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.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
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.
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