7kms

Total for week 102.0km

A decent enough build up to Craughwell. Pace getting back on my threshold run on Tuesday and then a speed session on the treadmill on Thursday as a final tune-up before the 10 miler (running at 3:00/km pace on 2% incline).

Some of the big names were missing this year and that opened things up. The conditions were perfect and I took out the race hard and nobody went with me. Through the first km in 2:57 (downhill) and sub 5 minutes for the first mile. By this stage I’d opened up a nice lead so it was time trial mode from here on in. I felt pretty good and the effort level was even and the splits were in keeping with the profile for each mile.

At halfway I had about a 30 second lead and through 10km in about 32:30 which was a little quicker than last year. But I didn’t really nail the last 6km and although I was running strongly, the pace dipped by a second or two per km. The last mile is tough and what breeze there was we were running into it. But there was nobody with me and I enjoyed the last section rounding the final corner for the final 200m to the finish. My first win in Craughwell at the 7^th time of trying.

The time was 52:56 which was 15 seconds slower than last year so no PB but still a good strong run. It gives me hope that I still have it in me to break the 70 minutes for the half!

A few beers that night and why not! Here is me at the finish (courtesy of Edenhill77):

Streets of Castlebar 5km

Back into things:

Mon - Treadmill 10.0km recovery run 36:22 (3:38's)

Tue am – 2.0km up, 11km threshold run 38:09 (3:28’s), 3.0km down. All up 16.0km

Tue pm - Tuam AC easy run 8.3km

Wed - Treadmill 10.0km recovery run 36:31 (3:39's)

Thu – 2.0km up, 12km threshold run 41:12 (3:26’s), 2.0km down. All up 16.0km

Fri - Claregalway 9.5km recovery run 36:33 (3:51's)

Sat - Claregalway 8.0km easy run 34:09 (4:16's)

Sun – Streets of Castlebar 5km 15:57. All up 9.6kms

Total for week 87.4km

Struggled this week. Pace way down on my two outdoor threshold runs. Wasn’t expecting much for the 5km. Myself and Tadgh took it out fairly hard and we were stride for stride the first 3km. Lots of hills and twists and when the course flattened out around the lake and I was fearing it would turn into a sprint finish. But I managed to open up a bit of a gap without lifting the pace. Then it was all about staying focused up to the finish. I crossed the line in 15:57 for the win which equalled the course record. Pleasantly surprised by the time as it felt more like a 16:15 run. Happy days and a nice finish to the week. Me at the end:

Would you like fries with your fries?

Not proper training – just exercise to burn off the huge American calorie intake:

Mon – New York 13.7km easy run 54:54 (4:00’s)

Tue – New York 13.7km recovery run 51:53 (3:47’s)

Wed - New York 13.7km easy run 54:36 (3:59’s)

Thu – New York 13.7km recovery run 52:08 (3:48’s)

Fri - New York 13.7km easy run 57:41 (4:13’s)

Sat – Rest (travel)

Sun – Claregalway 9.5km easy run 39:37 (4:10's)

Total for week 78.0km

It was about a mile run down to central park. Then my route was a full lap of the outside of the park running anti-clockwise. Then the run back to the hotel. Crossing the blocks is a nightmare but you soon learn how to gauge the intersections. Once you get into the park it’s fantastic for running. The outer loop seemed to be around 10km with plenty of ups and downs to keep you working. I varied the pace each day between easy and recovery and not a hint of threshold pace on any day.

I enjoyed the trip but I won’t be rushing back. The food was pretty crap and the beer was astronomical in price. I must be getting tight in my old age. Plenty to see and do but it’s not a destination to visit if you’re on a budget. I think I was spoilt living in Sydney for so long!