Dublin Marathon 2012

Last Monday I ran the Dublin Marathon as one of the 3:30 Pacers.  This wasn't a planned day out but an unexpected opportunity which I'm glad I took.  Being so soon after the 24-hr World & European Championships I was unsure if it was a good idea as the added responsibility meant I couldn't just go with how I felt on the day and would be required to run and finish as planned.  The brief was to finish in 3:29.30 and my finish time was 3:29.17 as per the official results so it was almost perfect.

Tom Byrne Memorial 5K 2012 / Lucan Harriers

 

 A perfect day for a race and even though I'm still in recovery mode I knew this would be a good one.  The started the day with my usual pre breakfast run and I arrived at the race headquarters well ahead of time to allow time for a warm up and more importantly meet and chat with the usual suspects.  My plan for today came in 3 parts, 1: to run a PB, 2: to run sub 17 min if I started well,  3: sub 18 as fallback.  I hate including a fallback in my race plan as I believe you're either in or you're not and sometimes a fallback plan can give you a mental escape route but my way of preventing the cop out is to declare your plan to those you respect.

On the start line I spotted Eoin Brett from Newbridge AC and he regularly finishes ahead of me so I picked him out as a target and checked out his planned finish time which fitted in with my plan.  We ran together as part of a group with Eoin leading the way up to 2k and I then took the lead to give Eoin a break and we then stayed together up until 3K before splitting up.  I don't know if Eoin fell back or if I pushed on but by 4K I was out on my own and when you're on your own the incentive to push on isn't the same.

I can remember seeing the 4K marker and even though I knew in advance where it was I was thinking to myself that 1K is a long way to go and the voices in my head were telling me to slow down.  I tried to push harder and don't know if I did but when I reached the home stretch on the Lucan Harriers running track it felt like my pace was slowing.  In the distance I could hear my name being called and that pulled the trigger for the final sprint before the bend to the last 100M and I crossed the line in a new PB time of 17:20 which was enough to get me a category win in the O40.

     

During the few days before the race my training included a heavy squatting session that resulted in a bad case of the DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) and I don't think it had cleared by race day which has me thinking that when I can afford to rest and taper I'll really surprise myself.

Photos thank to:
Tony Brennan.
Peter Mooney.

Race Results.

Back to basics.

No 17 Personal Training.

With my season more or less over I've gone back to basics and on the advice of John Belton at No17 Personal Training have started on a Strength & Conditioning programme to improve Core Stability and Leg Strength while maintaining Fitness & Endurance.  John travelled to Holland with the Irish Team for the recent IAU 100K World & European Championships and based on his observations has come up with a plan to work on my weaknesses and make me stronger.

My weekly routine now includes 2-3 sessions with John which includes some Olympic Weight Lifting moves and Mobility Exercises.

Running Volume has reduced with less running distance but I'll continue to include some high intensity workouts and short races of up to 10K and Cross Country when available.  I'm already thinking ahead to next year and the intention is to recover from what I've done this year while building a strong base from which to start next year.
I'll post a more detailed explanation of my strength routine shortly.

Kildare Masters Cross Country Championships.

24-hr Irish Championships 2011.

I almost didn't run this race having abandoned my original plan after being selected to run in the Trail World Championships.  Even though this was my main event of the year due to the cancellation of the 24-hr World Championships all it took to change my mind was a chance to run in a green vest.  Some might have done the 2 races but for me going into the Trail Race I didn't want any mental distractions, I wanted to give it everything I had and I couldn't do that if I was thinking of or trying to save myself for a race that was only 2 weeks away.  I knew that during low points I may have taken it easy and consoled myself by thinking 'sure you've another race soon enough to make up for this effort' and thats how the mind works.  I'm not into just doing events and go for quality over quantity.

An early fall in the Trail Race meant I couldn't run to the best of my ability and because my pace was slowed the impact on my body was lessened and my recovery was quicker as I finished the race in better condition than I should have.  The injury seemed to heal quite quickly but there was still an underlying problem with my left hamstring which surfaced the following weekend after few short training runs.  I stopped training as soon as I knew it was getting worse and I phoned my massage therapist 'Peter Matthews' to arrange an appointment as soon as possible.  I met him on the Tuesday before the race and was back running that night on my club's grass track.  The juniors were training while I was running around checking my lap splits and comparing them with my heart rate to get a feel for race pace and the signs were good.
After finishing my run I was asked about my expectations for the race and I said I was going to win.

