I was looking forward very fondly to today. To be honest the last couple of weeks have been a slog. By my standards the last 15 weeks have been tough going. I’ve hit every weekly mileage target but the programme has become a slog. Out of the window has gone any thought of quality or speed – it’s just been a question of dogging out the miles set by Mr Higdon. Mentally I’ve had to lift myself to sustain the effort and again I wonder at and admire those ‘proper’ runners that churn out 120+mpw when I’m topping out today in the mid 40s. And I don’t have a family or a long commute and extended work hours to work around!
So anyway it was a fine Jersey morning and I decided to dispense with the iPod for once as I set off up the well-worn track to Corbiere. My PMP is still provisionally 10m/m and, after 10.22 two weeks ago in my first 20-miler I was hoping to get a bit closer today to set myself up for Cork. Onto the Railway Walk and up towards Les Quennevais I didn’t feel great but quite often I only find a rhythm at about five miles. Thankfully I dropped the water bottle by the hedge as I headed off on a circuit of the cycle track – this was a racecourse up until about 1960. The Les Quennevais Sports Centre has since been developed superbly and, apart from the indoor centre, there are facilities for tennis, netball, soccer, rugby and cricket as well as softball. In addition the petanque and croquet clubs have been able to set up headquarters here. Back onto the old railway line and on to Corbiere where I ditch the water bottle again. I did have a belt which accommodated a water bottle but this lies with lots more non-essential possessions in my friend Joan’s house in Cork; have you seen what the airlines charge for luggage these days? As it was I had to sweet-talk the girl at the Aer Lingus desk in December to avoid an excess charge.
Onto the first of three 2.3 mile loops of Petit Port and, after the first uphill slog I suddenly found a bit of life in my legs. I completed the three loops as the morning traffic increased, notably the motor bike convoys that roar about on a Sunday. With the help of NutriGrains and Jelly Babies I got around the loops OK and retrieved my now half-empty water bottle and headed for home with about 14 miles done. However I was now suffering a bit with achy upper arms and shoulders. I’m not sure why I sometimes get this but it is not pleasant. Neither is it helped by toting water and, after a final swig, I tossed the bottle aside. I feel very guilty about littering but such is the litter problem in Jersey I suppose my unusual lapse won’t make much difference. I was pleased with the way I was able to hang on over the latter miles, now battling against the tide of charity walkers and cyclists along the seafront. Back home without any walk breaks – 20.27 miles in 3:33.03 = 10.31m/m. In truth I’m a bit disappointed with that pace, albeit that route has its share of climbs. On the plus side the run got done and, on the face of it, the marathon ought to get done if my approach on the day is correct.
So it’s taper time, though Mr Higdon is still calling for 32 miles next week, with the Hash Half Marathon next Sunday. It will be interesting to see if I can produce anything near a 1:50 off the back of this period of heavy, slow miles.
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Monday, May 17, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
Bluebells, violets, snowdrops, buttercups...
It was my last chance of an ‘easy’ long run ahead of the CCM in four weeks time. Instead of the growing torture of the Railway Walk I headed north on this the 65th anniversary of the liberation of Jersey from Nazi occupation. Heading up Westmount Road I was, as usual, looking everywhere except where I was going. Over to the left is Overdale Hospital but I was more interested in recollecting that Alderney won their one and only Muratti Cup on the football pitch that used to be there, many years ago. A few yards further on is the Crematorium and, within the grounds, a memorial to the slave workers who toiled and often died under the Germans during the war. It served me right when I went over painfully on my ankle on the kerb at that point. Painful though it was it was never going to be a game-breaker and I managed to hobble on and ran it off within a few minutes.
Settling down after the uphill and injury-stricken start I headed up towards St John taking the left before Hautes Croix into Les Chenolles. It was there that I realised what a profusion of hedgerow flowers are around at the moment. Add to these the further colours of the flowers growing in the gardens of the many posh properties out here in the country. Being a townie I can’t name a single one of them. Nevertheless I feel sorry for those that can’t spare the time to appreciate the simpler pleasures of life.
Turning left onto the St Lawrence Main Road you take your life in your hands, but that was solved as I needed to find some miles and I hung a right at St John’s Manor and took the quiet roads to circle back to the main road at Carrefour Selous. Here until quite recently there stood the great old Carrefour Selous pub. Now it is a private house and I hope fervently that the owners periodically suffer from a maddening thirst and have to travel several miles from there to slake it.
Across the road and along towards Hamptonne but, glancing at the Garmin, I need to extend the run again to get a full 12 miles in. So I loop right and back across the main road into Mont Sorsoleil. Turning right down a ‘green lane’ there is a surprise, which is always likely in Jersey. It is a ‘no entry except for access’ and soon I see why. Trotting past the big house the lane narrows to no more than a couple of feet wide and it snakes around the back of the property so that one feels like a trespasser. But you pop out into the lanes again to go past an old parish ‘pompe’ before emerging once more at Carrefour Selous.
Once more across the main road and this time headed for home. Past Hamptonne, one of the jewels in the crown of the Island’s heritage, sadly closed right now for economic reasons. Down the quiet and familiar Waterworks Valley still admiring the wildlife. Onto the inner road and back through St Andrew’s Park. 12.7 miles in 2:08, about 10.08m/m and as relaxing and enjoyable a run as you can imagine.
Settling down after the uphill and injury-stricken start I headed up towards St John taking the left before Hautes Croix into Les Chenolles. It was there that I realised what a profusion of hedgerow flowers are around at the moment. Add to these the further colours of the flowers growing in the gardens of the many posh properties out here in the country. Being a townie I can’t name a single one of them. Nevertheless I feel sorry for those that can’t spare the time to appreciate the simpler pleasures of life.
Turning left onto the St Lawrence Main Road you take your life in your hands, but that was solved as I needed to find some miles and I hung a right at St John’s Manor and took the quiet roads to circle back to the main road at Carrefour Selous. Here until quite recently there stood the great old Carrefour Selous pub. Now it is a private house and I hope fervently that the owners periodically suffer from a maddening thirst and have to travel several miles from there to slake it.
Across the road and along towards Hamptonne but, glancing at the Garmin, I need to extend the run again to get a full 12 miles in. So I loop right and back across the main road into Mont Sorsoleil. Turning right down a ‘green lane’ there is a surprise, which is always likely in Jersey. It is a ‘no entry except for access’ and soon I see why. Trotting past the big house the lane narrows to no more than a couple of feet wide and it snakes around the back of the property so that one feels like a trespasser. But you pop out into the lanes again to go past an old parish ‘pompe’ before emerging once more at Carrefour Selous.
