Bristol half marathon 5 September

This half was my target half for the Cologne marathon build up and would be the gauge of my progression in this training cycle. We also got to visit some friend in the Bath-Bristol area.
The morning of the race required me to book a taxi. This particular taxi driver was excellent and got us extremely close to the start area, much closer than we got when I did Bristol two years ago.
The weather was not good, cold, wet and not in considerably windy. Proceedings began a few minutes after 9am. The crowded nature of the first mile and a half made it quite challenging and definitely accounted for most of the overrun. After this things settled down and I was hitting my splits nicely. However, the weather was not great at all. The wind increased but as we moved along the Avon river the wind was at our backs. Through the Avon gorge and under the famous Brunel suspension bridge the field began to thin out and we began the gentle incline towards turnaround point. As I approached about a mile from the turnaround I saw British Olympian Liz Yelling pass me on the return. She was on for a seventy minute marathon but a trapped nerve in her foot resulted in a DNF.
As we reached the turn around point I began to feel crap; no particular reason just not feeling comfortable and as we made the turn around the increasingly strong wind was right in our faces. It was also at this point I realised that the gradient on the out section is steeper than you realise, steeper than travelling north-west up Chesterfield road in the Phoenix park. Miles seven and eight dropped into the early 06:30s and I hit a low point here. By now I was considering the possibility of missing out on my target of a sub eight-five minute half. I knuckled down and managed to knock my splits back into the high 06:20s.
The last 5K of this course is brutal. It a constant up and down short sharp hills. We encountered the first of these ascending past St Mary Redcliffe cathedral. Around the back of this and back down another steep hill and across the Avon again and onto cobbles - brutal. The wet conditions actually meant that I was losing traction on the cobbles! Then up another hill to Queen's Square, which is a nice Georgian square and onto a dirt trail that borders the square lawn. Then back onto more cobbles and up another short sharp up and down hill past Broadmead shopping centre. Here another runner turned to me and said 'I thought they said this was a flat fast race!' I responded with a harrumph.
Then back onto more cobbles and the end was in sight. My wife took the picture below but I never registered her presence, and while it looks like I am smiling I can assure you it is a grimace.




Yikes! Look at that heel strike. So much for Chi running. I need to make more of an effort to avoid heel striking so much. It definitely saps my strength in longer races. As I rounded the statue of my compatriot Edmund Burke, who was one time MP for Bristol I was within half a mile of home and manged to up the pace and crossed the line in 01:25:28. Not quite was I was after and felt I should be able to run a half-marathon 60-90 seconds quicker. However, you can never complain too much when you secure a three minute PB.



1) - 1m - 6:33(6:33/m) - 165bpm avge
2) - 1m - 6:19(6:19/m) - 176bpm avge
3) - 1m - 6:21(6:21/m) - 172bpm avge
4) - 1m - 6:28(6:28/m) - 170bpm avge
5) - 1m - 6:23(6:23/m) - 172bpm avge
6) - 1m - 6:25(6:25/m) - 172bpm avge
7) - 1m - 6:24(6:24/m) - 171bpm avge
8) - 1m - 6:32(6:32/m) - 171bpm avge
9) - 1m - 6:32(6:32/m) - 171bpm avge
10) - 1m - 6:26(6:26/m) - 170bpm avge
11) - 1m - 6:23(6:23/m) - 170bpm avge
12) - 1m - 6:29(6:29/m) - 169bpm avge
13) - 1m - 6:29(6:29/m) - 169bpm avge
14) - 0.3m - 1:45(5:51/m) - 173bpm avge

Frank Duffy 10 mile race

It's been a while since I posted and I need to provide a few race updates. I will begin with the Frank Duffy 10 miler on 21 August. I was looking forward to setting a nice healthy new PB at this distance and the weather was close to ideal; no wind and sunny but it would get warmer during the morning. The race began right on time at 10am. The first mile elapsed in 06:20, a little fast perhaps but okay. The splits are below


1) - 1m - 6:20
2) - 1m - 6:22
3) - 1m - 6:24
4) - 1m - 6:22
5) - 1m - 6:18
6) - 1m - 6:16
7) - 1m - 6:33
8) - 1m - 6:35
9) - 1m - 6:40
10) - 1m - 6:16
11) - 0.07m - 23

Miles seven, eight and nine were along the Glen road and the pace dropped, although I felt I increased the effort level so these splits were a little disappointing. I was especially glad that the final mile was my fastest and according to racefitness.org I am on for a sub three hour marathon performance. As can be seen from the very low heart rate in the last few miles I was either in the final stages of a fatal heart attack or I needed to replace the battery; thankfully it was the latter!
I crossed the line in 01:04:30, with average mile splits of 06:26, twenty-three seconds per mile faster than last year.

