U Penn 0 Palestine 1

 Nothing like running a race on your doorstep and your own backyard, the 4th annual Penn Relays 5k, for once NOT  part of a double header, in 2021 and 2022 it was the day b4 the Run For The Blue 5m race on Market St in late October and last year it served as a November double header w/ the Bridge Run 10k, thankfully this year it stood in its own

Franklin Field holds a special place in my heart when I moved out to West Philly in 06 it became my home base and pretty much all of my prep for Indoor and Outdoor Nationals between 06-16 was conducted on that track, I also got to run a few Masters 4x400m relays w/ my former club at the prestigious Penn Relays there and in 2010 ran my first ever sub 16.00 5,000m in something like 15.58 at a college meet.....yeah Franklin Field and I have a history

While Franklin Field and I have a storied past me and the University Of Penn don't see eye to eye, their treatment of students who were Pro Palestine this Spring was nothing short of shameful in a country where Freedom Of Speech and Freedom Of Expression are not only encouraged but also part of the Constitution  anyone who set up on the main campus to oppose UPenn's  backing of Israel's shameful behaviour  in the Gaza Strip and West Bank were either arrested, threatened w/ expulsion or not allowed to sit end of year exams, eventually the Campus brought in Philadelphia Police to brake up the make shift camps students had set up to demonstrate the Genocide in Palestine and drew the wrath of the Governor of Pennsylvania one Mr Josh Shapiro.......you don't need to " join the dots" to work out who's side of the conflict he was on or whom he would lend unequivocal  backing....., to that end this felt very much the race to wear my Palestine running vest that I wore in Dublin and my Ireland/Palestine t shirt as my warm up shirt

Franklin Field is roughly a mile from where I live so it's an easy get to the morning of a race, I was out the door at 7.30am and on the infield picking up my race number by 7.50am, conditions were sunny and mild for mid November in what was my 11th race this season, as I missed the deadline for entries on next weekends Rothman 8k or Philadelphia Half Marathon this was my second to final race of the season, the year ending Schuylkill River Loop 8.4m will bring the curtain down on a frankly mixed bag of a season, I had said last week after the Rocky Run 5k prior to the 10 miler an hour or so later that I couldn't really gauge where I was at over 5k, today would give me a better idea based off last years results in the 60-69 age group I needed to run in the region of 22.30 at 7.30 mile pace to have a crack at a top 3 finish and getting on the podium

In a field of 217 I knew I needed to be near the front when the siren went off on the south side of the track as we did a lap of the track b4 exiting through the gate onto the sidewalk of  33rd St and towards Penn Park behind Franklin Field , I got a clear start and went through the opening mile in 7.17....although my Garmin aka Hal The Little Bollix didn't register the opening mile till after the official 1 mile marker.....in a season where so much hasn't gone to script this felt like the least of my woes..... 

7.50 at mile 2......again after I went through the official 2 mile marker now for the fun and games.....I can't say for certain the runner  ahead of me cut a loop of Penn Park but I didn't recall seeing him in front of me the last 2 miles now all of a sudden when he should've gone right for lap1 he went left for lap 2.......I don't object to getting beat by runners who are faster and better than me but I draw the line at people who cut loops off a race period muchless a 5k......., not content w/ that infraction he then cut the corner of the turn towards Franklin Field.....everyone else went around the turn he went across it....small potatoes  when ye've cut out an entire loop of Penn Park I guess but it was the incentive I needed to dig deep w/ roughly half a mile to go..... and promptly dropped him like a bad habit.....

Back into Franklin field up the back straight around the top turn  down the home straight to the finish line, 22.22.12 off 7.37 mile pace, 51st overall but 3rd in the 60-69 age group 11 seconds behind second but more importantly 34 seconds ahead of 4th, to compound how off Hal The Little Bollix is when I crossed the finish line which is 3.1m it read 2.94.......like I said Little Bollix.......