Once more across the main road and this time headed for home. Past Hamptonne, one of the jewels in the crown of the Island’s heritage, sadly closed right now for economic reasons. Down the quiet and familiar Waterworks Valley still admiring the wildlife. Onto the inner road and back through St Andrew’s Park. 12.7 miles in 2:08, about 10.08m/m and as relaxing and enjoyable a run as you can imagine.
Westaways and Murratis
My Saturday mornings invariably used to be spent at the track, usually coaching or at least mixing with the track crowd. I’ll get back to that at some stage I think, but in the meantime I’ve developed other little interests. One of these is local history and this Saturday I spent a couple of hours in the library reading Daff Noel’s historical novel ‘The Poor Shall Inherit.’ The subject is the Westaway family whose name is well known to this day due to the trusts named after them. In particular generations of Protestant schoolchildren of the working classes benefitted from vouchers entitling them to ‘Westaway Shoes’, though, due to their hard-wearing functionality, said children weren’t always grateful when being fitted out for them.
Anyway Ms Noel’s novel describes how Nathaniel Westaway came to Jersey in the early years of the 19th century, married and had five children, though one son died early. He was a master builder and lived in town in Don Street next to his builder’s yard. As he advanced in years he sold the business and moved his family to the outskirts of town. This home was one of six he had built in a crescent in the Le Coie area at the foot of St Saviour’s Hill. In the meantime he had gifted a house in Belmont Road to his eldest son John, who turned out, according to Ms Noel, to be the black sheep.
Not knowing either of these properties I went for a little walk en route to the match at Springfield. John’s house in Belmont Road, Surrey Lodge, is now a guest house that I must have walked past a hundred times. It’s nondescript from the outside and indistinguishable from many others. So onwards in search of St Saviour’s Crescent, Nathaniel’s second home. And there it is on the main St Saviour’s Road, a little set back. There used to be gardens in front but of course that is now parking. The Westaway home is no.1, detached and the one furthest from town. I stood and gawped like I’d never seen a rather neglected Victorian crescent before. But I’m fascinated now by these places which we mainly ignore as we pass by but which have such a place in our history.
The Westaways used to walk in a nearby meadow called the Spring Fields. Today at Springfield Jersey hosted Guernsey in the annual Muratti. (Each year Alderney host one or other of their rival islands in the semi-final but the only question is the margin of defeat.) I’ve not been to a local footy match for a few years and the quality has not improved in the meantime. Guernsey deservedly won 1-0 but only because of a brainstorm by the Jersey goalie who brought down the Guernsey striker after the ball had been played well away from danger. I was pleased that Jersey didn’t force extra time. By that stage I was well fed up with the aggressive posturing of the rival island youths, and the unpleasant ‘banter’ of many older blokes, from both islands, who ought to grow up. In fact some of the banter was passably witty and I might be less grumpy if every such exchange wasn’t spiced with f*ck, f*ckin’ and variations thereon. I’m not sure why I’m so girlie about this as I followed Birmingham City through most of the 60s and 70s, and those occasions weren’t Sunday School outings. Maybe it’s being involved in athletics where the competition is hard but done with respect has got me this way.
Anyway Ms Noel’s novel describes how Nathaniel Westaway came to Jersey in the early years of the 19th century, married and had five children, though one son died early. He was a master builder and lived in town in Don Street next to his builder’s yard. As he advanced in years he sold the business and moved his family to the outskirts of town. This home was one of six he had built in a crescent in the Le Coie area at the foot of St Saviour’s Hill. In the meantime he had gifted a house in Belmont Road to his eldest son John, who turned out, according to Ms Noel, to be the black sheep.
Not knowing either of these properties I went for a little walk en route to the match at Springfield. John’s house in Belmont Road, Surrey Lodge, is now a guest house that I must have walked past a hundred times. It’s nondescript from the outside and indistinguishable from many others. So onwards in search of St Saviour’s Crescent, Nathaniel’s second home. And there it is on the main St Saviour’s Road, a little set back. There used to be gardens in front but of course that is now parking. The Westaway home is no.1, detached and the one furthest from town. I stood and gawped like I’d never seen a rather neglected Victorian crescent before. But I’m fascinated now by these places which we mainly ignore as we pass by but which have such a place in our history.
The Westaways used to walk in a nearby meadow called the Spring Fields. Today at Springfield Jersey hosted Guernsey in the annual Muratti. (Each year Alderney host one or other of their rival islands in the semi-final but the only question is the margin of defeat.) I’ve not been to a local footy match for a few years and the quality has not improved in the meantime. Guernsey deservedly won 1-0 but only because of a brainstorm by the Jersey goalie who brought down the Guernsey striker after the ball had been played well away from danger. I was pleased that Jersey didn’t force extra time. By that stage I was well fed up with the aggressive posturing of the rival island youths, and the unpleasant ‘banter’ of many older blokes, from both islands, who ought to grow up. In fact some of the banter was passably witty and I might be less grumpy if every such exchange wasn’t spiced with f*ck, f*ckin’ and variations thereon. I’m not sure why I’m so girlie about this as I followed Birmingham City through most of the 60s and 70s, and those occasions weren’t Sunday School outings. Maybe it’s being involved in athletics where the competition is hard but done with respect has got me this way.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Twenty miler #1
It took me a little while to get my ass out of the door for my long run on Sunday. Maybe it was because it was the first of two 20-milers ahead of the Cork City Marathon in five weeks time. Also the weatherman was promising cold northerlies which are never inviting. Eventually it was only the realisation that I’d miss the Man City v Chelsea radio commentary if I didn’t get started got me out of the door.
I needn’t have worried. I held back the pace jogging up to St Aubin and onto the Railway Walk. The Spartan 10-miler was coming the opposite way and it was nice to hear, from one of the tail end ladies who I didn’t recognise a ‘good to have you back!’ Four miles gets one to the cycle track at Les Quennevais and I took a circuit of that to add the mile that I’d need for the full distance. Then I absolutely glided down to Corbiere realising that running is, very occasionally, easy. I was really in the zone for a while there albeit I was still trying to stay slower than 10m/m. I dropped off my water bottle at the end of the track. This is at the old Corbiere Station that has been wonderfully modernised and sits on the market for a cool £2.3m! Three loops around Petit Port followed, each of 2.3 miles. There is a steep drop away from Corbiere but of course the corresponding uphill follows. Despite an energy bar and several Jelly Babies I was no longer in the zone as, after about 14 miles, I headed for home.