Nailed it!

Image courtesy of picsdigger.com

On occasion there is a run that goes entirely as planned and even better than you could have anticipated; these are often the runs you do not think too much about and just do. Last night I completed one of those. It might have been the novelty of doing an entirely new workout that motivated me. It was forty minutes at an easy recovery pace, forty minutes at marathon pace plus thirty seconds per mile and forty minutes at marathon pace. The first forty minutes passed uneventfully, the second forty minutes was where I began to really enjoy the session and was especially pleased by how easy it felt, which a low HR evidenced. By now the heavy showers of earlier had dispersed and it was a beautiful evening, which the surrounds of the Phoenix park will always enhance. The third forty minutes at marathon pace felt great and I struggled to hold myself from running it too fast and the pace during this final third was somewhere between marathon and half marathon pace.
The total run distance was 16.34 miles. If the training effect that some claim is a consequence of this workout has any veracity, and it remains as enjoyable but challenging an experience as last night's session, I shall make it a consistent part of future schedules.
The splits are as follows 07:55, 08:23, 8:24, 8:44, 8:21, 7:16, 7:15, 7:13, 7:18, 7:18, 6:49, 6:37, 6:38, 6:42, 6:36, 6:22, 2:20.

Dublin 10k

On 25 July I made my way out to Cherry Orchard for the Dublin 10k. Those who organised the recent Clontarf half marathon also organised this inaugural edition of this race. Consequently, I was had some reservations about this event but to be fair it was one of the best organised events I have ever participated in.
The race began at noon and began at exactly noon. Following a speedy initial quarter mile I settled nicely into race pace and the first mile elapsed in 06:05, so on target for a PB. Many of the hares that flew off at great speed were now dropping back and by the second mile I had settled into a group of three. At this point a guy in a blue singlet who I had momentarily passed drew level and suggested we work together. I am not sure what this intimates but assume it means taking turns pushing the pace and acting as a windbreaker. However, I was the one in poll position at all times and even when I slowed a little to let him take the front position he also slowed. Miles two and three passed in 06:07 and 06:15. At this point I was beginning to conclude that I was not hurting enough and pushed a little harder. By now the field had considerably thinned out and the other runner and I were completely on our own with only two runners visible about a third of a mile ahead.
I completed mile four in 06:16 and was increasingly concerned that I would miss out on a PB on a pretty flat course. Consequently as I passed the seven KM marker I noticeably increased my pace and left my companion behind. I had no idea of the etiquette when doing this but had concluded whatever working together meant I was not benefiting from it. This part of the race was along the recently paved section of the Royal Canal and the next couple of kilometres were quite lonely and no runners around me to provide a competitive edge I think undermined my pace a little. Mile five elapsed in 06:10. The last kilometre was against a stiff headwind and here I struggled to maintain pace but did mile six in 06:17. I passed the finish line on 38:42 giving me a new PB by ten seconds. Considering the stiff winds on parts of the course and running almost half the race on my own I was pretty happy.

