'STONEMAD' - Frank Duffy 10Mile Race Report

'But your better at making the porridge' was the response I got from my better half when  the alarm went off at 7am and I suggested that it was time to get up for the Frank Duffy 10mile. I was pretty sure that this was just a ploy to ensure that she would have another 20 minutes in the cot given that typically she tells me that my porridge is muck!

I had planned and prepped well from the night before so we were all ready to leave the house by 8.10. Having initially toyed with the idea of going to the Red Cow, taking the Luas and getting the shuttle, we decided to drive as far into the Pheonix Park as possible. You know I get more like my dad the older I get ! He would get to every appointment he had way before time and I mean way before - Doctors appointment at 2...he'd be there at 12.30..It used to drive my poor mother insane because of course he would drag her along! You see, I hear 5000 competitors and I think if we don't go on time we'll end up having to park miles away, walk for an hour, end up running cos we're late and be knackered before I start at all...well i'ts plausible is'nt it? Anyway it took us 20 minutes to get there and we were able to park in the park and as close to the start as made no difference......of course the refrain is still ringing in my ears 'I told you we were leaving to early'!

For a while we sat watching other competitors arrive and they all looked 10 times fitter than me to a body. Again I let  that 'am I deluded?' question off its leash for a moment but quickly coralled it again by telling myself - 'no you've trained and your ready - now get on with it' 

c.I spent the next hour in the lead up to the start chatting to Mary, taking in the atmosphere, getting my bearings, changing, warming up and queing for the loo - 3 TIMES !! OK HERE'S A BIG REVEAL - in the words of Michael Caine - not many people know this ! I suffer from stage fright ! - C'mon I can't be the only one..you've got to know what I'm talking about lads! That need to perform and the complete and absolute inability to do so because you just can't get the thought of that queue of people, just outside the door, waiting on YOU! Doctor's surgeries are the worst, once that question is asked ' Now if you would't mind peeing into this, the Doctor is WAITING ON YOU !!! 

You see...it is a real condition....now stop laughing!

With relief finally achieved, I gave Mary a squeeze and slotted into my chosen Wave 2, 80-95 Minutes (90-95 was my goal). After a bit of soft shoe shuffling to the start we were off. I had decided to go out easy and steady for the first couple of KM's fairly confident that I could pick up any lost time as the race went on. Staying with the pack I knew would help with this, however with a couple of glances at the watch, although it felt I was running easy and comfortable, I was already in my goal pace zone - I put it down to excitement and adrenaline!

At about the 3KM mark I found myself on the shoulder of a lady wearing a luminous orange running shirt with the word 'STONEMAD' emblazoned on the back. I decided that 'STONEMAD' was going to be my run buddy for the rest of the race - apart from the fact that her shirt I thought accurately described the challenge upon which I am embarking, her pace and rhythm seemed one close to my own and I knew from previous experience that having a persons pace to focus on as well as my watch would help greatly. The next 10KM or so was pretty uneventful...and flat...I love flat. I tick tacked with STONEMAD and she with me...there wasn't a word spoken but I think she had made the same decision as me. I took on a Gel as planned at about 10KM and that gave me a much needed boost and I hydrated pretty well throughout..something I often forget to do.

Of course I knew the course was going to get tougher at some point and about the 12/13 KM mark they stuck a hill in which wasn't particularly steep but inclined for about 500 meters or so. Having already run further at this point than I had so far this year, the hill took its toll on my legs, lungs and the nice steady rhythm that I had maintained to this point which made the remaining, slightly more technical, 3km of the course a bit more of a struggle for me than I would have liked. I also lost 'STONEMAD' at this point the hill doing its worst on her efforts also.

The last KM was tough going and I was glad when I finally glimpsed the finish line ahead. Fearing that I might not make it in under my goal time I sprinted (Ha..Ha..Ha) in to complete in 1.34.28 - Just made it (it was a little longer than 10Miles!!) 

Overall I was delighted with my effort and really enjoyed the run. I had intended to turn around and watch for 'STONEMAD' to cross the line and thank her for being my 'run buddy' but all I could think of after crossing the line was satisfaction and fatigue. Did she finish...of course she did...of that I have no doubt.!

Looks like STONEMAD had been there before and was definitely wearing the SHIRT 1

A NEW PAGE & A GOAL ACHIEVED

Please check out my new page - RED BUTTON - I will be using to bring you additional features between my 11th Blog Postings. I hope you find whats included informative and useful....go on have a look.

Here's the stats from my Frank Duffy 10 Mile run in the Phoenix Park yesterday. Up until now I had not really been to bothered with setting myself time goals, I was always of the mind 'isn't it an achievement just to finish'. Of course it is but I think it inhibited my improvement ...and improvement was something I sought. It's such a confidence boost to set yourself a goal, albeit a moderate one, and to reach it...just. Try it if your not...you won't regret it!

Its only 'Man PNEUMONIA' - Get on with it !

When I hit the publish button for my blog last time I was sitting up in bed in my daughters apartment in Toronto having arrived there the previous day...or was it night...when will they come up for a cure for jet lag?

The memory of the surprised look on Niamh's face when we stood outside her apartment door is one that will never fade. Nor will the sense of pride that Mary and I have for her and Stephen for the life that they are building for themselves there.

