Since the last post, I have had some ups and downs, but of the story of life I guess. Just as things start to be heading in the right direction, something happens to throw you back. After the Fingal 10K in late July, I was gearing up for the Dublin Rock n Roll races, with a couple of 5K's and a 10K due in Dun Laoghaire, this being one of the races that was on my list of To Do races on the #FarewellTour, the DLR Bay 10K, as I'd heard good things about this one, a challenging, but quick course. Best run of the month was in the BHAA Fire Brigade 5K out in Marino, where I ducked under 24 minutes again for the first time this year, clocking 23:52, and leading the Revenue B Team to a Team Prize on the day, certainly going in teh right direction.
As you know by now if you have been following my posts here, and on Facebook, I am a great advocate for #parkrun, and as well as running these 5K's on a regular basis, I also volunteer when I can, to give something back. I managed to combine the running and volunteering over at #Hartstownparkrun at the beginning of August, by acting as Tailrunner, ensuring that everyone gets the same experience, and finishing in style. It was great fun doing this, and I thoroughly recommend this to others to help in this way.
But back to running, and the DLR Bay 10K. I had been told that there were hills.. Well, there were a few bumps, but nothing severe at all, and I had a good run, despite the niggle in my heel still causing a wee concern. I ran 52:41, within myself, and although down on last years 10K times, I was happy with this leading into the Rock n Roll Dublin 5k and Half Marathon the following weekend.
The 5K went well, like last year, running comfortably, and easily, clocking 24:12 on the Saturday morning, and all augured well for Sundays Half. Between the 10K and the Half, there was a great turn out from my Wednesday night Run & Beers Group, and I was quietly confident of having a good run. Things didn't quite go to plan..... I started well, running 25:06 for the first 5K, and I was feeling strong, and starting to think I could crack the 1:50 mark.. Unfortunately the heel niggle suddenly decided that this was the day that it would become a problem. Somewhere around Kilmainham it suddenly became painful, rather than a dull ache that was hiding, just bubbling under. It came to the top... I tried to walk it off, but each time my left foot hit the ground, the pain became sharper. Despite that I still managed to clock two more Km's at just over 5 minute pace, but, the pain was very uncomfortable, and I decided it wasn't worth risking further damage by running another 11/12 Kms, and as the 10K race is 95% on the same course as the Half Marathon, I was able to divert to the finish of the 10K, cross the line, and even get the medal for completing the 10K, actually recording a half decent time of 54:40, despite the walking to ease the pain. The disappointment was only partly put to rest by heading to the Beer Market later in the afternoon for a post-race party with the Run & Beers gang, many of whom had great runs earlier in the day, in both the 10K and the Half Mary.
Despite my desire to run as many races as I can this year on the #FarewellTour, I knew I had to rest the heel, and so I took a couple of weeks off, missing the Frank Duffy 10m race, an old favourite of mine, but managed to volunteer at #parkrun a couple of times, which helped to ease the burden of no training. After two weeks, I needed to see how I was recovering, as Dingle Half Marathon was only a week away. It wasn't looking good. On pre-race Monday, the heel was really sore, and the race was in doubt. Maybe it was in the head, because on Tuesday it felt fine, and so on Wednesday I ventured out with the R&B Gang, for an easy 5k, and while the heel held up fine, my cardio was an issue - That old adage that you lose very little fitness in two weeks may be true, but two weeks and two days - Oh Boy!....
Thankfully, Thursday dawned with no reaction from the injury, so it was off to Dingle we went, and on Saturday morning, Nazli from the R & B Gang and myself lined up with a couple of thousand others, including many running friends from #RSP and #LustforLife, and all points around the country. If you've never been to Dingle, it's about as far as you can get from Dublin, before hitting the US or Canada. The West of Ireland, the peninsular in scenic to put it mildly, and although we didn't venture into the Bay, there is also a dolphin, but that's another story!
We arrived on Friday afternoon, in glorious sunshine, but Saturday morning was a different tale, with rain in the air, and as the forecast had predicted, it came, gentle, but dampning. I obviously hadn't been able to get the right training in for this race, but had a plan in mind, to run/walk the race, expecting the ups and down of the undulating countryside around Slea Head on the peninsular. Generally, the race went according to plan, running 4km, then walking 200m, and keeping that general pattern up, with exceptions such as turning one corner on the coast road into a Head wind that could knock you down if you were much lighter (I walked that bit too!), but then, turning another corner, heading on a down hill stretch, the wind was behind you, pushing you down at almost breakneck speed. My walk/run method had the desired effect, and while my time shows 2:03:20, well outside what I would have hoped for before the injury flared, it was actually a time I am very happy with, given what the last few weeks have been like, and the way I was feeling only 5 days earlier. The race finished in a pub, Krugers, in the middle of nowhere, and they bus you back to Dingle town, as the Full Marathon heads back into the hills, and the rain, and full marks to everyone who continued on, as the rain turned from that drizzle, to a heavier downpour. Despite all this, those we met in the evening who had run the full distance had really enjoyed it, you didn't hear a bad word said about this race, and although I may be on the other side of the world next year, I would certainly love to come back and face the challenge again one day - Highly recommended...... Nazli had a great run, clocking well under the two hours, around 1:53, and another friend form the #RSP group, Gary Mason, finished 23rd under 1:30, in very trying conditions. Hats off to everyone.....
As I started off by saying, we are into September, Autumn just around the corner here in the Northern Hemisphere, and recovery from the Half, with no side effects from the heel, see's me planning ahead for my last few months in the Emerald Isle. Next up is a 5K in the BHAA series this coming Saturday, with the Dublin Half Marathon on the 23rd September following. All being well, I can get back some of that lost fitness and be back under that 2 hour mark for that. I think it will be very unlikely that I run the Dublin Marathon now, as I simply haven't got the mileage in my legs. While you can get away with that, to an extent, for a Half Mary, the full 42 Km (26 miles for my American followers!) is another story. Early October sees a holiday to the East Coast of the US, catching up with some old friends, and family too, as Paula's brother and family will be in New York, and would you believe it, the Brooklyn Rock n Roll Half Marathon is on the weekend we are in New York - I mean, you have to really, it would be rude not to........
I'll leave you with a few pics, and a tune from one of my favourite bands - As they say, Until the Next Time..... - Just click on those last few words......