Hurricane Clontarf

Photo credit: Racepix 365

It was a tough day at the 'Irish multi-marathon' half marathon and it began with registration! I got to the registration venue seventy minutes before the race time and it was rather farcical. Their was registration on the day, which is always inviting chaos if you're not prepared for it. It took thirty-five minutes to get through the process and those who arrived later had significantly longer than that to get trough it. Additionally, not registering in advance was much more beneficial as you could simply walk past the queue of pre-registered runners and walk up to a table to have your details put into a laptop and away you go; hardly fair.
Anyway, on to the race, which was delayed by twenty-five minutes - I was surprised it was not longer considering. The Lord Mayor was due to start the race but despite it being delayed by twenty-five minutes he managed to pull a no-show and we passed him with his starter horn ambling down the Clontarf promenade about half a mile into the race!
The conditions were exceptionally windy but it was to our backs for the first four miles. Part of this out and back course is on two and a half miles of the Dollymount strand and the wind here was whipping sand up into our faces. The first four miles splits were 06:24; 06:29; 06:28 and 06:20. Here we moved back onto the road and had the wind full blown against us and a deluge of horizontal rain accompanied. Unsurprisingly, the fifth mile split reduced to 07:01. We then turned north-east again and had the wind at our back again with miles six elapsing in 06:22. About half a mile before the turn around the leader passed me heading in the opposing direction against the full force of the wind. From here on in, six miles remaining, the wind would be against us all the way and it would be brutal! Mile seven, 06:39; mile nine; 06:55; mile nine, 06:32. This comparatively fast mile was a result of turning left back to Dollymount strand with the wind coming across us off our right shoulder. It was a bizarre sight to see runners running diagonally and still struggling to remain on course. Back on to Dollymount strand and a right hand turn took us into the teeth of the wind with sand blowing straight up against us. My pace here dropped towards ten minute mile pace, while my HR remained above 165. The next two and a half miles were torture and as we approached the end of the sand section the wind worsened and runners had to run with their heads down and turned left and their right hand raised to protect their eyes. Miles ten, eleven, twelve, back towards Clontarf were, 08:43; 08:22 and 07:55 respectively. Here, back on the promenade a ignorant clown of a cyclist decided he would be the bowling ball to our pins and cut a scythe through three runners including me, while my left elbow indicated our opinion of his antics.
Mile thirteen elapsed in 07: 32. Here, the questionable organisation manifested itself again; as I approached the finish line I could not see it, and then with about forty feet remaining saw in emerge almost eighty degree to my right as I passed a large bush, necessitating a sharp right turn to cross the finish line in 01:32:14. I was pretty pleased with this time, considering the conditions, and I am confident had the weather been different could have finished eight or nine minutes quicker.
I really don't care much for finisher's medals but if you are to get one it would be nice if it indicated for what race you got it, rather than a very flimsy looking piece with '10K' inscribed on it; yes, '10k', not half-marathon. At this point I was just relieved to be finished and that was a coup de grace that brought a chuckle and a smile to my face. All in all, no PB and very questionable organisation but was a good workout in very challenging conditions.

Races planned

Last week I signed up for he Koln marathon in Germany; this is a flat fast race. Following the Newton hills I decided I should reward myself with a flat fast marathon to follow Boston. The Koln marathon takes place on 3 October and achieving a sub three hour time is the primary focus of my efforts between now and then.
However, this has not prevented me from signing up to quite a few races in between, including; the Irish Multi-Marathon half marathon (4 July),the Adidas race series five mile (July 17), the Dublin city of sport 10K (25 July), Frank Duffy ten mile (August 21), the Bristol half marathon (5 September) and potentially the Dublin half-marathon (September 18).
This approach should, I hope, keep me motivated, confident and allow the incorporation of some really useful workouts in preparation for a serious assault on a sub three time.
Training of late has progressed pretty well, and conditions willing, this Sunday's half marathon should be a good test of where I am. This month's mileage total will be 234, which represents a lifetime second highest monthly mileage.

The plan

It's been an obscenely long time since my last post so felt compelled to provide an update - however brief. I am back into marathon training and have complete weekly mileage of fifty-six, forty-three and fifty in the last three weeks. I am following an amended Pfitzinger & Douglas up to seventy miles schedule. There will be a significantly increased emphasis on running many more marathon paced runs. This will involve more sessions with marathon or faster pace miles each week, while being careful that the recovery runs are truly that. Each week will involve either three or four marathon pace miles in the mid week 'medium long run' or between eight and twelve miles at marathon pace within the weekend 'long slow run'. In addition to this race specific workout I will include a tempo and a 5k pace interval workout. Short recovery runs will intersperse these 'quality sessions'. I will take a flexible approach to this number of quality sessions per week and convert one of them into a recovery session if I feel my body warrants it. So, that's the plan for my autumn marathon. I have not signed up to any yet but Koln is a likely candidate. In the meantime I have entered the Irish Multi-marathon on 4 July. I hope it will not be as baking hot as it was last year.