Toronto - what a great city to visit. The highlights, apart from spending time with family that is, the CN Tower (we didn't go up - Mary took one look and just said NO WAY!); Niagra Falls; The Island; and of course the experience of running in a new city - sure you'd have to!

Any low lights? - Thankfully only One - I got sick! I knew there was some little problem as I got off the flight - you know that tickly, annoying cough you get which sometimes disappears and then other times leads to a full blown cold - I put it down to being the former and put it to the back of my mind - Mary paying no attention to my whinging helped with that! I did toy with the idea of not running. Does that question come up for you like it does for me every time I'm sick? Should I run or not? In this case my 'training devil' put up a more convincing argument - you'll run this off John! You couldn't pass up the opportunity to run in a new city!

So I ran Friday...all good. I put up a good 10K on Sunday - I was feeling strong....my training devil was right after all! When I got up Monday I felt a little bit ropey and I thought I might have to pay the doc a visit when I get home after all - we were to be leaving next day anyway. On Tuesday I awoke with a very sore chest and within a couple of hours of getting up I was feeling really weak and tired. I lay down for a bit of a rest and the next thing I know I'm shaking uncontrollably, I literally had no control of my body. I was burning up and I knew I was going to have to see someone quickly. Luckily, Keiran, Niamh's flat mate, had 'just in case' given me some directions to a local clinic. About 20 minutes later I found myself sitting in front of a doc who was telling me I was a very sick man (think it was only then when Mary stopped calling it 'Man Flu') and that I shouldn't fly home today.....you have PNEUMONIA after all! As nice as it would have been to spend more time with Niamh it just wasn't an option and I asked the doc what was possible. He gave me an antibiotic which he described as a 'Bullet' and while I don't remember much of the trip home it certainly hit the target. The side effects of 'The Bullet'....lets not go there right now! Niamh, Stephen, Danika and Kieran - Thanks for making our Canadian adventure such a special one.

Mary, Stephen & Niamh - Niagra here we come!

View of Toronto coming back from 'The Island'

Our Niagra Adventure

Keiran, Danika, Stephen, Niamh , Mary and Me

           

I hate being sick - I lost two weeks of training, the most frustrating part of which is the backward steps you take in your level of fitness which you have to spend the next two weeks building back up. Anyway what can you do. You have your bit of a moan about it and then you pick yourself up, dust yourself off and go at it again.

With a couple of colleagues at work I had signed up to be the swimmer on a relay team that was entered for the Corporate Challenge section of TriGrandPrix, Kilkenny so I earmarked this as the first bit of exercise that I would attempt post dose. I was apprehensive about it as, apart from anything else, I hadn't been doing a whole lot of swim training and my two team mates were really up for it and I didn't want to let them down.We were also raising a few bob for Barretstown Gang Camp which is such a good cause.

http://www.barretstown.org/

I've never done Kilkenny as a solo and it's been a couple of years since my last relay swim but I wasn't expecting any surprises - I got two! There was no current, the Nore was like a mill pond - I'd be getting no help there then! I was also sure that the organisers had gotten the start point of the swim wrong...it was much further up river than I'd remembered. Unfortunately they hadn't got it wrong - I'd be swimming a full 750m this year.

Neither surprise dampened the buzz that I got on the day. The atmosphere of the whole event, which was as fantastically run as ever, was a reminder of what keeps me coming back for more triathlon. I also loved seeing the enjoyment that my two colleagues got from taking part and the pride in Carol's dad in particular when he seen her coming back after her storming bike performance. I got out out of the water in 15 minutes odd and Carol and Shaun played a blinder to help us finish 4th of out of the 9 teams taking part! - Thanks Carol and Shaun

Shaun, Me and Carol - Great Day!

Since then I've been back training in earnest. 6 Days a week: 1 x 1km Swim; 1 x 50km Bike; 1 x 10+km Run and 2 x 8km runs. I'm starting to really feel good again and improving all the time - On today's 10km I managed to break 6 mins per km for the first time in a while(5.46 to be precise).

I've also done a bit of event planning at least till the end of October:

• 24 August - Frank Duffy 10 Mile
• 7th September - Tri an Mhi Sprint Triathlon
• 6th of October - Athlone 3/4 Marathon
• 20th of October - Clane 10K
• 28th of October - Dublin City Triathlon - Goal time 3 hrs, 59mins, 59 secs !

That'll all keep me focused!

For anyone who is interested in a bit of motivational reading I've just finished a great book. It's called 'Can't Swim, Can't Ride, Can't Run - From CommonMan to IRONMAN'  by Andy Holgate. If you are in that 'Will I/Won't I' frame of mind about taking part in Triathlon, IRONMAN, Marathon running or even just going for a walk it will really get you going . Available as an E-Book from Kindle ! Thanks Andy for the inspiration.

Oh and I bought new trainers!  had to tell Mary they had engines to make me go faster to justify the purchase  - and they are not top of the range?

'Gel is Asics name for engine....isn't it?!' 

Anyway folks that's about it for this month. In the coming month I hope to add a 'RED BUTTON' to my blog (if its good enough for Sky and BBC.....) where I will add some mid month 'special features'.
In my next 11th post I'll definitely have more news on which organisation that I'll be fundraising for and, If I'm lucky enough to beat the registration rush, which IRONMAN I'll be doing in 2014.

Again please feel free to share, retweet, comment or anything else you feel like with this - I hope you enjoy the read.

Till the 11th take care

John