The night before the night before a race is the most important nights sleep and for some reason I didn't sleep too well and that was repeated on the night before the race which wasn't good because I had a full day ahead of me before starting the race and I knew it would be late on Saturday before I slept again.  Maybe those thoughts were keeping me awake but I tried not to think about it too much and because all my gear was packed and ready to go I decided to head for Belfast earlier than planned.

Arriving into Belfast I met with Ultra Running Ireland's John Collins.  John offered to crew my race and that was a big weight off my shoulders as I know from experience that it can be hard to make sensible decisions during these events and if you want to be competitive you need someone else to do the work.  John is very experienced at crewing and knew what to do which for me was a big confidence boost.  My job was to put one foot in front of the other and he would make sure I continued to do so.  We arrived at the track in good time and after setting ourselves up we met with some other competitors and friends including my team mate Marty Rea and training partner Jim McCormick.

Eddie Gallen, John O'Regan, Marty Rea & John Collins.

My plan was simple and it involved running at 2:10-2:15 per lap or less than 75% of my heart rate max.  This meant I was running well within my aerobic zone and using mostly fat as a fuel which lessened my need for 'too much food'. At the race start I positioned myself towards the back of the pack to avoid the fast start and within the first lap I was on pace and it wasn't long before I was lapped and it happened again and again...

My guess is some of the front runners blew up really badly because by the first turn around at 4-hrs I seemed to be in 2nd place which didn't sound right and didn't really suit my plan as I wanted to relax into this race and move up the leader board in the final quarter of the race.  That wasn't to be and before half way my steady pace had me in the lead and with that came a little bit of extra pressure..

Under Pressure.

 I stayed on my feet for the first 9 hours and then sat down by choice to eat a sandwich or should I say I was told to sit down by John as he was thinking ahead and wanted me to eat something solid.  To make the most of my break I used the opportunity to elevate my feet and check positions and timings to get an early feel for how the race was going even though it was way too early for it to be a true reflection of how the race could finish.  Getting back on my feet it wasn't long before I became the first runner to break 100K and then I broke 100 miles but to me these distances meant nothing as I'd been there so many times before.  I'm not being disrespectful to the distance but I know that if you set yourself an end goal and reach it then it can become harder to go beyond it.

Running through the night with Thomas Maguire

Night time temperatures dropped quite low so I changed into some warmer clothing and changed out of them as soon as I felt it warm enough again.  My timings were very consistent and I felt very comfortable running at this pace but as we started to get into the new day it got very hot.  I knew by my sweat rate and inability to take enough fluids on board that I could soon be in danger of dehydration or some form of heat related problem so I made the decision to ration my sweat by slowing the pace down.  I began to stop at the aid station to help with fluid replacement and I made extra toilet stops to monitor my urine flow and make sure it was 'still' flowing. For the last few hours I decided to do just enough to hold my lead and win the race but was prepared to stop if I thought it neccessary.  Eddie Gallen was closing in on my lead very steadily and I know what he's capable of doing having ran with him on a few occasions and the most recent being the 246K Spartathlon in Greece last September.  Eddie is the most consistent runner I know and he will just keep going and going until it's all over.

With 2hrs to go it was looking like I had done enough to keep my lead by just walking and that's what I did.  My family arrived around this time and Cian walked / jogged a few laps and kept me company as the end got closer.  Eddie caught up and we chatted through the final minutes and then it was all over.  I was declared the race winner with a distance of 213K / 132 miles and more importantly I was the Irish 24-hr Champion finishing just ahead of last year's Champion Eddie Gallen.  Eddie won the Irish Championship title last year with a distance of 223K in the 24-hr World & European Championships in Brive, France.

It's a strange felling at the end of a 24-hr race as there's no finish line and rather than getting that winning feeling I was just relieved it was all over.  I spent the next hour getting my photo taken and doing interviews with Deirdre Finn the winner of the Ladies Race with 181K / 112.5 Miles and then it was back to the clubhouse for the awards ceremony.  All competitors were called up individualy with their distances announced and it was nice opportunity to put a name with the face.  I finished the evening with a proper dinner and a few pints of Guinness back at the hotel and then it was lights out.

During the race I wore:

Saucony Pro Grid Guide
Teko Socks
Skins Shorts
Skins A400 Running Tights
Salomon Sleeves
Club Singlet Le Cheile A.C
Suunto T6D Heart Rate Monitor.

