Northern Ireland Running - Page 914 - General running

tommygunn

25/01/2013 at 21:01

Very good robin. Running , with a lot of volunteering in clubs, becoming very accessible to everyone. You guys are doing very well with expansion.Good for the community as well as everything else.

The growth in springwell, orangegrove, sperrin harriers and yourselves this last year has been massive. We also have massive pools of people now too.

Martin Brady 5

25/01/2013 at 22:23

Well done Robin , it's nice to have a bit of recognition for what your club is doing for the Ballymena area and athletics in Northern Ireland generally , keep up the good work

Ricky W

25/01/2013 at 22:56

Numbers are up in the clubs then ? Is it the London 2012 effect or why the upsurge of interest in running?

Martin, kept meaning to ask - what's ur target time for Belfast?

Alwyn - Looking forward to the run on Sunday - go easy on me!

Martin Brady 5

26/01/2013 at 00:16

Ricky , Dublin 2012 was my first marathon , I followed the 4:15 to 5:30 plan on the Dublin marathon website because I didn't really know a lot about training plans (still don't) , added 2 x 22miles at the end because I felt at 26 miles I was going to die/ combust / fear of the unknown etc !! I finished in 4:16 and was absolutely delighted as I started with a "be good just to finish" attitude but really got into the training and loved every minute of Dublin. This time I was thinking of following the 4:00 guy but might be a big ask

I have picked the Hal higdon intermediate 2 which increases my weekly miles and also makes my lsr runs longer quicker and includes 2x20 miles , so seems to suit me, but again might be a big ask to knock off 16 minutes, what about you?, I see Alwyns your pace setter this weekend

good luck ( only joking, you guys are running at a great pace,enjoy) any advice as always is gratefully appreciated but I think the 4:15 guy might be more realistic

tommygunn

26/01/2013 at 09:54

Ricky a lot of it is down to parkrun.

I think it's been good for getting people who would have previously believed clubs were for elite runners into the clubs.

Ricky W

26/01/2013 at 13:23

Ah ok - the park run phenomenon... I can see why that would work TG. I still haven't done one - work keeps getting in the way on a Sat morn. Why doesn't someone break the mould and do a Sunday morning? Surely there's enough of them in Belfast on a Sat to make moving one to Sunday a good idea?

Ok Martin - well done on Dublin. I think sub 4 is well within you! Will there be pacers @ Belfast though - don't remember when I did it? (seven years ago though so maybe this has been one of the benefits of progress)
I used Hal Higdon on my previous (& only) attempt (Belfast 2006) so am using it again. Also the HH Int 2 plan although I have tweaked it a little by increasing each LSR by a mile or two and introducing 2 speed sessions midweek (tempo run & hill session) in place of planned easy runs. Also do some strides after my final midweek run. I'm aiming for sub-4 with this.
Larne at the end of March will be a pretty good indicator for us!

Edited: 26/01/2013 at 13:23

tommygunn

26/01/2013 at 16:49

Ricky parkrun everywhere is saturday morning at the same time. It's just the way it works globally. Also each belfast one is autonomous. Why should one move and not another? Very difficiult to suit everyone really.

13 miles this morning then down to watch xc. Not for the faint hearted!

Edited: 26/01/2013 at 17:00

Martin Brady 5

26/01/2013 at 21:25

Ricky , Belfast has pacers for 3hrs through to 4:30 hrs , I found it very useful in Dublin so hope to use it again , keep up the good work, enjoy tomorrow

TG like Ricky my Saturdays are a bit of a nightmare but must agree on why fix what's not broken , I like my regular drive of shame past them every Saturday at the waterworks, as I said to Margaret I will do it later in the year , you never know it might even encourage a loner like me to join a club

Ricky W

27/01/2013 at 18:38

Great LSR with Alwyn today! Mind u I struggled with last 2 miles of my planned 16miler and for the first time ever had to walk 0.4 miles of the last mile. This is concerning. I felt lightheaded & vision a little blurry at times - would this be consistent with being out of fuel.?
Ended up running 15.6 miles avg pace 9.20.
Went out at 12.30 with no food since 8.30am breakfast and nothing with me on the run so putting it down to fuelling issues. Will have to come up with a fuelling strategy for next sun as I am due a 17miler.
A little deflated after that experience today I must admit although the company made up for it during the previous 14 miles - cheers Alwyn, enjoyed the craic!

Alwyn McKee

27/01/2013 at 18:56

Ricky - hadn't realised you hadn't eaten since breakfast!
I had 3 Weetabix with honey and milk at 9.30 (lie-in!) and a slice of toast with peanut butter at 11.30. I'm pretty sure your light-headeness is down to lack of fuel.
You'll need to set the alarm early next Sun to fuel properly an hour before you head out - and I will insist you have some jelly beans mid-run!!

