didn't run all week (since the 3rd of janruary! some neck going to a road race!) as I hadn't planned on going (because I didn't feel my absolute best) so I was dreading this one. I decided to do it on saturday.
Had a fairly decent run actually in near perfect conditions, 11 degrees with an occasional slight drizzle. Some Lithuanian olympic marathon runner won it in 24:47... He's 24 & he's a 2:16 marathon to his name - unbelievable! (He's 6 foot & 69kgs - I knew I was at least 5kgs overweight!!!).
Was with a group of 5 (we were 9-13th on the road at this stage) including my old pal mike from Maree AC for the 1st km, then I saw we went through that in 3:11 (but it's virtually all down hill - a very easy 1st km by most races standards - headfords 1st km is uphill), which honestly felt very easy but I knew the wheels would come off very soon if I didn't back off so I let them go & went into cruise control.
With that 1st km I really felt I was holding back & almost jogging, it was really weird as I'm in no shape to be mixing it at the front with the likes of the company I was keeping in that 1st km but it felt so easy - I felt any slower & I'd be doing myself an injustice so I went with it.
I'm finally learning how to race! It's taking me a while but I'm getting there. My first races were in 2013... Been at this a while now! haha...
Honestly that 1st km pace I reckon I could hold that for most of the race in a few years time when I'm stronger & more cycling running/training thrown in, art least I feel that's where I should be as everton who passed me after that point 35 odd people (I placed 50th out of 309 people - say 120 of those are "serious" runners - the rest of the entries are fun runners/joggers etc (>8 min mile pace)).
Yeah 3:10/km pace is tough & would put you in for a 25:30 8km say sub 26 anyways. Whatever about that I do believe I'm capable of breaking 27 mins for this distance - I suspect that'll be my lifetime goal. Thankfully I've time on my side, break 30 mins 1st, then we'll talk.
Of course what saved me was the cycling on tues eve & sat to work & brisk walking (2-3 miles) every day. I seem to respond well to lots of rest - that's for sure. I just never seemed to be a big trainer, can't do it... after 30 miles a week the body just packs up & I get injured etc, very annoying as the big gains come from say 30-40 miles a week to 50-60 miles a week, those people are 2 very different athletes. In short, my youth is saving me at the moment - wow I love being 22!
race results link: http://www.myrunresults.com/events/tuam_ac_8k_road_race/1983/results
2nd km in 7:10, 3rd km 11;10 also 4th km 15:12 & through 5km in 19:32 - that's 20 secs faster than I've ever been in at this point in an 8km race so that's good... At 6km I saw Zola from Sligo AC (1st woman) pass me & then I really threw in the towel! So yeah I slowed for sure towards the end but it's exactly what I though - I need more endurance. In time my son, in time!
I really gave up (as I did in the streets 2015 when I ran my 32:42 pb) at the 7km mark -could've gotten 32:30 if I pushed but I didn't fancy the suffering - I was just happy to be running a somewhat half decent time with no knee pain.
I knew I was gonna be ok as I went for a mile warm up before the start & I felt good so I knew I was ok. I then went for a 3km cool down with mike around Tuam town after the race - I was fine for the most part but the knee paid for it later in the evening, quite sore to bend, but it's a pain that you know for sure will go away if you give the joint some rest...
I'm writing this at 8 in the morning the day after & so far my knee is nearly perfect again - such a strange discomfort - monitoring it all the time is a nuisance! it's an achy/creaky discomfort on the side of my left knee. Went to bed at 10:30 last night & wanted to get up at 6. I'm getting healthier now!
Have my old clubs annual 8km to look forward to now on the 5th of feb, so I'm really looking forward to that. Hopefully I can keep myself in some sort of decent shape for it & break 32 (at least!).
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