I’m beginning to hate the slog up what is a gentle enough slope from Corbiere back to Les Quennevais. It always comes when my resistance is at its lowest. However I count it as good mental training. My legs were definitely a lot weaker by the time I hit St Aubin again and plodded the couple of miles home. It wasn’t at all comfortable in the end but 20.15 @ 10.22m/m is pretty satisfactory. Just one more of those to come in a fortnight’s time.
I needn’t have worried. I held back the pace jogging up to St Aubin and onto the Railway Walk. The Spartan 10-miler was coming the opposite way and it was nice to hear, from one of the tail end ladies who I didn’t recognise a ‘good to have you back!’ Four miles gets one to the cycle track at Les Quennevais and I took a circuit of that to add the mile that I’d need for the full distance. Then I absolutely glided down to Corbiere realising that running is, very occasionally, easy. I was really in the zone for a while there albeit I was still trying to stay slower than 10m/m. I dropped off my water bottle at the end of the track. This is at the old Corbiere Station that has been wonderfully modernised and sits on the market for a cool £2.3m! Three loops around Petit Port followed, each of 2.3 miles. There is a steep drop away from Corbiere but of course the corresponding uphill follows. Despite an energy bar and several Jelly Babies I was no longer in the zone as, after about 14 miles, I headed for home.
I’m beginning to hate the slog up what is a gentle enough slope from Corbiere back to Les Quennevais. It always comes when my resistance is at its lowest. However I count it as good mental training. My legs were definitely a lot weaker by the time I hit St Aubin again and plodded the couple of miles home. It wasn’t at all comfortable in the end but 20.15 @ 10.22m/m is pretty satisfactory. Just one more of those to come in a fortnight’s time.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Crusaders junior relay teams in Nenagh
It was great to hear news of the young Crusaders who qualified for the national relays finals at Nenagh recently. Last year it was the U12 and U13 girls that shlepped up to Magherafelt. They finished 9th and 7th respectively and we had a great day.
This year the girls are, of course, a year older and therefore they formed U13 and U14 teams. Both again qualified for the finals from the Dublin Championships. This year the U12 boys qualified alongside them, the results being as follows.
U12B – Allen, Barry, Saunders, Walsh 6th
U13G – Doran, Ferry (N), O’Leary, Shields 6th
U14G – Barry, Deevy, McGuill, Murray 8th
My correspondent, coach Moira Loschler, tells me that once again a great time was had by all. The kids especially enjoyed running on the banked boards at Nenagh. Maybe it’s because the Crusaders’ junior section is so new but it’s a feature that all the youngsters genuinely seem to love the sport and competition in particular.
I’ll be seeing them all again in June and I can’t wait!
This year the girls are, of course, a year older and therefore they formed U13 and U14 teams. Both again qualified for the finals from the Dublin Championships. This year the U12 boys qualified alongside them, the results being as follows.
U12B – Allen, Barry, Saunders, Walsh 6th
U13G – Doran, Ferry (N), O’Leary, Shields 6th
U14G – Barry, Deevy, McGuill, Murray 8th
My correspondent, coach Moira Loschler, tells me that once again a great time was had by all. The kids especially enjoyed running on the banked boards at Nenagh. Maybe it’s because the Crusaders’ junior section is so new but it’s a feature that all the youngsters genuinely seem to love the sport and competition in particular.
I’ll be seeing them all again in June and I can’t wait!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
A Jersey Tragedy
I came across a sad little story when doing a little local historical research. This occurred way back in August 1934. For a few years in the '30s, before Jersey Airport was built, planes used to land on the beach at West Park. This was of course the dawning of the age of commercial air travel and Jersey Airways at the time offered flights to and from London (Heston), Portsmouth and Rennes.
(The first aircraft actually landed on the beach in 1912, but this was as part of a French race. The pilot apparently got very fed up with the Jersey folk mobbing his plane, preventing him from taking off again and costing him the race.)
Of course Health & Safety didn't have capital letters in those days. If a plane was expected, or was ready to take off, people were just shooed away a bit. Anyway it was late one Saturday afternoon and the aircraft St Ouen's Bay lined up to take off to the west. As it gathered power it slewed to the right. The captain was unable to straighten up or to halt the aircraft. It hit a nine-year old lad, name of Denis Dutot, and killed him more or less outright, with his friend being badly hurt. It was the first aviation-related death in Jersey.
I wonder if the descendants of the lad's family still live in Jersey? I might do the research in due course. In the meantime I hope young Denis is resting in peace.
(The first aircraft actually landed on the beach in 1912, but this was as part of a French race. The pilot apparently got very fed up with the Jersey folk mobbing his plane, preventing him from taking off again and costing him the race.)
Of course Health & Safety didn't have capital letters in those days. If a plane was expected, or was ready to take off, people were just shooed away a bit. Anyway it was late one Saturday afternoon and the aircraft St Ouen's Bay lined up to take off to the west. As it gathered power it slewed to the right. The captain was unable to straighten up or to halt the aircraft. It hit a nine-year old lad, name of Denis Dutot, and killed him more or less outright, with his friend being badly hurt. It was the first aviation-related death in Jersey.
I wonder if the descendants of the lad's family still live in Jersey? I might do the research in due course. In the meantime I hope young Denis is resting in peace.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Bad run
These bad runs come at inexplicable times. There’s usually no pattern or apparent cause. And if you always felt this way during a run no one in their right mind would do it. You’d go and do something else energetic and outdoors-based but without having to reach so deep for remaining resolve and physical reserves.
This isn’t a whinge. There’s a training log on boards.ie that’s headed ‘The Moaniness of the Long Distance Runner’, a great title. But generally there’s not a lot of whinging in the running community – you know what you are getting into so there’s no sympathy and nor should there be.
After a good running week I set off in good spirits yesterday, 18 miles the target in 10.30m/m, iPod on shuffle, water in hand and a couple of energy shots on my belt. Within a mile or two I knew it was going to be one of ‘those’ runs where it’s going to be no fun and where you just have to grit it out. From First Tower, up the Railway Walk and a lap around the cycle track at Les Quennevais to make up the mileage. Onto Corbiere and two loops around Petit Port before heading back on the return journey. It was like the Burma Road and, by the time I staggered back in the door, the 18 miles had taken me 3:19 = 11.02m/m.