All my kit is available from Great Outdoors.

My Race / World Trail Championships 2011.

Opening Ceremony

I hadn't planned on running this race but jumped at the opportunity as its an honour to be asked  and even more so when it's a World Championship event.  Regardless of what my plans were this would now  take precedence.  Luckily enough I had sufficient notice to change the direction of my training and without delay I became event specific which is partly because my training is so varied and I never shy away from the hills.  Training went as well as I could have wanted and yet again I knew I'd be standing on the start line without any excuses and knowing that I was ready to give it a good shot and there was no doubt in my mind that I was race ready.

Seeing as I was running as an Individual Internationl Athlete rather than on the scoring Team I'll explain 'My' race as that's what I was running and I'm sure there's plenty of interesting accounts of this race and you'll find some on my blog list (for example).

 Pre Race Meeting

My plan was simple, arrive at the start line fully fuelled / hydrated and run without anything for the first hour and until reaching the first check point (CP1).  At CP1 Iwould have more than I'd need and this included a 500Ml carb drink and 500Ml electrolyte drink plus a gel.  My pick up decision would be made based on how I was feeling and I could get what I wanted without wasting time stopping to ask.

Kylemore Abbey and the Start Line.

Waiting for the start

The race started outside the front door of Kylemore Abbey and stayed inside the grounds before turning onto the main road into Letterfrack.  I knew this section would be the easiest to run and I expected it to be quite fast and didn't want to get caught up in running too fast too soon as can easily happen.  I controlled my effort by keeping an eye on my HR rather than the runner directly in front as I knew what lay ahead and it was going to be a long day.

Before entering the village of Letterfrack I could hear the cheers from the support crews of all the visiting nations and then the work began as expected.  The flatness of the road was replaced with a trail that climbed quite steeply to the summit of Diamond Hill.  I comfortably ran most of this with the occasional forced walk due to congestion or steepness.  Reaching the top after climbing over 400M felt effortless and I knew then that I was going to have a good day.  Descending Diamond Hill is quite steep and it wasn't long before my race changed when I lost my footing while trying to avoid a collision with runners slightly ahead and below. Jumping to the side I slipped and landed sideways on a stone step taking all the impact on my knee and hip.

Diamond Hill during our recce and the scene of my fall

As I stood up I thought to myself 'this is it, I'm out' but rather than just stopping and accepting defeat I  ran on a bit to check the damage. My knee was throbbing and I couldn't bend it too well but it did loosen up and I tried to lead as much as possible with my good side when jumping or landing.


The checkpoint wasn't too far away but it was downhill and that's what hurt the most as it was very similar to ITB pain but I knew that beyond the CP it was mostly uphill and if I managed to get some pain killers I might be ok so I went on.  Passing through the CP I took some pain killers and I think they started to work as I began my second descent of Diamond Hill and I made sure to be a little bit more cautious on the second descent. My knee was still hurting but nothing like it was earlier and I knew from experience that it was manageable and nothing worse than I'd had before so I won't mention it again.


Following on from the second descent the race turned away from Letterfrack and made it's way towards Benbaun on a route that would be retraced on the return.  No big deal under normal circumstances but without doubt this must be the toughest course I've ever ran and knowing that each energy draining step on the outward section would be there on the return to be covered with tired legs on an energy drained body.  The course took in everything that the Irish Countryside had to offer ranging from undulating fields that had never been ploughed, river crossings, forest trails, bog, marsh with waist deep sink holes, open mountain and pot holed roads.

Dan doing what he does.

The next CP was located 16K away and manned by the ever dependable 'John Collins' and he seemed to know I was on the approach as he stood there holding my hydration pack ready for me to almost run into.  He asked a few questions and I can remember replying no to them all but did mention what extra requirements I may have at the next CP beyond Benbaun so he could pass word on and this included another dose of pain killers. The route from here climbed gradualy upwards along a forest road and crossed a river via submerged stepping stones.  I was starting to feel the climb and then before I knew it I was turning into a very steep climb which was the start of Benbaun.  The first part of the ascent traversed along marshy ground before losing height to climb again and I was now reduced to a walk and scramble as it was impossible to run this.  Height was gained very quickly due to the steepness of the climb but it was energy sapping.  I could see the top from early on and focussed on getting there without any stops but soon discovered that the top was probably still 100M more climbing and that's when it gets really tough.




