Northern Ireland Running

Enjoy the race tonight.

Made a comeback last night. I managed just over 3.5 mile slowly as there was nothing in the legs. Good to be out and get a bit of fresh air and a nice wee shower of rain at the end.

Ricky W - welcome back to running & Good Luck tonight!

With an eye on the hilly second-half, I am intending going out a bit easier tonight. Although in Larne, I got carried away at the start, ran my 10k pace for first 6 miles till we hit the hill, then had to hang tough on the homeward stretch but finished in just under 01:36 which was 11mins faster than my Half Mara debut in last September's GNR. This is my 3rd Half and I'm hoping my 'race-craft' will improve with experience!

Another phenmonem I'm noticing about race days: I start feeling little twinges and start worrying about total breakdown during the race! This morning it's my right knee - never had any problems with it before so putting it down to mind-tricks!!

Alwyn everyone feels like that before races it gets even worse before a marathon.

RW the only good thing about that hill at mile 8 is there is a good down hill section back into Lisburn shortly after it. Welcome back to running.

Good luck to everyone running at lisburn, I've only ever tried the 10k & to be honest wasn't too keen on it!!  I am getting my miles up rightly with a 16 miler on Saturday & just finished 11 tonight.  I love a bit of sun but boy does it make it tough work when your route finishes on a 3 mile uphill!! 

Kenny, hopefully you will receive my entry for both Round the Bridges & Dervock half in the post tomorrow.  Lets hope I finally see a bit of improvement!

Lisburn 10k done and dusted tonight. Not as good as I hoped for but averaged 6.32 pace for a 40.53 finishing time. This is the pace I need to do at Round the Bridges to get close to my 10mile PB, so I plan to ease back next week and rest up for this race.

I will do 4miles tomorrow morning, 8 miles on Friday morning and then 20-22miles on Saturday which will include running round the Dervock course. This will get me 53-55miles this week. Think I can afford an easier week. For next week I'll do 10miles on Monday, 4miles on Tuesday, 10mile race on Thursday, 4miles on Friday and possibly my last 20 miler on the Saturday. All the training runs will be done at a slower pace than usual and then hopefully a good race.

Hope everyone else did well tonight.

Well done on your 11miles tonight Heather. Nat had a great race tonight. Think it was 35 something.

Thanks everyone - made it round in a personal worst of 2.06! Was running on target for under 2hrs until that darn mile 8 where the wheels came of the wagon.

Slightly dissapointed as my last training run was 1.48 for 12 miles so thought sub 2 hrs was very achievable. Never underestimate the hills! Quite warm which I think scuppered me - noticed my heart rate 10bpm up on the usual for 9min mile pace during the first half of the race.

Despite that I enjoyed it and from 17 stone couch potato 12 weeks ago I suppose I should be happy enough.

Well done on the 10k Rodney - I counted the first 6 or 7 10km runners rocketing past me before I turned right for sprucefield! You mustn't have been too far behind!

Alwyn - hope you had a good race (you;ll have been showered, changed & away home by the time I crossed the line!)... interested to see how you found the heat & hills!

Now what can I enter next?

Well done to all who ran Lisburn last night it's a tough enough course as always.

Was pacing the sub 2hr group got them in around the 1hr 58min mark so job done.

Well done Ricky you got round. The heat and the hill can sap your energy. Put in the bank you now have a time to beat at your next half.

Rodney I thought you said you were for resting before the Bridges.

Well done to all who raced last night and Jim on his pacing.

One month to Dervock. We are past the 170 entries in the three races. We're expecting a lot of last minute entries before the closing date 30 June.

Kenny, not resting, easing back at the start of the week and then training hard after the race. Hope you've got my RTB entry. Will post Dervock entry form next week.

Well done Ricky. I couldn't face the half last night. Glad I just did the 10k.

Job well done Jim.

Rodney, I am constantly amazed and in awe when I read your mileage and pace updates on here! Best Wishes for your upcoming races - sounds like you're well over your injury?

Jim, good job with the pacing! A couple of work colleagues of mine were trying to break 2 hrs just came in between 2:02-2:04, they could have done with joining your group.