I haven’t felt quite as bad afterwards since completing the Longford Marathon. Legs cramping and spasming, sick and dizzy, needing to eat and drink but not having the strength to do so. But as at Longford everything returned to relative normality after an hour or so.
The plus points are (1) all runs aren’t quite as bad, (2) I did get the 18 miles done with very few walk breaks and (3) the warm weather was good acclimatisation for the usual Cork heatwave! Seven weeks to go, flying conditions permitting.
This isn’t a whinge. There’s a training log on boards.ie that’s headed ‘The Moaniness of the Long Distance Runner’, a great title. But generally there’s not a lot of whinging in the running community – you know what you are getting into so there’s no sympathy and nor should there be.
After a good running week I set off in good spirits yesterday, 18 miles the target in 10.30m/m, iPod on shuffle, water in hand and a couple of energy shots on my belt. Within a mile or two I knew it was going to be one of ‘those’ runs where it’s going to be no fun and where you just have to grit it out. From First Tower, up the Railway Walk and a lap around the cycle track at Les Quennevais to make up the mileage. Onto Corbiere and two loops around Petit Port before heading back on the return journey. It was like the Burma Road and, by the time I staggered back in the door, the 18 miles had taken me 3:19 = 11.02m/m.
I haven’t felt quite as bad afterwards since completing the Longford Marathon. Legs cramping and spasming, sick and dizzy, needing to eat and drink but not having the strength to do so. But as at Longford everything returned to relative normality after an hour or so.
The plus points are (1) all runs aren’t quite as bad, (2) I did get the 18 miles done with very few walk breaks and (3) the warm weather was good acclimatisation for the usual Cork heatwave! Seven weeks to go, flying conditions permitting.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Eight weeks to go to Cork
My life has become a round of run, work, listen to radio football commentary, sleep. Since I began my marathon training in earnest I am finding that I have little time for anything else. I just have no idea how those runners with families, long commutes and mileage targets far higher than mine do it.
I’m setting the alarm for my midweek runs (Tues, Wed, Thurs) following the habit I started in Dublin. I soon discovered that city running is not much fun in the evenings and that, once it becomes a habit, dragging your ass out of bed early doors isn’t so bad. And, like in Dublin, I have only a short walk to the office so 5.45 is really the earliest I need get up.
I’ve yet to get back into the swing of coaching again. Although I really enjoy it I’m not inclined to dive back into it just yet; and the club are doing perfectly well without my input. Therefore when the weekends come I’m pretty much free to set up my runs when I like. The long run on Sunday I tend to do at lunchtime so that I can collapse listening to 5Live for the rest of the afternoon.
I’ve done a bit of creative writing recently but that has been put to one side. I’m rarely in a frame of mind to sit down and be creative. A few hours over Easter, that’s all recently. Alcohol intake is being restricted to a drop of wine on Saturday and a few beers on Sunday.
And when the marathon’s done on 7th June? Short term it will be World Cup watching, which will inevitably involve beer. But then I’ll need another target. I don’t want to let my weight creep up and my fitness levels fall away too much. The Jersey Marathon is on 3rd October. Whether or not that is wise or whether I’ll have the inclination is debateable.
In the short term though it’s a second run of the day this evening, about five miles. Then a short one on Saturday before an 18-miler on Sunday. For that one I intend firing up the Virtual Partner facility on my Garmin to try to even out my pacing.
Meanwhile I've my ticket booked Jersey-Cork, 5th June with Scaer Arann.
I’m setting the alarm for my midweek runs (Tues, Wed, Thurs) following the habit I started in Dublin. I soon discovered that city running is not much fun in the evenings and that, once it becomes a habit, dragging your ass out of bed early doors isn’t so bad. And, like in Dublin, I have only a short walk to the office so 5.45 is really the earliest I need get up.
I’ve yet to get back into the swing of coaching again. Although I really enjoy it I’m not inclined to dive back into it just yet; and the club are doing perfectly well without my input. Therefore when the weekends come I’m pretty much free to set up my runs when I like. The long run on Sunday I tend to do at lunchtime so that I can collapse listening to 5Live for the rest of the afternoon.
I’ve done a bit of creative writing recently but that has been put to one side. I’m rarely in a frame of mind to sit down and be creative. A few hours over Easter, that’s all recently. Alcohol intake is being restricted to a drop of wine on Saturday and a few beers on Sunday.
And when the marathon’s done on 7th June? Short term it will be World Cup watching, which will inevitably involve beer. But then I’ll need another target. I don’t want to let my weight creep up and my fitness levels fall away too much. The Jersey Marathon is on 3rd October. Whether or not that is wise or whether I’ll have the inclination is debateable.
In the short term though it’s a second run of the day this evening, about five miles. Then a short one on Saturday before an 18-miler on Sunday. For that one I intend firing up the Virtual Partner facility on my Garmin to try to even out my pacing.
Meanwhile I've my ticket booked Jersey-Cork, 5th June with Scaer Arann.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Bat out of Don Bridge
The last time I listened to Meat Loaf’s amazing, full-length concert version of Bat Out Of Hell it was in the lanes above Cork. On that occasion my earphones packed up on the third run through of the track.
Well the midweek runs are getting longer and this morning I clipped on the iPod along with the luminous bib. It’s beautiful running along St Aubin’s Bay in the dawn. 2.5 miles on the flat then 1.5 miles up the long gradient of the Railway Walk. A pretty desultory pace really and I turned just beyond Don Bridge resolving to pick it up a little. And what track should come along just as I started back? So of course I looped it and, for the first time in a couple of weeks, I found a bit of speed. My LSRs I want to be running at slower than PMP (10m/m) but it is good to run faster on the shorter efforts.
I would have given plenty to have been standing in front of the speakers the night this track was recorded – you can keep your Eye Of The Tiger. So, inspired by the music, the contours of the first part of the return journey and a succession of good-looking lady runners (was one of them the legend that is Claire Lidster?) I completed a pleasing split of 41/34. What’s not to like about running?
Well the midweek runs are getting longer and this morning I clipped on the iPod along with the luminous bib. It’s beautiful running along St Aubin’s Bay in the dawn. 2.5 miles on the flat then 1.5 miles up the long gradient of the Railway Walk. A pretty desultory pace really and I turned just beyond Don Bridge resolving to pick it up a little. And what track should come along just as I started back? So of course I looped it and, for the first time in a couple of weeks, I found a bit of speed. My LSRs I want to be running at slower than PMP (10m/m) but it is good to run faster on the shorter efforts.