The descent of Benbaun was quite steep which meant loosing height quite quickly and before long I was down to almost the same starting altitude as I made my way to the next CP. I had a very smooth transition through CP3 and dropped my hydration pack for refilling and took some more pain killers and ran with a 500ml carb drink out and back to the turn around and collected my hydration pack on the return.  The turn around was on the opposite side of kylemore lough to the starting line so I knew that the return climb up Benbaun was going to be tougher than I originaly expected. As I was now retracing my steps I knew the end was in sight but I also knew what lay ahead and even though I didn't have any doubts I tried not to think too far ahead and stayed in the moment.  The climb up Benbaun was relentless and this time I did stop.  I'd never encountered anything as steep or tough in a race and even stopping had it's hazards as the steepness made it very easy to lose balance and it was almost like taking a break during a rock climb.  It's a chance to catch your breath but calf muscles are still working to keep you steady.  I could always see what looked like the top but knew from earlier that the top lay further from my view but what i could see was enough to focus on and it kept me going.

Thomas after the Benbaun descent.

Descending down the far side was at times like looking over a cliff it was that severe and it made for a very fast but cautious drop into the valley.  I dug my heels in and kept my bodyweight into the mountain side and was always prepared for and expecting a fall.  The falls or slips did happen but I was always ready and it wasn't long before the end was reached.  Next up was the crossing of a small stream and I remembered jumping it on the outward leg but now I went through it as I was now heading towrds marshy ground and my feet were going to get soaked again.  I moved quite quickly through the marsh but did go off course as I was looking at the ground rather than ahead and follwing the most direct route.  I fell a few more times but fell forward so didn't lose any time and then I was back onto a fire road through a forest.  This section was familiar but seemed longer and I began to wonder if I was going the right way.  I scanned the road ahead looking for any signs that a runner had passed and then I reached the river crossing that there was no mistaking that this was the right way.  Minutes later I was turning the bend on the approach to the last CP and 'John Collins' was ready as always andwithout any delay I was fuelled and gone.  The plan from here was to travel as light as possible with most of what I'd need inside me so I drank 500ml which i guessed was enough to get me home.  I also carried a smaller drink and a Powerbar gel in my shorts just in case it was needed as it was now very warm and I knew there was still some tough terrain ahead and more climbing to be done.


Halfway between the 2k and 1k to go marker board I started to feel weak and knew I was starting to bonk.  Without any delay I took my gel and walked a small while as i waited for it to kick in and it gave me a reason rather than an excuse to climb what was to be the last hill.  On reaching the top I was looking at Diamond Hill in the distance and began to think back to the race start and part of me didn't want the race to end, I wanted to climb Diamond Hill again.   Maybe it was the low blood sugar that was causing those thoughts and then all was good again as I began my final descent into Letterfrack.  There was no one ahead of or behind me so I didn't finish with a sprint and cruised to the finish line.

With John Collins at the Finish.

Apart from my Ireland Team Kit I wore:

• Salomon S- Lab 3 XT Wings
• Skins Shorts
• Salomon Exo Calf Guards
• X Socks
• Suunto T6D Watch / Heart Rate Monitor
• Gregory Hydration Pack
• Montane Rain Jacket in pack.

Food:

• Powerbar Energise* 2L or maybe 3L for full duration of race.
• Powerbar Gel * 3
• Powerbar Natural Energy bar * 1
• Powerbar Recovery * 3 servings

Additional Food Items

• Powerade * 500Ml
• Mars Refuel (after race)

Some Race Stats:

Total Ascent  = 2950 M
Total Descent = 2989 M

Total Distance = 71 K

Average HR = 138 bpm

Max Hr = 160 bpm.  

HR max was  reached during first ascent of Diamond Hill and apart from that my Hr never went above 155 bpm.

I never once felt like quitting even though I did think the fall would end my race.  My decision to go on was based on experience and knowing the difference between an injury and just pain.  My fuelling plan as usual worked perfectly and if I was to run the race again the only thing I'd do differently is that I wouldn't fall:)

100K World & European Championships

Reaching the finish line in Sparta Jarlath asked how I was feeling and I honestly felt like I still had a few kilometres left in me. My movement after the race was quite effortless and rather than head to my hotel I stayed at the finish line for a while to watch the other competitors finish.
I'm thinking that this was because of my overly cautious pacing out of respect for the race and the distance. In hindsight I know I could have gone faster but I still wouldn't have because my objective was to finish and not become one of the 70% by over cooking.


