Ballybunion 10K, 2012.

Standing on the start line with 5 minutes to go and I'm want to be anywhere else.  No complaints with my training and my recent '10K paced' 5K race in Clongowes aimed at this race meant I was in good condition but yesterday didn't go well at all.  Missed my dinner and ate mostly junk out of hunger plus I had a bit of a barney (argument) which went on and on, didn't sleep too well and I know I'm a bit stresed thinking about the 100K Worlds.  Woke up on race morning feeling bloated and stomach wasn't great but I was consoled by knowing that I usually race well when not feeling too good which is brought on by the body's fight or flight mode as it's your body's way of preparing for what's ahead but I think today is more stress related.

Went for my usual pre race run trying to convince myself that all was ok but my heart rate was very high and seeing it so high probably made it go higher so I shortened the run rather than making a bad situation worse.  The late start in Ballybunion allowed time for a proper breakfast and I finished eating at 11am for  a 2pm start to prevent any stomach related problems.

And we're off! I'm pacing myself today rather than racing but having said that my goal time of 35 minutes is faster than last year's winning time so I knew I'd be at the business end of the race.  The race has a very fast start for a short distance down main street before turning sharply right and heading out along the coast.  I took off with the lead group and settled in at the tail end and tried to get comfortable being uncomfortable.  Leaving the town there's a long drag which seems to go on forever and then after a slight leveling it drops for for close to 2K with some undulating sections.  it's a relief reaching the downhill and although your legs temporarily feel that little bit better it's no relief to your head as you know with it being an out and back course that you must turn around and pay back each of these downhill steps.
On the approach to the turnaround I can see the lead runner running back towards me and he's looking very comfortable.  I miss the turning point and know I have so I start shout for confirmation and end up adding maybe 15M to my race and by the time I'm back on course I'm in 4th or 5th position.  I dig deep and try to get back where I think I should be and that's in fighting place for 2nd - 4th position based on how the race was panning out and not being presumptuous.
I get back in with the pack and try recover from the unplanned burst and soon begin trading places with one other runner who always seems to have the extra kick to push the pace on.  I take a chance and follow a kick and then maintain it as we hit a hill shortly after 7K and that was the last I saw of him.  I didn't know how close he was and I didn't want to look behind.  In the distance up ahead I could see the race leader and I was willing him to turn around to show some sign of weakness that would make me think it was worthwhile to make the extra effort.  I felt like the hunter chasing his prey but also felt like the prey being hunted down, the choice was to push on too soon and possibly burn out or stay steady and not getting caught.
I stayed steady and on the final approach of maybe 300M to the finish line someone shouted 'yer grand, there's no one behind you' so I kicked to the finish and crossed the line comfortably in 2nd place with a new PB of 35:09.
Compared with my last time running this race back in 2010 I was over 1 minute faster for the same average Heart Rate of 159 bpm.

1st: Tom O'Connor. 34:19
2nd: John O'Regan. 35:09
3rd: Nial Shanahan. 35:44

Race Results.

Thinking about next year.

Can it get any better? This time last year I was thinking to myself that it can't get much better than the year I'd just had and if 2011 wasn't better then it was a close second so maybe next year can be better and I'll do my best to make that happen.

I now have a list of possible races and one or other other projects that are yet to be confirmed and if they go ahead they may change some of my other plans.  At the moment I'm training for the Donadea 50K on Feb 18th and following on from that I was planning on racing the Kildare Marathon in May  but I've now ruled out Kildare as it's too close to the World Masters Athletics 100K Championships which I hope to run if fit enough and that's in Italy on April 22nd .  Unfortunately the WMA 100K is  also on the same weekend as the London Marathon so that rules out a weekend in London yet again.

The Energia Belfast 24-hr race will have a change of venue next year due to works at the Mary Peters Track and for 2012 will be held in Bangor on 6th/7th July.  I'm hoping to run this race yet again but it may conflict with something else so it's yet to be confirmed.

I also plan on running as many shorter races as I can fit in with my preference being 5K & 10K and for starters I'm thinking about the Ballybunion 10K on April 7th.

Tapering and a few short races

Le Cheile Ladies & Gents Senior Teams

The weekend of the Donadea 50K marked the start of my Taper and to finish of that weekend I took part in the Kildare Road Race Championships Intermediate & Masters which was a short but fast 6K.  I was conscious of the previous days race being still in my legs and was prepared to drop out if needs be and planned on running easy to start rather than going all out and deciding on my pace based on how I felt after the first kilometer.  Didn't feel too good running to the start line during my warm up but felt good once the race started and pushed on to finish in 6th place and 1st over 40 in 21:53 and to make things even better our team finished 3rd with the ladies team also finishing 3rd.  Only seconds slower than last year and much better than I expected.