I would have given plenty to have been standing in front of the speakers the night this track was recorded – you can keep your Eye Of The Tiger. So, inspired by the music, the contours of the first part of the return journey and a succession of good-looking lady runners (was one of them the legend that is Claire Lidster?) I completed a pleasing split of 41/34. What’s not to like about running?
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Solid progress
An easy enough week following Mr Higdon’s Inter I programme – just 31 miles. It steps up significantly from here on in though with the next seven weeks being tough ahead of a two week taper.
Probably the highlight was on Wednesday morning when my second-longest run of each week is scheduled. The high tide and strong winds were sending the waves crashing over the sea wall and forcing closure of part of the Avenue for a time. Spectacular for the runner but the temptation is there to get too close to the action.
I’m continuing to do my midweek runs before work, a habit I got into in Dublin. I always enjoyed that basic four-miler through Docklands and Grand Canal Square, over the locks at Ringsend and over the East Link to return up the far side of the Liffey. I wonder how the stalled developments and struggling coffee outlets are doing these days.
I’m happily working away with a small but successful law firm here in St Helier. Whilst it was never my intention to return to Jersey life is good here. I’ve made good use of my downtime by writing a novel and researching a second, which I’ve now started. One of these fine days they’ll be published and printed, though probably at my own expense.
Probably the highlight was on Wednesday morning when my second-longest run of each week is scheduled. The high tide and strong winds were sending the waves crashing over the sea wall and forcing closure of part of the Avenue for a time. Spectacular for the runner but the temptation is there to get too close to the action.
I’m continuing to do my midweek runs before work, a habit I got into in Dublin. I always enjoyed that basic four-miler through Docklands and Grand Canal Square, over the locks at Ringsend and over the East Link to return up the far side of the Liffey. I wonder how the stalled developments and struggling coffee outlets are doing these days.
I’m happily working away with a small but successful law firm here in St Helier. Whilst it was never my intention to return to Jersey life is good here. I’ve made good use of my downtime by writing a novel and researching a second, which I’ve now started. One of these fine days they’ll be published and printed, though probably at my own expense.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Jersey v Guernsey cross country
Saturday’s boat brought the Guernsey Island AAC cross country runners to compete in the annual match against Jersey Spartan AC. The event took place at Les Creux Country Park, happily saved a number of years back from being turned into a golf course.
All ages are represented from junior (U13) up to senior vets. The power in inter-island cross country has evolved in a strange way. Guernsey’s senior men have won what is considered the ‘blue riband’ category for the last 16 years. And not only have they won in recent years but they have filled most of the top ten places. It was therefore a surprise when only two of their really top boys showed up on Saturday, Steve Dawes winning by a huge margin and Alan Rowe a comfortable second. However young Tom Kearns grabbed a rare third place. After that it looked like Guernsey did enough to win again, but it will have been by a lesser margin than usual.
Conversley the Jersey women have generally held the whip hand, but the ladies are getting no younger. Jo Gorrod (2nd) and Claire Forbes (4th) are now in the vets category and Louise Perrio and Martine Scholes of Guernsey were 1st and 3rd. The scoring in this event has always been strange but, although the Spartan blue dominated further back I reckon the Guernsey senior ladies will have won their trophy.
Happily, Jersey’s juniors have built up to come from virtually nowhere to at least parity with their neighbours in recent times. This has had much to do with Paul Raimbault’s dedication and organisation, not forgetting Peter Hinds who has organised the junior winter cross country league for many years now.
All ages are represented from junior (U13) up to senior vets. The power in inter-island cross country has evolved in a strange way. Guernsey’s senior men have won what is considered the ‘blue riband’ category for the last 16 years. And not only have they won in recent years but they have filled most of the top ten places. It was therefore a surprise when only two of their really top boys showed up on Saturday, Steve Dawes winning by a huge margin and Alan Rowe a comfortable second. However young Tom Kearns grabbed a rare third place. After that it looked like Guernsey did enough to win again, but it will have been by a lesser margin than usual.
Conversley the Jersey women have generally held the whip hand, but the ladies are getting no younger. Jo Gorrod (2nd) and Claire Forbes (4th) are now in the vets category and Louise Perrio and Martine Scholes of Guernsey were 1st and 3rd. The scoring in this event has always been strange but, although the Spartan blue dominated further back I reckon the Guernsey senior ladies will have won their trophy.
Happily, Jersey’s juniors have built up to come from virtually nowhere to at least parity with their neighbours in recent times. This has had much to do with Paul Raimbault’s dedication and organisation, not forgetting Peter Hinds who has organised the junior winter cross country league for many years now.
If it ain't rainin' it ain't trainin'
A good week’s training, which is a relief after the week before when bad things were happening. On Thursday I went out in the evening for a second run, to get the miles up. As far as I can remember that’s the first time I’ve run twice in a day. A completely new experience starting on tired legs but satisfying to complete.
Last Sunday’s long run was about 8 on the scale of 1-10 of nightmares. Happily I got that one out of my system yesterday. A nice 15.15 miles up the Railway Walk, once around the Petit Port loop and back, with a diversion around the cycle track at Les Quennevais to ensure completing 15 miles. The weather closed in after a few miles and the heavy mist and increasing drizzle meant there weren’t too many Sunday walkers, bikes or dogs around.
I ran with Fairport Convention – it’s been a while since I’ve played their collection Meet on the Ledge all the way through. I can get teary at unexpected moments and the track White Dress, a simple, sentimental song beautifully sung by Sandy Denny got me going a bit as I splashed through the last mile.
So, ten weeks to go to the Cork Marathon, eight until the Hash Half. After a step-back week this week the miles crank up to 41 next week. I think I’ve only gone over 40 miles once before!
Last Sunday’s long run was about 8 on the scale of 1-10 of nightmares. Happily I got that one out of my system yesterday. A nice 15.15 miles up the Railway Walk, once around the Petit Port loop and back, with a diversion around the cycle track at Les Quennevais to ensure completing 15 miles. The weather closed in after a few miles and the heavy mist and increasing drizzle meant there weren’t too many Sunday walkers, bikes or dogs around.
I ran with Fairport Convention – it’s been a while since I’ve played their collection Meet on the Ledge all the way through. I can get teary at unexpected moments and the track White Dress, a simple, sentimental song beautifully sung by Sandy Denny got me going a bit as I splashed through the last mile.