I had planned on taking a week or two of total rest before gradually starting back training and would then slot back into a regular routine with my club mates that would soon be recovering from the Dublin Marathon.

Less than a week after returning home I received a call from Ultra Running Ireland and was offered a place on the Irish Team for the 100K World & European Championships in Gibraltar.

Having raced the Anglo Celtic Plate (100K) a month after returning from Brive I know the endurance should be there but what I am lacking is leg speed. When training for the ACP I concentrated on running 800M reps similar to my regular Marathon routine but cramming the speed work caused some biomechanical problems and unplanned rest days. This time round my transition will be slightly different but follow the same principles while making best use of available time. One week of rest followed by a week of easy running to include double days as a time economical way of increasing distance. A peak week to include a few Tempo runs of 10K and a few longer runs of up to 30K at my planned race pace. This leaves me with two weeks to Taper and that will include a Sports Massage ten days before the race.

Anglo Celtic Plate 2010

It's almost a month since the 24-hr World Champs and my last blog entry so what have I been up to?  Well for starters I took a complete week of rest and forgot about running.  This meant keeping away from the running club and to resist temptation I switched to wearing my 'going out watch' rather than my usual Polar HRM or Garmin.   After my full week off I started back cycling and averaged around 40K per day as my commute to and from work before gradually starting back running with distances of less than 10K.
Last week I got an opportunity to see the new Polar product range for 2011 and I also met the Irish Legend  John Tracey at an information night for  The Great Ethiopian Run.

My weekly running is now back up to approx 70K and yet again I'm Tapering as next Friday I'm off to Boddington to take part in the 2010 Anglo Celtic Plate.  There's no way I can get fitter between now and the ACP so as usual my plan is to remain healthy, injury free and be as ready as I can be on race day.  The cycling has stopped and next week I'll do a few short but fast runs of less than 10K at slower than my 10K pace and including warm up and cool down.

24-hr World & European Championships.

The Team

Race report to follow shortly but for the moment I can say that I've returned with no regrets.  My legs are sore but my pride is still intact.

News Item from Ultra Running Ireland.

Eddie Gallen was the best Irish finisher at the 2010 European and World 24 Hour Championships. Eddie set an excellent new PB of well over 220km, beating his previous best by many kilometres.

John O'Regan also covered over 200km to finish strongly, but unfortunately the challenge of both Thomas Maguire and Eoin Keith effectively became undone when both suffered problems in the final third of the event.

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.

58 days to go.

The Le Cheile Team

Approaching the Finish

Almost all of my recent training has been done at an easy pace in preparation for my next 24-hour race and even though I should be running the occasional run at a faster pace I seem to be getting lazy and happy with the easier pace which makes it harder to step outside the comfort zone.

Yesterday I took part in the Kildare Road Race Championships and wasn't looking forward to it but to make sure I got the most from the day I declared my planned pace of 6 min mile which should be possible based on previous results.  Conditions were as close to perfect as you could wish for and the race went to plan.  Keeping an eye on my heart rate I spent the first mile gradually building up to race pace and as soon as I felt comfortable I made a break.  I ran most of the race on my own and managed to maintain an average 5:55 mile throughout.  Finishing with a short sprint finish I still had something in reserve for an 11 mile recovery run which made up for missing my usual Long Run.

My next race will be the Ballybunion 10K in 3 weeks time and hopefully I'll manage one or two proper speed sessions beforehand.

Update

I've been told that I haven't updated this blog for a bit. Well thats because I've nothing out of the ordinary to report as all I've been doing over the past few weeks is running and concentrating on increasing my endurance and falling into a regular training routine. My training so far is going to plan apart from a few recent unplanned days off which in turn have reduced my expected mileage but more importantly I'm injury free.

My next race is the Ballybunion 10K on April 03rd and I'm really looking forward to it as it'll be interesting to see how effectively I can run a short fast race in the middle of my Ultra Marathon training which is mostly long slow miles with very little speedwork as a percentage of weekly volume. At the moment I feel like I've no speed but we'll see what happens on the day.

Yet again I was asked to run with the Runner's World pacing team in the London Marathon which I've now slotted into my training plan and this will be my last long run before I start my taper for the 24-hour World Championship in May.


I had originaly planned on running the Connemara Ultra (39 Miles) but have since decided against it as I think it will be too much too close to my more important 24-hour race. I made a few mistakes last year and had a very disappointing race in Australia but if those mistakes help with my preparation for a more important race they'll be worthwhile.