Le Cheile Ladies Team

Training volume has since reduced with lots of shorter but slightly faster runs of around 10K with the occasional longer run which I'm scaling down from 30K as the ACP gets closer.

Today I ran in the Kildare Senior Road Race Championships, a 10K which was hosted by my own club Le Cheile.  With the recent reduced volume I'm feeling better than usual as the legs get a chance to rest and recover so I knew there was a chance of doing well in this race but I also needed to keep my eye on the bigger picture and think about the race I'm training for in 2 weeks time.  I declared my time of 36mins to 36:30 before the race thinking that this was realistic and wouldn't be causing any unnecessary  stress or post race recovery.

I was hoping that a definite lead group would break away from the start and the temptation to race just wouldn't be there but my conservative fast pace still had me with the lead pack so with less than 1K covered I made the decision to drop back and run as planned.

It became obvious after the first half that I could have stayed with the lead pack as they never got further than 30M away and I even made up a few places as 2 guys fell back.  I was now in fifth place and contemplating making a push within the last 2K but decided against it and in the approach to the last 1K as the race doubled back towards the finish I could see that the lead pack had split and all were running at a faster pace and it was faster than I could have managed and I was glad that I held back as it would have been for nothing and would have cost me.
Finished in fifth place with 36min17sec and the team finished in 2nd place.  My time was 22 seconds faster than my win in Ballybunion last year so all in all it was a good day.
Garmin Connect for 10K Race.

Ballybunion 10K

The late start of 2pm allowed for a more relaxing start to the day and I took the advantage of a lie in till just after 9 and went for an easy 20 min run in the rain before breakfast. Had my usual pre race meal of 2 cinnamon and raisin bagels, 500ml carb drink and 3 cups of strong coffee seeing as I had time to spare. Finished eating shortly before 12 and spent the next hour sipping on a 500ml bottle of Nuun. My race kit was sorted from the night before so all in all it was a hassle free way to prepare for the race.

Arrived in Ballybunion for 1.10 with my wife & kids and began my pre race warm up of 20 mins very easy running in the rain (hr below 130bpm) and met my family as planned 10 mins before the start. They took my track suit bottoms, rain jacket, hat & gloves and I spent the next few minutes running a few 50M sprints at my planned race pace to start elevating my heart rate and get the body warmed up for what was to come.
With 3 minutes to go I lined up on the start line of the combined10K and half Marathon field and when the gun went I took off with the lead pack. The race started faster than I would have liked but I knew there was a sharp turn less than 200M away and it was probably a good idea to get that out of the way fast and before a possible jam.
Less than 1K into the race we hit the first of many hills and the pace slowed from close to 5 min mile to a more sensible 6 min mile and I was then glad I made the effort at the start.
The 10K competitors were to turn back at 5K and retrace their steps while the half marathon runners would keep going to complete a loop. I was unaware of who was running what race but there was a definite leader about 5 or more metres ahead followed by a group of maybe 5 including me. I was feeling the pressure but held on with the group all the time looking forward to turning at the half way and heading for home thinking that the all the hills were against us on the way out.
As we reach the 5K mark there's no one turning and I shout at an official asking is this the turnaround? It was and all of a sudden I'm on my own. I could now see the numbers on the chests of runners coming towards me and the main pack of 10K competitors were less than 10 metres behind. I felt afraid and it was an 'oh shit' moment. Did I go out too fast? Will my legs buckle on the hills? Can I maintain the lead? I was on my own so it was hard to set a pace as I didn't have anyone to work with so I thought 'just give it what you've got'. Being in the lead also meant I was running against the flow of competitors running mid pack and they weren't expecting to see me so I spent some time dodging bodies and shouting for a clear way. Although this sounds like a problem it was great to run amongst the crowd and get so many shouts of encouragement except for one lady that I heard say 'jesus the poor lad is fecked' :)
As I passed the last of the competitors close to the 7K mark it became an effort yet again and I did something I try not to do which was look over my shoulder. In the distance I could see runners on my tail and although I had what looked like 100M or more of a lead it scared me. I dug deep and ran as best I could up the hill I was on which eventually levelled out at a T junction.  On the way out this was the end of our first big climb so I knew it was downhill from here.
This was the 8K mark and I picked up a Garda escort which was to lead me in towards the finish. Knowing that my family were waiting at the finish I upped the pace, running as relaxed and fast as I could just focusing on the finish line. I couldn't spit, had snot dripping from my nose and felt my throat getting blocked. Getting into the final 1K there was one last climb to the finish and I could see my family waiting and cheering me on. Even now I was expecting to be outsprinted at the line so I started my sprint finish a bit sooner than usual and then it was all over.
Finishing time 36min 36sec. Heart Rate average was 159bpm.
Back to the long slow runs next week and I can't wait.