So, ten weeks to go to the Cork Marathon, eight until the Hash Half. After a step-back week this week the miles crank up to 41 next week. I think I’ve only gone over 40 miles once before!
Friday, March 26, 2010
Connemarathon
It’s nearly Connemarathon time again. I’ve run this three times now and maybe I will in the future, but not this year.
Once I’d got my very first Half under my belt in 2003 it became my goal to enter this race. I’d travelled around Ireland with my mate Eleanor many years beforehand and I was absolutely taken with the other-worldliness of the area. I have often said that you can almost touch the ghosts of Ireland’s past in the harsh landscapes of the west of Ireland. Although I am more familiar with the rocks and bogs of Kerry the bleakness of Connemara has a resonance all of its own.
My first Conn Half was in 2005 and it was as good as I had expected. The whole experience was one never to be forgotten. That year we were ferried out from Galway to be offloaded in Maam Cross, then a second bus took us onwards to the start at Leenane at the head of the amazing fjord that is Killary Harbour. The run itself was, of course, tough but it’s never a hardship to run in those surroundings. I was happy to conquer the Hell Of The West without walking and finished in 2:00.09, after having taken a minute to get through the start line. The bus dropped us directly back to Galway.
Two years later, in 2007, I had my grumpy head on. The event had suddenly (or so it appeared) got too big and I found the number of runners intrusive. Therefore I didn’t enjoy the experience quite as much and maybe that was part of the reason I was a couple of minutes slower. This time however there was a nice touch with all runners being dropped off at Oughterard on the way back to partake of the excellent post-race catering.
Last year I ran again in a more serene frame of mind. However there is no doubt that, by this time, the Connemarathon is a huge, corporate, money-making venture. Arguments and insults rage over the entry fee (€70 for the Half I believe.) However the event is quickly sold out and its defenders will, quite reasonably, say that no one forces you to enter. Whatever, the organisation was as slick as ever, though registration is at a hotel in the most unattractive part of Galway City. There is an air of a refugee camp at Leenane, but at least escape is imminent. This time I had my racing head on and attacked the course (though crawling up the HOTW as a consequence) to break the two-hour mark. This year the catering was at the finish at Peacocke’s Hotel and excellent it was as well.
So on 11th April I’ll be there in spirit and I wish everyone well. I guess I’ll be back there at some stage.
Once I’d got my very first Half under my belt in 2003 it became my goal to enter this race. I’d travelled around Ireland with my mate Eleanor many years beforehand and I was absolutely taken with the other-worldliness of the area. I have often said that you can almost touch the ghosts of Ireland’s past in the harsh landscapes of the west of Ireland. Although I am more familiar with the rocks and bogs of Kerry the bleakness of Connemara has a resonance all of its own.
My first Conn Half was in 2005 and it was as good as I had expected. The whole experience was one never to be forgotten. That year we were ferried out from Galway to be offloaded in Maam Cross, then a second bus took us onwards to the start at Leenane at the head of the amazing fjord that is Killary Harbour. The run itself was, of course, tough but it’s never a hardship to run in those surroundings. I was happy to conquer the Hell Of The West without walking and finished in 2:00.09, after having taken a minute to get through the start line. The bus dropped us directly back to Galway.
Two years later, in 2007, I had my grumpy head on. The event had suddenly (or so it appeared) got too big and I found the number of runners intrusive. Therefore I didn’t enjoy the experience quite as much and maybe that was part of the reason I was a couple of minutes slower. This time however there was a nice touch with all runners being dropped off at Oughterard on the way back to partake of the excellent post-race catering.
Last year I ran again in a more serene frame of mind. However there is no doubt that, by this time, the Connemarathon is a huge, corporate, money-making venture. Arguments and insults rage over the entry fee (€70 for the Half I believe.) However the event is quickly sold out and its defenders will, quite reasonably, say that no one forces you to enter. Whatever, the organisation was as slick as ever, though registration is at a hotel in the most unattractive part of Galway City. There is an air of a refugee camp at Leenane, but at least escape is imminent. This time I had my racing head on and attacked the course (though crawling up the HOTW as a consequence) to break the two-hour mark. This year the catering was at the finish at Peacocke’s Hotel and excellent it was as well.
So on 11th April I’ll be there in spirit and I wish everyone well. I guess I’ll be back there at some stage.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Katharine Merry
As usual a good time was had by all at the annual Jersey Spartan AC Dinner & Awards evening on Saturday. I got through the emceeing without major catastrophe and handed the mic over to the expert, Katharine Merry. I also had the pleasure of sitting on her table over dinner. What an exceptionally pleasant person she is and she went out of her way not only to do some research beforehand, but she made the effort to try to remember all the various names of people that she came across – dinner guests, award winners etc. She is also a bit of a statto, rattling off various times and records to the 1/100s.
Katharine gave us a well-received speech – it was really a talk through the 400m women’s final in Sydney at the 2000 Olympics, and it was a unique insight for those of us not actually involved in the race!
Kath (now my mate!) was over with her partner Leon who is also a really nice guy. They are both Brummies (well, Kath near enough) and live in Solihull, just over the back from my family homestead. I hope they both enjoyed their weekend and that we see them again sometime.
Katharine gave us a well-received speech – it was really a talk through the 400m women’s final in Sydney at the 2000 Olympics, and it was a unique insight for those of us not actually involved in the race!
Kath (now my mate!) was over with her partner Leon who is also a really nice guy. They are both Brummies (well, Kath near enough) and live in Solihull, just over the back from my family homestead. I hope they both enjoyed their weekend and that we see them again sometime.
Jersey Eastern Railway
A lousy run on Saturday morning – for some reason my body didn’t want to run at all and I ended up walking/trotting back to the FB Fields. There was however one very positive result, but it had nothing to do with running.
I’ve had time on my hands recently and I have, frankly, turned into even more of an anorak than I was before. I enjoy researching local history, wherever I am. Since returning to Jersey I’ve been doing some research and have become fixated with tracking the route of the old Jersey Eastern Railway through modern Jersey. As the line folded in 1929 and both the townscape and landscape of Jersey has changed radically in that time, it is a bit of a task. I suppose I could have grabbed some old codger who would have known every inch. However it’s more fun working it out oneself.
Unnoticed by me I must have run past the former Ponterson Lane station a hundred times. There it is at the crossroads with Rue a la Croix and it’s called The Halt – d’oh! Anyway this pinpoints the route the track took through Le Haguais Farm, coming from town. I’d ascertained a week or two back that it ran on down what is now Beach Gardens, before disappearing. However two people had mentioned that I should investigate the woodland behind St Clement’s Parish Hall – so I did so on Saturday.