Mileage to date: 410
Days off since Jan 01st: 6
Longest single run: 20 Miles.

World 24-Hour Team Announcement

Thomas Maguire and Eoin Keith, Ireland's top 24-Hour performers

Ireland will enter a men's team for the World 24-Hour Challenge & European Championships which will take place in Brive, France on 13-14 May 2010.

The team certainly has medal hopes in this competition: Eoin Keith finished 5th in the 2009 World Challenge and Thomas Maguire is ranked in the top six in the world for 2009.

On top of these performances, John O'Regan had an excellent debut at 24 hours in Londonin October, while Spanish-based Eddie Gallen continues to be Ireland's most dependable 24-hour runner, consistently chalking up 200km+ distances.

These four may be joined by Richard Donovan and Tony Mangan depending on their fitness and availability.

The top three finishers on each team decide team positions in the competition.

A full team of support personnel will also travel to Brive.

Performances of team members in past 12 months

Thomas Maguire 248.392km (Monaco, November 2009)

Eoin Keith 237.206km (Bergamo, May 2009)

John O'Regan 220.021km (London, October 2009)

Eddie Gallen 216.213km (Barcelona, December 2008)

Week 8

Started the week with a pain at the front of my lower leg / shin which I'm guessing was brought on by the camber of the roads over last weekend. Luckily I managed to book a lunchtime massage that had me close tears and as usual it did the trick.

Went for a very easy recovery type run on Monday evening but stopped after 3 miles because the pain was still there and decided to take the next two days off.

Took a chance with an easy run on Thursday on the grass track and threw in a few strides of less than 100M. Met Jarlath from the club just before I finished and together we knocked out a few extra strides.

My running shoes (Saucony Pro Grid Guide) were due for changing so I decided that now was as good a time as any so I picked up a new pair in the Great Outdoors on Friday and did 2 easy miles on the treadmill to try them out before the weekend.

Ran the Frank Duffy 10 Mile race on Saturday finishing in 65mins 10secs which is my worst time over that distance. My race started as planned with a 6:05 min mile and my plan was to run as close to an even 6:15 pace throughout. On the second lap of the 2 lap course my mile times dropped to 7min pace as soon as I hit the hills even though it didn't feel the I was slowing down. Checked my Heart Rate and it was lower than expected so I tried to push the pace but my legs wouldn't go any faster. I finished the race well under my goal time and I'm putting it down to not replenishing my carb stores since last weekend and not enough recent speed work.

Started to correct the problem as soon as I got home with the carbs and finished off the week with an early 21 mile long with Jarlath. We ran a fairly even 8:30 pace over a familiar route and what better way to spend a Sunday morning.

Week 4

A busy but enjoyable week with some good training sessions including 2 races and finishing with an 18 mile long run over a local but new route.
Yesterday I raced in the Irish Runner 5 Mile race in the Phoenix Park and because I'd decided to train through these early races I wasn't expecting good results. As detailed in my last post I was using my HR to determine effort rather than trying to maintain a constant pace as I normaly would when chasing a P.B (Personal Best).
Using my HR meant slowing on the hills and speeding up on the flats or downhills within reason so in some ways the races were a bit less pressurised although Tony was still there to keep me on my toes.
Suprisingly enough even after a full weeks training I finished both races with personal bests by a few seconds and seemed to recover quite quickly.
For my training sessions the day before each race I went for an easy effort and ran before work (6 a.m) which gave me an extra 12hrs recovery time. For these early morning sessions I would run on an empty stomach and have my breakfast when I got home. This might not suit everyone but is something I got used to when training for Ultra Marathons. Mind you I can also run within minutes of eating a full meal or eat as I'm running if needs be.

Because Tony and I had both raced twice this week we agreed that it would be sensible to run a slower than usual pace for our long run but we found ourselves constantly having to slow down to stay on pace. We talked all the way and anytime we lost concentration we seemed to drift back into what now seems to be our default long run pace of 7:30 min mile.

I'm sure that Tony would agree that a few months ago this pace would have been fast but after a while on a structured programme the body adapts through stress and recovery.
Train slow all the time and you will run slow all the time.

Army all terrain 6k race.

It's the start of week 2 in my Marathon plan and rather than run my scheduled 8 miler this evening I took part in the BHAA Army all terrain 6K race in the Phoenix Park.  What a race! The start was quite fast over a flat well groomed field and then the fun began.  The main section of the race started with a steep descent which ended with the start of a very steep climb and the start of the first of three loops.  

