Northern Ireland Running

well done Kenny & the gang for another great event last night.  My race was very much split into two halves, going through 5 miles at 41 minutes, but then the wheels flew off & the 2nd half was 44 mins!!  Oh well, I still enjoyed it, especially the lovely spread afterwards!!  Aslo Kirsty Sharatt from Larne AC picked up 3rd female much to her suprise & delight!

Good luck to all at Ards tonight!!

Hi there,

I hope nobody minds if I call in and say hello, I am new to the site and was delighted to see people from NI here.

I have just started running again after a long break and am still at the "having to hold myself back" stage, although I am loving it and can't believe I let myself go for so long without a good run.

It will be a long time before I am clocking up the kind of mileage the rest of you are putting in, but I am determined to get there some day!

Good night at the Bridges. 230 finishers and the rain stayed away. Well done all who ran thanks for your support.

How come Ards is all uphill but you finish at the same place you started? lol.

Some good running at the Bridges! How was Ards anyone? Tough by the sounds of things JLB?!  I thought discression was the better part of valour after Lisburn and gave it a miss.

I did Ards and it felt like a climb for 9 miles.  Came home at 1:55 ish.  Normally would be peeved off at my time but I honestly don't believe I could have did anymore.   I was completely burnt out by about 10 miles and progessively got slower all the way through.  I did Lisburn in the same time the week before and that was with stopping for 5 mins!!  Ards was extremely tough.  In saying all that the route itself did have some nice scenery and my mate got a PB and a special medal for the top 100.  It was nice to feel a shower of rain come on the last 2 miles going downhill.

Did Ards also Indo77 - Must say I really enjoyed it and felt good the whole way round. Managed 2hrs 3 mins by my Garmin which was good for me!, considering my first half at Larne took 2hrs 12 (a horrible experience) - so a 9 min PB

The hill at 10-11 miles was a killer I agree, but I enjoyed the undulating course. I think the fact that I did not know the course pre-run helped (ignorance is bliss!!). My splits were even and the last two miles my quickest. Think sub 2hrs may not be such of a pipe-dream after all.

Very good organisation, but water in cups hard to drink on the hoof the only negative.

You're right, JLB3. Ards is strange. Last year I managed an even split but this year the hills got me and I lost the pace, so was over 3 mins slower in the 2nd half, finishing in 1.42. But, no matter, I got a top 200 medal and was 2nd in my category, so didn't let myself down. And Ards Council were perfect hosts as always, opening up their Sports Hall and treating us to a lovely spread afterwards during the prize giving. I love it, it's a great evening.

Ards was my first go at HM distance, managed 01:58:25, reasonably content.  Hill at 10 knocked the stuffing out of me as well but managed to keep a jog going, felt pretty good in the last 2 but got cramps in my calf and had to stop to stretch a couple of times and really slow down in general.  Cost me minutes, it's a PB either way lol!

I did spend several miles wondering when there was going to be a decent downhill section than never really came; a climb around every corner.  The spray of rain was a godsend at the end!  The organisation and support was great!

Ran Ards...didn't run it last year, the new course is tougher than the previous. Finished 1:27:46, 1sec officially slower than Lisburn. Very happy with 2 solid runs over hilly courses within 10days.

Ards sounds tough, so well done to you all.

I'm still tired after RTB on Thursday night but did a slow 4.4miles on grass yesterday and then a tough 23 miles today. Averaged 8.06 pace today but was happy with this after racing during the week. 54 miles this week and last LSR before Dervock. Probably do 16 miles next Saturday but glad the bigger miles are all done now. Might even go to Dervock next week and do the half marathon course as part of the 16mile run.

Well done everyone Ards sounds tough.

We have now passed  the 350 mark in the Festival of Running. The half is the next race in the half marathon series. Look forward to seeing soem of you in Dervock.

Good evening in Ards - well done all - tough but enjoyable seems to be the concensus then! I'm saving myself for Cookstown lol.

Off for a long slow one later (run that is)

Bracken wrote (see)

The hill at 10-11 miles was a killer I agree, but I enjoyed the undulating course. I think the fact that I did not know the course pre-run helped (ignorance is bliss!!). My splits were even and the last two miles my quickest. Think sub 2hrs may not be such of a pipe-dream after all.

Very good organisation, but water in cups hard to drink on the hoof the only negative.

Bracken I have so far did Omagh, Lisburn and now Ards.  In my opinion if you are hitting 2hrs 3min at Ards you can knock 10 minutes of that time for the Omagh Half since they started the new route in 2011.  I did the Omagh Half in 1:45 and I believe I put as much effort into Ards.  Sub 2 hours could be your next half. 

Even though I seem to be getting worse I sort of am addicted to doing more Halfs.  At least I know what to expect next time around.  I think I will do Lisburn again - Ards debatable.  What's Cookstown and Derry like?

Derry was an out & back last time I did it - very flat apart from a short sharp hill near the end. That was 2005 though - I think it's completely different route these days. Never done Cookstown.

Ran 13.1 miles in 2.04 this afternoon as my LSR - ran steady 9.30 mmls and felt very comfortable just tiring over last couple miles but maintaining pace. Ran 2 mins slower in Lisburn 10 days ago and ave HR was 10bpm higher also - work that one out?!  (climbing also similar to Lisburn on training route today according to my runkeeper GPS app)

Just had a Chinese as my weekly reward & feet up watching tennis. Life ain't too bad.

What time of day did you do the training run Ricky?  I got to admit I found it very strange waiting to 18:30 in the evening to run both Lisburn and Ards.  I am more use to getting up early morning for a training run having eaten and hydrated well the day before.  I ran the first half of the Belfast marathon only 2 minutes slower than my time at Ards - work that one out and I really was pushing it.  I use to dread the Antrim Rd incline but now it's become a breeze compared to the Ards half.

went out @ 4.30pm today Indo. Most of my running is after 9pm so I'm used to running late in the day. Think I was just a bit under the weather (had a headcold) @ Lisburn.

Based on your Belfast half split either Ards is tough/slow or you had a bad day too! I suspect the former. Did Belfast once only in '06 and dreaded the Antrim Rd section too but actually found it ok clocking 1.49 at the halfway point. It was firstly the windy loughshore path and then the Ormeau Rd that hit me like a ton of bricks!

Final training run round the Dervock course next Sunday 8 July at 8.00am from the Car Park opposite the Tea Room in the centre of the village. All welcome.
Entries now up to 368 for the three races - Marathon 112, Half Marathon 177 and 10K 85.
Online entries extended until 12.00 noon Monday 16 July and postal entries 11 July. Keep them entries coming.

Just over 8 miles this morning. Damp but warm.