Training Log Archive: ColmM

Rathfarnham 5km - 16:11

This was a very surprising, but very welcome result. Pb.

Tough race. Fast course, so always a chance to run well, but as said, was not really expecting a pb off the recent training.

Started what felt settled, but then turned out to be fast as always, with the lap showing me a 3:03. Woops.
Got onto a Glenmore AC shoulder here before soon realising it was boyzone. Gave a quick hello as I went by here and tried to work solidly up the hill into terenure. All good, but as we turned towards templeogue (~2km) a few people in my group or so started going by, including Shane. Saw a 3:15 tick off here, and was not surprised to see we'd slowed down a good bit, but with the hill, not bad.
Stuck on the back of this and gave myself some shelter from any potential wind. We were going alright, and at times it felt tricky to hang on, but at others not so much, and maybe halfway down this long straight myself and Shane both went round what remained of the group and worked together a little.
As we went through 3k (3:20), Shane moved a bit ahead and a few of the other guys came through me, a little worrying. Still hanging on though.
Down the hill towards Tesco, and onto the long home stretch. Just hanging on for dear life now. Waiting for the 4km which finally came (3:17), not too bad.
It was around now it clicked that I was a good bit under 16:40 (3:20 pace), so I should really try hold on cos this was pb territory.
But it came at that grim "I really want to stop now", and the grim "I may shit myself here" feeling that seems to come with every 5km pb I've run - probably a fair measure of how hard I've gone, in a wretched way.
Shane still wasn't too far in front. But I was just trying to keep stride and hang on with anyone around. With 500m to go, people started coming back a little. I was dying, but I guess everyone else was too, and I was trying to chase that time, so I ploughed on and got by one or two.
I was close to Shane now, but I knew I didn't have enough for a sprint finish. Sure enough, when the clock came within sight, I somehow was able to summon something and find another gear to go by and sneak into 16:12, 12sec off the pb.
Cracking running from boyzone, especially considering his ultra work in recent times.
Very content, and gladly no mullet just yet.

C • Nice! 5

Went out to do a little more, but calf still a little tight from Wednesday, and racing tomorrow, so just left it be.

A short one before climbing.
Intentions of doing a tune-up, but calf very tight from last night, so nope.

Wanting to do a longish one in the hills, but not a special torch, and less motivated on my own, so just decided to accept the distance, and take the roads home which made for a nice run.
But legs not quite back used to that much road and weren’t too happy towards the end.
Left calf has been tight since last night messing with a mate, and was grand for nearly all of this, but seized up a lot in the last 2.5k and threatened the cramp.

5 x 1km [100”] on UCD pitches barefoot.

Standing all day so was feeling pretty tired warming up but in the end was moving alright and happy enough.
3:15, 3:21, 3:21, 3:22, 3:21.

A lovely run.
Motivation has not been too high, but with the departure of my drinking buddy and the need for a break, motivation is quickly re-surfacing. I think now is about right to kick on for winter.

This was a lovely solo run. Not entirely sure why, I just kind of wanted to run and keep running, and I did for a while and it was nice. Feeling really quite good too, not that it was quick or anything. Just good feels. I enjoyed this.