Each loop brought us along an undulating forest trail with man made and natural obstacles ranging from jump and fallen trees to scrim netting which we crawled under and river crossings.  Some of the climbs were so steep that ropes were needed.  During the first loop I was wishing it to end and towards the middle of the second lap when I'd got into a rhythm I wanted it to continue.  All in all a great race and I look forward to it again next year.  

Plan for tomorrow is a run home from work and then I'm back on track.

On the road again

As planned, last week was an easy week with a slight increase in duration from the week before to ease myself back into a regular routine without over doing it.  I included a few cycling days using my commuting time to cross train and make the most of my free time or maybe it was creating training time?  My week went a little bit like this:

Monday

Easy Run over Hilly Course: 6K

Tuesday

Cycle to/from work: 38K

Easy Run: 10K

Wednesday

Cycle to/from work: 38K

Steady Run: 12.8K

Thursday

Cycle to/from work: 38K

Friday

Steady Run work/home 17.6K

Saturday

Running Drills 2K

Sunday

5K Race in Lucan 5K  (18min45sec)

Total for Week: 58K Running & 114K Cycling

The best training plan is one that fits around your life rather than trying to fit your life around the training plan! During last week all my cross training was done during my commuting time and my run home on Friday which took 1hr 22min was also a commute which got me home 30mins later than usual but for that extra 30 mins I managed an 11 mile run.  My steady pace 8 miler on Wednesday was done while my kids were at Kick boxing, the easy run on Tuesday was my way of getting to an athletics competition the kids were competing in and the running drills on Saturday were done with my daughter .  How do I find the time to train?

Flora London Marathon 09

I arrived into London on Friday evening and shortly after booking into my hotel I started my carbo loading routine with a Pasta & Pizza meal before having an early night.  Remembering how busy the Marathon expo was last year I decided it best to head out to collect my race number and timing chip early on Saturday rather than rushing later on in the day.  Met up with Steven Seaton at the Runner's World stand and chatted for a bit before I did my numerous laps checking out all the stands at least twice which is one of my favourite things about Marathon running.

After an hour or so at the expo I headed back to my hotel via Greenwich Park and the Royal Observatory where at last I finally had my chance to stand on the Prime Meridian.  This has been one of my things to do since I stood at the geographic North Pole and the point where all the earths lines of longitude meet so that's another job done.

Race Day can be quite busy and because the Pacing team were meeting quite early my day started at 6am to allow for breakfast in my room, a quick shower and time to check out of the hotel before heading for the first train to Greenwich at 7am.  Met as planned with the Pacing team at 8:30am and following a quick chat we were assigned to our starting areas and I then made my way over to the Blue Start and Pen 3 at Blackheath.  

With this pace and distance I can manage with a minimum amount of fluid and my pre race plan was to drink only a mouthful of Lucozade at each aid station spaced 5K apart to keep my carbohydrate stores topped up and not bother with the water at the 1 mile intervals but that plan was based on the original weather forecast which mentioned clouds and showers.  The day couldn't have been more different and as I made my way to the start line I was thinking on my feet and the original plan changed.

The day was a lot hotter than I expected and this is when experience pays off as I knew in advance how much fluid I would need based on the air temperature and after meeting a few of the runners that would be using my services I assigned one to supply me with Lucozade Sport at every aid station and another to get my water if required. 

 

The first mile was to be our slowest at 8:33 min pace and over the next 5-6 miles I made up the lost seconds by running at times of between 7:50 - 8min with the occasional slower mile of no more than 10 seconds over.  After the half way mark we had established a good steady pace following the race line and i was drinking at every aid station and sweating it out as quickly.  Some of the group were starting to suffer but at mile 20 there were still a few familiar faces and a few more runners that we had passed decided to join up with us.  We talked our way up to mile 23 and then dug in for the final push.

The support all along the course has to be seen to be believed but on the approach to mile 25 the crowds seemed to get bigger and louder and although I've done this race a few times I was still distracted by the crowd and I missed the 26 mile mark.  I was looking around and double checking my watch and then I heard the BBC announcer calling for a big cheer to welcome in the Runner's World Pacer and I then crossed the line in 3hr 29min 30sec which overall was 29 seconds ahead of time.  My average Pace for the race was 7min 59 seconds and you won't get much closer than that..