Training Log Archive: TheFlan

Laura showed me the route up to through Ticknock Woods to get out onto Fairy Castle

My second Leinster race this year in as many weeks. Lovely to just rock up and race. Must do more of these next year.
Was into second place leaving Ticknock and deliberately had to slow myself down from normal race pace for what would be my longest ever race. There was a dude out front (Alan O'K) who was setting a blistering pace, could have tried to sit in behind him if the distance was shorter but was worried about the race distance and blowing up.
I eased up even more between FC and Tibradden allowing Ger L to catch me. I asked if he was going direct off Tibradden and when he said yes I asked if he wouldn't mind a lad up from the sticks joining him as I hadn’t it recce’d. He had no problem with it as long as I would know my place if we are a tussle at the end. Sound says I. The route off was very rough through heather and ferns. Nearly did the ankle twice on hidden stones and rocks. Once we got to forest I had eyed up the evening before, it was plain sailing.
Was chatting away with Ger up along the trail west of the river in C Wood, which Laura had showed me the day before. Turns out he's from Limerick and when I asked if he knew any of the Munster crew, he mentioned he trains with Sean H in a minimalist running session on Mondays. Of course I was shocked because we all know Sean doesn't train at all, hahaha :-) He was on Sean&Niamh's Lug team who won their category that day, small world. We had a good chat about Limerick hurling and training etc before I decided to up the pace off Cruagh and ploughed on to the bog road.
This was the short-course turn-around point where I had intended doubling back but a clear Kippure in the distance was calling out to me. Took a minute to pour myself a cup of water in Nora's boot and had a jaffa cake before heading off again down the monotonous bog-road. The climb up Kippure was sapping on the peat and very windy up top. Saw Alan motoring on in the distance. A few of the early starters were descending too. Got to the top and a few metres after I turned I heard roaring - it was Alan, couldn't find the control punch so I pointed and shouted up to go to the tri point.
Descending off Kippure I noticed Don and Stephen were ahead of Ger (turns out there is a better route from Tibradden to Cruagh!). Eoin and Mike (both of whom were slagging me in the pub on Friday night about doing the “girls” course) made banter about me missing the short-course turn-around. Sometimes a man needs a kick in the backside, so thanks to them for that! Pulled up for a minute at the checkpoint at the start of the bog road and took some more fluids. Alan was gaining so I took off again and he caught me on Cruagh, motoring like a train. An absolute animal to be setting a pace like that over the distance.
There was no-one else within an ass’s roar of me as I headed down through Cruagh Woods. Had a small route error in the forest (1 min) and as I was ascending up Tibradden, somehow Don and Stephen were on my backside again!! (later found out they had a shorter & faster route off Cruagh along a fire-break – fine recce’ing gents!). The next section reminded me of torturous days out orienteering in horrendous areas whist crawling and scrambling through briars, heather, ferns and rocks to Tibradden summit. Began opening a gap again on the lads over to FC and was tired coming into Ticknock.
Laura was on hand with Yazoo and I'd say I was like a lamb drinking from a bottle as a fairly de-hydrated body guzzled down the sweetened milk. Alan was in a few minutes before me, and had bagged a new course record. Fair play, he was really strong throughout. Had done it in over 28k, some lads registered just over 27k – that bloody fire-break in Cruagh!! Still happy out with second spot. A great race for just 7 squids, when you think of some of the prices been asked for some non-IMRA distance “trail” races (which have a lot more road). Back next year to have a look at that firebreak!

C • Superb Result 4

Wandered up to Tibradden Woods and threw on the walking shoes and Laura showed me around the routes she recce'd during the week in Cruagh and Tibradden Woods. We also drove up to where the WW crosses the road and did the shortcut between FairyCastle and Tibradden. Noticed that there must be a much quicker route direct off Tibradden to Cruagh Wood through the heather. Didn't have time to recce that but knew I was gonna go with it the following day.

96.52 km in previous 7 days ... rest day tomorrow is in order.

16 x 80s w/ 60s rec w/ dooneen group @ CC pitches. Mike P joined me out front for d 1st 8 but left it @ that cos he is racing 2moro. Used garmin interval workout again so includes recovery jogs. Splits were (m) 378 390 397 388 387 395 399 415 388 394 389 390 391 403 420. Managed to keep up pace for all 16 & had enough for a little extra at the end. The last 8 were tough.

8x3min (90sec rec) w/ joes group @ ul. Did this session with pre-set workout so includes recovery. Splits (m) were 870 890 877 876 878 869 873 932. Went hard on the final one as I felt good