To my astonishment there is at least 200m of railway embankment, ending in a little overbridge, heading straight for Le Hocq Lane, after which it then would have run up what is now King’s Close to join the coast road just before Pontac.
I know that you’ll probably not be gobsmacked by that, but it made my morning.
I’ve had time on my hands recently and I have, frankly, turned into even more of an anorak than I was before. I enjoy researching local history, wherever I am. Since returning to Jersey I’ve been doing some research and have become fixated with tracking the route of the old Jersey Eastern Railway through modern Jersey. As the line folded in 1929 and both the townscape and landscape of Jersey has changed radically in that time, it is a bit of a task. I suppose I could have grabbed some old codger who would have known every inch. However it’s more fun working it out oneself.
Unnoticed by me I must have run past the former Ponterson Lane station a hundred times. There it is at the crossroads with Rue a la Croix and it’s called The Halt – d’oh! Anyway this pinpoints the route the track took through Le Haguais Farm, coming from town. I’d ascertained a week or two back that it ran on down what is now Beach Gardens, before disappearing. However two people had mentioned that I should investigate the woodland behind St Clement’s Parish Hall – so I did so on Saturday.
To my astonishment there is at least 200m of railway embankment, ending in a little overbridge, heading straight for Le Hocq Lane, after which it then would have run up what is now King’s Close to join the coast road just before Pontac.
I know that you’ll probably not be gobsmacked by that, but it made my morning.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Seeing things
It's not too unusual to see a vehicle with Irish plates on the Jersey roads. But an '08 reg Donegal van?
A great run this morning - those that I get lost on in the Jersey lanes are the best. I'm ahead of my miles target for the week so I reckon I can cut down on Saturday's demand of seven so I can do my LSR properly on Sunday. One option for Saturday is the club 5k handicap and a blast at my PB of 23.02
A great run this morning - those that I get lost on in the Jersey lanes are the best. I'm ahead of my miles target for the week so I reckon I can cut down on Saturday's demand of seven so I can do my LSR properly on Sunday. One option for Saturday is the club 5k handicap and a blast at my PB of 23.02
Monday, March 15, 2010
Ouch, That Hurt!
Poor old Sue Le Ruez, stalwart Spartan and a good friend. Just about to set out for her long run yesterday (Sunday) from St Catherine and setting her watch she jogged straight into a bench. Fortunately she was with a group and was quickly ferried to A&E by one of them. An X-ray showed that there was no break beneath the deep cut and she was then stitched up. It was nice that two of the Spartan runners, Sue and Judith, were on-duty nurses so she wasn’t short of chat during her stay.
Sue had recovered enough to manage a glass of wine by evening time, her main concern being the disruption to her London Marathon training schedule.
Next up on the Spartan calendar is the Annual Dinner Dance next Saturday. The honoured guest this year is the wondrous Katharine Merry and, as apparently I am emceeing the evening, I am looking forward to introducing her. The MC job regrettably involves not drinking too much or making political speeches, telling un-PC jokes etc.
Meanwhile it was a ‘step back’ week in my training for the Cork Marathon, which worked out well following on from what was a hard 20k race the previous Sunday. On Wednesday I pushed hard on my regular 5.25m circuit from home and clocked a PB. As a consequence I decided not to do my regular Thursday intervals session. I trotted up to Noirmont to see the junior cross on Saturday and finished the week with a nine-miler on Sunday. This week the mileage starts climbing seriously.
Sue had recovered enough to manage a glass of wine by evening time, her main concern being the disruption to her London Marathon training schedule.
Next up on the Spartan calendar is the Annual Dinner Dance next Saturday. The honoured guest this year is the wondrous Katharine Merry and, as apparently I am emceeing the evening, I am looking forward to introducing her. The MC job regrettably involves not drinking too much or making political speeches, telling un-PC jokes etc.
Meanwhile it was a ‘step back’ week in my training for the Cork Marathon, which worked out well following on from what was a hard 20k race the previous Sunday. On Wednesday I pushed hard on my regular 5.25m circuit from home and clocked a PB. As a consequence I decided not to do my regular Thursday intervals session. I trotted up to Noirmont to see the junior cross on Saturday and finished the week with a nine-miler on Sunday. This week the mileage starts climbing seriously.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Indoor Contrasts
The English National Indoor Age-Group Championships have just been held at the NIA in Birmingham. Spartan athletes came back with a couple of silvers (Zane Duquemin and Stanly Livingstone) whilst a couple of my former throwers were well placed in the first year in their age group (Kathryn Rothwell and Shadine Duquemin). They'd progressed from the Southerns which were held at Lee Valley.
NIA and Lee Valley. What a contrast for the Crusaders who battle through the Dublin Indoor Championships. They have to trek down the country to a barn at Nenagh which constitutes the Republic's only facility capable of holding an indoor meeting. As I've said previously it is to the credit only of the local club there that there is anywhere at all. The athletics fraternity say that, at Nenagh, to keep warm you have to go outside!
At least the relay finals were held at a great venue last year, Magharafelt in Northern Ireland. Quite why it's been changed I'm not sure. Anyway the following Crusader's teams medalled at the Dublins last weekend.
U10G, bronze - Barry, McLoughlin, Ferry, Walsh
U10B, gold - Soroka, Tucker, Maher, Brown
U12B, gold - Walsh, Barry, Saunders, Francis
U14G, silver - Barry, McGuill, Maher, Murray
U11G, bronze - Ferry, McGuill, Shaw, Johnson
U13G, silver - O'Leary, Ferry, Shaw, Shiels
U13B, bronze - Woods, Walsh, Barry, Francis
U15G, silver - Francis, Hughes, Kelly, Crowley
There's some great work going on up there at Irishtown Stadium!
NIA and Lee Valley. What a contrast for the Crusaders who battle through the Dublin Indoor Championships. They have to trek down the country to a barn at Nenagh which constitutes the Republic's only facility capable of holding an indoor meeting. As I've said previously it is to the credit only of the local club there that there is anywhere at all. The athletics fraternity say that, at Nenagh, to keep warm you have to go outside!
At least the relay finals were held at a great venue last year, Magharafelt in Northern Ireland. Quite why it's been changed I'm not sure. Anyway the following Crusader's teams medalled at the Dublins last weekend.