Martin Brady 5

27/01/2013 at 19:27

Ricky just sounds like lack of food but your lucky you didn't clock out. I was like Alwyn 3 weetabix and toast and jam a bit later and that was only for an 11 miler , the jelly beans are a good idea or a gel at about 8 miles on those bigger runs helps me. Well done both of you. I ran 5.5 miles slowish on a steady incline and then at a quicker pace on the return journey lovely morning for a run ,plenty of people out doing the same thing

tommygunn

27/01/2013 at 20:32

Bowl of porridge pre long run and some water is the best thing!!

Ricky W

27/01/2013 at 20:59

Had some water TG but too busy chattin to Alwyn and forgot to drink as regularly as I normally would. It was baltic cold with the wind so didnt feel thirsty either.

We did a couple of tours of Lurgan Park and saw XC course from yesterday - to say the "going was heavy" is an understatement - don't know how you XC boys do it!

I'll set the alarm next sun and have some museli & honey & toast..... maybe a banana for luck...... and I'll bring a few gels this time.

Howmanyminutes?!?

27/01/2013 at 21:18

Toasted bagel with peanut butter/nutella and a coffee.

Martin Brady 5

27/01/2013 at 21:37

Ahh the power bagel

reserve those for my big runs,has to be jam though because I absolutely detest peanut butter and Nutella ,TG I had my first bowl of porridge in about 25 years the morning of the Dublin Marathon so it must have worked ,sadly it reminds me of peanut butter and Nutella

tommygunn

27/01/2013 at 21:55

Porridge isn't heavy and is slow release energy so very good for the long runs in my view.

I only watched at lurgan park but it looked like very tough conditions. A few blasts from the past from this forum were competing.

Kenneth Bacon

28/01/2013 at 09:29

Porridge and honey for me on a Sunday morning carry a gel in case I need it. It's was probably a bit of dehydration as well Ricky. I used to run without water at this time of the year but you sweat with the jackets etc so you need to keep taking liquids.

We are starting to pick up some members from the Portrush Parkrun.

I measured the Roe Valley Trail Run on Saturday. The course is more or less the same as last year and is in good condition considering the amout of rain we have had recently.

Another 8 miles yesterday morning beore the rain came. I'm struggling on the hills at the minute so will have to get a bit of hill work done.

Alwyn McKee

28/01/2013 at 10:45

Kenny - good to hear your balance issues appear to be behind you and you're starting to clock up the miles again!

Hope you get a good entry for Roe Valley. I enjoyed it last year but it clashes next month with the Irish Cup 'tie of the round' between Ballymena Utd and Coleraine when I hope to see the Bannsiders "run" rings around the Braidmen!

Good to hear you're recuiting from the Portrush Parkrun - I was watching the XC at Lurgan Park on Sat and there was an impressive turnout from Springwell.

Of course, usual very strong turnout from North Belfast, TG!

In fact, great turnout from a lot of clubs which highlighted the very poor showing from Dromore AC. I know a couple of our top performers are injured at the minute but it should still be a cause for some concern and debate at training this week. Personally, I still don't feel I can run at a level to take on the hardy perennials who plough their way through the XC tracks - although I had considered entry to the Lurgan event until I pulled/strained a muscle in my lower abs during a speed session last Tues on snowy, heavy pitches. Definitely have XC participation on my target list for next Winter!

Enjoyed a nice slow LR with Ricky W yesterday - although with him finishing light-headed and my ab-strain bothering me a little towards the end and particularly afterwards, I suppose we proved that LSRs should always command respect in terms of prepartion and being fit-to-run!

Very cold wind and now rain here in Lisburn so happy to take a day's rest.

Kenneth Bacon

28/01/2013 at 14:50

Alwyn the balance issue has cleared up and I can now run in a strsight line. I'm still having the ringing in my ear and this causes problems when I'm in a room and a number of people are talking. You should give the XC a go it's good strength building. A lot of our runners hadn't run any until this year. It's amazing the power of chocolate cake at the end.

I had manflu at the new year and it has left me struggling on the hills. I can cope with the flat and downhill but just die when I hit a hill. I am hoping to do Larne this year and was getting stick yesterday because I hadn't my entry in. it's pay day this week so I'll have to think up a new excuse.

JP Wallace

28/01/2013 at 15:15

I agree with Kenneth - y'all need to get some spikes and try XC! I only started running last Spring but I was determinded to do some XC over the Winter - so I bought a pair of spikes off ebay for a fiver and did one in Ballyclare, Antrim and Lurgan on Saturday and I really like doing them - they're tough but not perhaps as tough as they look once you get going - i.e once you get wet and muddy you're wet and muddy!

I think Lurgan on Saturday was my favourite course so far (though Ballyclare was probably easier) - really liked the wee 'technical' bit up and down through the trees before the finish. Alwyn with regard to pace I ran 6.53 minute/mile on Saturday and was just above the mid point of the finishers if that gives you an idea of the pace.

Edited: 28/01/2013 at 15:33