Ricky, I agree if you reflect on where you've come from in 12 weeks you should be proud of your time and can look forward to big progress in next 12 weeks! I finished just outside 01:40 by about 12s, I think (annoying that official times still not available!). Close to 01:40 was my target but runners' tendency to never be satisfied kicks in and my overwhelming feeling was being disappointed at not ducking under the 40 min mark. Tactically I was pleased with my discipline at running 7:30 miles for the first 5miles in preparation for the hills. I didn't find the heat a problem although I had forgotten my headband and the sweat was blinding me from early on - I do ooze profusely! The hills are tough but I was glad I had run them a couple of weeks previously in training. For me, it helped knowing what was ahead before hitting the downhill 10th mile. I do, however, beat myself up a bit mentally on the hills, reprimanding myself for not yet losing those extra pounds (I was extremely overweight before starting running and although I've lost just over 20% of my starting weight, I know another 9-12 lbs off would make some difference!). My right calf stiffened up coming down the Ballynahinch Rd and I found the last couple of miles as tough as any race I've yet done. However, feel good this morning apart from a pressure sore on the end of a toe . . . .  and still annoyed at not being 12+ seconds faster!!    

Minor gripe about the race: for £18, I don't think it's great value: decent technical tee and medal (if medals float your boat) but only cups of water on course - I would have thought main sponsor Coca Cola have energy drinks in their portfolio - and no banana, energy bar etc. at the finish.

Alwyn, everyone else just thinks I'm mad. Plenty of people doing more miles than me and running a lot faster. I've been getting slower over the past 2 years so want to start improving again.  Just wish I could run a decent race this year. Maybe all the hard work will pay off in Dervock. Just 2 more weeks of big mileage to go. I enjoy the training but also know that losing a few more pounds will help my times.

hi guys, 6 mins knocked off my pb last night, finished in 1.30.35 i think. anyone know when/where results are available?

last place,

Some improvement on your pb! Is that your pb for Lisburn or any HM?
Should be on championchipireland.com and on race site lisburnhalfmarathon.com but nothing yet - wondering if they've had a technical problem!!

hi alwyn,

the previous pb was from larne 2 years ago, this year at larne i ran 1:40 so i have seen a massive improvement in the months in between. i have upped my mileage and joined a club and it seems to have helped enormously.

I dont think the sun annoyed me last night and i tried to convince myself that the hills were not a problem either but the last couple really drained me.  i would have like to crack 1:30, but i'm sure there will be more opportunities!

provisional results on line now guys. 62nd place for me!

Provisional results give me 40.50 in 52nd place in the 10k and 2nd MV40. . I'm in the money.

Great running Alwyn - I need another two stone off and alot more miles in the bank before I have a hope of getting anywhere near your pace! (Was at my lightest at 13'7" when I ran Belfast in 3.44 in 2006 so aiming to back down to close to that over next 3 mths).

Just feel tired today - a little stiffness in the calfs and left knee a bit twingy. Been using old nike pegasus running shoes from 6 years ago which won't have helped so time to bin them and break in new Asics I invested in last week. (JJB doing Kayanos for £79.99 currently if anyones interested - spring/summer 12 colours - very cheap for them I thought)

Last place - great PB, you have to be chuffed with that and huge improvement on your previous PB - have heard it said that running in a club can bring improvements although no doubt your increased mileage has played its part. With 12 hr working days free time for running during the week doesn't come until after 9pm so club running is a no no for me sadly.

Kenneth, thats kinda the way I'm lookin at it... a good base to build on and improve on time for the next one.

On that note - what halfs are coming up over the next 6 months? The only one I remember being in the latter half of the year was Waterside Half in Stroke City.

Good man Rodney - you can buy us all a pint.

Rodney I got you entry for the Bridges and Heather I got yours for Dervock and the Bridges.

What a morning. I managed the Riada 5 last night running the opposite way to the race I was OK but died coming back up the Garryduff Road. We managed to get round dry.

Cheers Kenny, I posted my Dervock entry yesterday too. Damp morning but got 8.4miles done before work. light rain when I headed out but a lot heavier by the time I was finishing.

Ricky, £20 wouldn't buy many pints, but it will pay my entry for Dervock Marathon. I ran Belfast in 2006 when i was 12st 7lbs, so I need to get back near that weight too. Every time I get injured i put a few pounds on and can't seem to shift it again.

thanks ricky. i convinced myself for a long time that i didnt have time to join a running club. i spoke to members and emailed the chairman several times saying i would join but then convinced myself that with a busy work life and 2 small kids at home i just couldnt commit.  they assured me that i could train as little or often as i wished.  I make the thursday night tempo session maybe once every 2-3 weeks and thats it but there is something about meeting other runners, wearing the vest and representing the club that seems to kick me on psycologically.  if i had more time to train more frequently I know i would improve drastically but i am happy with what i have achieved so far.  it might be worth you trying to get to even one session a month and see how things improve for you.