Training Log Archive: ColmM

Event: CNOC Summer Evening Series, Curragh (Lumville Crossroads)
 

CNOC summer series - Curragh

I wasn't overly motivated for it when I realised it wasn't sunnyhill, but I saw Kev then, and he said Josh was here too, so the competition had me a bit more hyped again. Knew Kev had started a couple of mins ahead of me, so was keen to work hard, though was pretty surprised to do 180 degree turn through the start boxes.
Fairly clean through all the early stuff, trying to find good lines in and out of the gorse and mostly succeeding. Saw kev on his way to 10 as I went to 9 cos of the dog leg, so worked hard up the hill and tried to keep pushing. Picking out the features nice & aggressively to 10, a little hesitancy on 11, but only 5sec or so.
Had seen Kev go right to 12, but I liked the look of left a little more, so went hard and tried to put some time back in, worked aight as it looks like that route was better. I pushed through some rough gorse on 13 that had a slight trail through it, but looks like nobody else did. Not sure if there was a path missing on 14, but I couldn't go the way I wanted and looped around a little which cost 15sec or so. Turned a little early on 15 too, but only 5sec or so.
Then gurning the last few, got sight of kev to 18 again, so gave it socks, and as I came to the 2nd one on the control pick he had messed up, so I was only 10-15sec back. Then slogged it out from there, and was fortunate to kev push me on those last few controls as I nipped Josh by 1 second!

Pretty sound technically, but it was easy, and good physically, worked hard. Hill race tomorrow could be tough.

Long - Splits

getting something in, and then ran into my cousin doing a session so ran alongside her for a bit

we did a good bit of lunge work which was quite tough, and balance work which felt good for the ankle

home slightly long way

ankle

Nice long run up to kippure from Cruagh. Legs tired and ended up walking a little of the end of the kippure climb. But energy still alright throughout, just tired legs eh.
Maybe not helped by being a tad hungover / dehydrated, but got some water coming off kippure from a kind ultra-runner I’d passed earlier, who looked even more shagged than me.
That rounds a decent week.

have had enough close calls recently to realise I need to be back on the ankle work

Track session with Rathfarnham.
Joined Louis for 2nd half of his session (12x400), then added some extra myself. A bit haphazard but overall similar work to the deek’s Quarters, but longer rests and faster reps.

6x 400[60”], 1k tempo[3’00], 3x 200[90”].

Some speed work done.
400s: ~74, 70, 70, 72, 70, 70.
1k: 3:37 - legs were tired from the 400s but pace felt easy
200s: 31, 31, 32.

Easy hill run on ticknock.

Easy up to Marlay with Cian

Nice & easy pine forest 10 with Niall. Legs suitably tired this eve, another easy day tomorrow.

commute

IMRA Prince William’s Seat - 1st

Probably wasn’t the most sensible idea to show up after the weekend, but the legs had been feeling alright so here I stood on the start line.

It wasn’t as strong a field as it has been other weeks and I was sat in 3rd starting the first real climb. Got by Conroy on a MTB jump, but another lad came by me a minute later. As we got to the top of the forest the 2 in front missed a tape and I called them back, but they settled behind and I lead down some nice fire road.
Started climbing the next patch with lots of tree roots, it was steep enough and Conroy went by again, but he was slow through the tree roots (uphill!), but he got a little away, and on the next uphill fire road the gap stayed constant.
He turned onto the next single track, and it had a bit of heather cover so I started reeling him back in and he kindly let me by. As the trail got smoother he caught back up. My legs were no longer feeling so fresh and I had some regrets about racing after the weekend, but I was in 2nd and I knew Conroy isn’t the best descender, so looked alright for me. he went by on the Wicklow Way, I caught up a little on the boggy final climb, but he got it to 10-15s at the summit.

I turned and couldn’t see anyone coming up the climb, good news that. Got Conroy after 400m or so, and he was floundering a bit in the bog. Reckoned I was good for him, but kept working hard on fear of any others.
The descents kept coming, and they stayed technical. From rocky trail to off-trail forest descent, I was pretty confident at this stage so could ease off a little.
Still worked fairly hard though and happy to come in first about 2mins up.

Good evening out.