U10G, bronze - Barry, McLoughlin, Ferry, Walsh
U10B, gold - Soroka, Tucker, Maher, Brown
U12B, gold - Walsh, Barry, Saunders, Francis
U14G, silver - Barry, McGuill, Maher, Murray
U11G, bronze - Ferry, McGuill, Shaw, Johnson
U13G, silver - O'Leary, Ferry, Shaw, Shiels
U13B, bronze - Woods, Walsh, Barry, Francis
U15G, silver - Francis, Hughes, Kelly, Crowley
There's some great work going on up there at Irishtown Stadium!
Monday, March 8, 2010
Marathon Training Progress
13 weeks to go to Cork and I have to say I'm running as well as I've ever done. Long may it continue. I do however have a history of my body just closing down as regards running, for no apparent reason. This has happened twice in the past and I've had periods of several months where I could barely run at all. Thankfully I've always managed to come back.
I'm now at a much better weight for running however and hopefully I'll hit no such problems this time around.
I'm following the Hal Higdon Intermediate 1 programme as a framework, but tweaking as I think necessary. Notably I'm trying to fit in one 'session' a week to work specifically on speed endurance.
A couple of weeks back I set a PB of 47.52 for 10k over the far-from-flat St Catherine's circuit. Not bad setting PBs a week before one's 57th birthday!
Yesterday I rolled up for the Jersey Spartan club race over 20k, out from Les Quennevais to Les Laveurs and back. A bright day but an icy north-easterly blowing off the sand dunes making hat, gloves and long sleaves necessary. It was soon evident as well that there were absolutely no 'slowpokes' registered - in other words everyone there was a competent runner so I was battling at the back from the outset.
In fact I ran the length of the Five Mile Road and back (six miles, yeah I know) passing no one or being passed. At the turn I saw that here were just three runners behind me. In front was a green T-shirt that never got closer or further away. However within the last three miles I managed to close the gap and picked off Green T-Shirt and three others for some respectability. The last of these was a sponsor's representative which was probably a bad idea.
Time was 1:42.35 which was 8.22 min/miling. Very pleased indeed with that effort.
I'm now at a much better weight for running however and hopefully I'll hit no such problems this time around.
I'm following the Hal Higdon Intermediate 1 programme as a framework, but tweaking as I think necessary. Notably I'm trying to fit in one 'session' a week to work specifically on speed endurance.
A couple of weeks back I set a PB of 47.52 for 10k over the far-from-flat St Catherine's circuit. Not bad setting PBs a week before one's 57th birthday!
Yesterday I rolled up for the Jersey Spartan club race over 20k, out from Les Quennevais to Les Laveurs and back. A bright day but an icy north-easterly blowing off the sand dunes making hat, gloves and long sleaves necessary. It was soon evident as well that there were absolutely no 'slowpokes' registered - in other words everyone there was a competent runner so I was battling at the back from the outset.
In fact I ran the length of the Five Mile Road and back (six miles, yeah I know) passing no one or being passed. At the turn I saw that here were just three runners behind me. In front was a green T-shirt that never got closer or further away. However within the last three miles I managed to close the gap and picked off Green T-Shirt and three others for some respectability. The last of these was a sponsor's representative which was probably a bad idea.
Time was 1:42.35 which was 8.22 min/miling. Very pleased indeed with that effort.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
The Great Dublin Outdoor-Indoor Championships
They could only happen, of course, in Ireland! I blogged about these with much merriment this time last year. In fact the organisers do well to pack so many events into the training area under the stand at Santry. The middle-distance events and relays are, however, beyond them.
I have been voraciously reading about the participation of Crusaders AC in the 2010 championships. Of course a lot of the young athletes have picked up medals, no more impressive than Kevin Woods' 800m gold at U15 level. But the week before we owned the podium once more with Olibhia, Isabel and Niamh bringing back memories of the Dublin outdoors last year when they did likewise. Here they are, with Livs having turned the table on Izzy for the gold.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Here We Go Again
So here we are in Jersey, Channel Islands. It's the first day of March and I've decided I'm in good enough spirits to restart blogging without depressing everyone. It's been a tough few months personally but things are definitely on the up.
As before I'll be sticking to a few pet subjects, chief amongst them running. Although I never thought I'd find myself back in Jersey it's been good to find the running scene in good shape. True, everybody's a couple of years older and often slower, but there are one or two useful newcomers as well as one or two younger runners pushing through, the product of the very good work now being done at Spartans.
One side effect of some stress-induced weight loss is that I'm running as well as I can remember. Eight days ago I set a big 10k PB on the scenic but hilly St Catherine's course, 47.52, which by my standards is flying. My best 10k in Ireland was 50.30 on the flat Dunshaughlin course and I was pleased with that!
My immediate target is the Cork Marathon on 7th June. Although the marathon monkey is off my back I'm still annoyed with myself that I've failed this race badly not once but twice. Although I've tried to rationalise these failures I'm not sure I've got all of the answers.
Fifteen days before Cork I have the Hash Half Marathon here in Jersey. I've run this several times and it really is a great little race and a fast course. I suppose I ought to be targeting another PB here, but I'm a bit wary of going eyeballs out so soon before a marathon. For a 'proper' runner it ought to be no problem but...
But next Sunday I'm looking forward to a club series 20k which fits in rather neatly with my training programme.
Back shortly with updates.
As before I'll be sticking to a few pet subjects, chief amongst them running. Although I never thought I'd find myself back in Jersey it's been good to find the running scene in good shape. True, everybody's a couple of years older and often slower, but there are one or two useful newcomers as well as one or two younger runners pushing through, the product of the very good work now being done at Spartans.
One side effect of some stress-induced weight loss is that I'm running as well as I can remember. Eight days ago I set a big 10k PB on the scenic but hilly St Catherine's course, 47.52, which by my standards is flying. My best 10k in Ireland was 50.30 on the flat Dunshaughlin course and I was pleased with that!
My immediate target is the Cork Marathon on 7th June. Although the marathon monkey is off my back I'm still annoyed with myself that I've failed this race badly not once but twice. Although I've tried to rationalise these failures I'm not sure I've got all of the answers.
Fifteen days before Cork I have the Hash Half Marathon here in Jersey. I've run this several times and it really is a great little race and a fast course. I suppose I ought to be targeting another PB here, but I'm a bit wary of going eyeballs out so soon before a marathon. For a 'proper' runner it ought to be no problem but...
But next Sunday I'm looking forward to a club series 20k which fits in rather neatly with my training programme.
Back shortly with updates.
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