For only the third time this season in eleven races I made the podium it's not something I take for granted, I don't have a divine right to rock up at a race and think " oh yeah Top 3/Age Group Award" it has to be earned and worked for, if I can finish out the season in three weeks time on the podium at the Schuylkill River Loop it will be a good way to end a frustrating season, to that end I need to knuckle down this week and resume lunchtime training runs, since returning from Dublin I've raced more times {4} than I've trained {1} I am still in that " mile a day recovery from a Marathon" mindset as of today it's been 20 days, come Friday my " statute of limitations" expires time to get back to basics

Aah Bisto.....It's All Just Gravy At This Point

 For the final time this season up at Silly O Clock  for a race, after today my final two races are at 8.30am and 10am, when ye're up b4 the birds and sunrise at 5.30am to be out the door by 6am to be at the Parkway by 7am for the 5k at The Rocky Run it's always a "Rocky" start to yer day!, but if I wanted medals #9,#10,#11 for the season and #252,#253,#254 for the career that was the price I had to pay.....

Down to the Ben Franklin Parkway by 6.30am ample time for one final pit stop at the Portajohns b4 getting into the corral, I'm not sure if this was the first year or second year the Rocky Run had sold out, it is growing in popularity since I began racing it in 2017, granted 5ks are a " dime a dozen" these days but outside of Broad Street I can't think of too many 10 mile road races and having been shut out of the Rothman 8k in two weeks time for leaving it too late to register I should be grateful I got my {Sham}Rocky Run registration in b4 I got fecked out of this also....

Despite being in the A Corral I didn't make it into the first wave, which was grand as I knew I'd only be standing around waiting for the 10 mile race to go off at 8am....an extra 2.5 mins rest wouldn't hurt any...the issue w/ running two races in roughly an hour is I can never get a true reflection on what either race is, can't go balls out in the 5k knowing a 10 miler is around the corner, next Saturday at Penn when it's  the Penn Relays 5k I'll get a truer reflection of where I'm at over 5k, 7.28 for the opening mile I honestly hadn't given any thought to speed, pace time for either race, at this point in my season it's just about adding medals to the collection and getting ready for the off season

7.55 at mile 2 after the turnaround followed by a 7.54 third mile and 53 seconds for the .1,- 24.10.1 hopefully next week on a flatter course and only one race my time will be quicker....

The 5k runners were still going off when I returned to the start so I knew an 8 o clock start to the 10 miler wasn't happening and while an extra 15 mins recovery was grand and all that it allowed me and everyone else doing the Italian Stallion Challenge of 5k and 10 miles to stiffen up.....

Again I hadn't given much if any thought to pace, time, speed for the 10 miler, when I saw 8.28 for the opening mile I kinda knew what to expect, frankly 1.30 off 9 min mile pace would be ok........9.08 at mile 2 going up Brewery Hill and over Girard Ave bridge b4 hitting West River Dr via Sweetbriar Dr three sub 9s of 8.47-8.42-8.57  on route to the turnaround at the Conrail bridge and mile 5.......

Mount Friggin' Drago a series of  up hills, three, maybe four but what goes up, must come down so while mile 6 ballooned up to 9.59 mile 7 dropped back to a semi respectable 8.39, once back on the flat  of W.River Dr I knew I had one uphill off Sweetbriar and Lansdowne after mile 8 b4 the downhill of Brewery Hill to Kelly Dr, mile 9 and then the slight uphill towards the Art Museum and the finish......in front of the Rocky/Art Museum steps

9.02 at mile 8 and 9.25 at mile 9 at this point beating whoever was around me wasn't a concern.......hold my Guinness Zero.......while negotiating the final incline on Mount Drago I was somewhat agitated by some gombeen having a full blown conversation on his phone via his ear buds " I'm at the top of the hill" " I went out too fast" "I'll be at the finish in half an hour"..... fuck up and get away from me if I could've sped up to spare myself from his auld shite talk I would've but I was happy for him to be ahead of me out of earshot.....cue the final half mile uphill towards the finish.....Gombeen wasn't talking now and judging from the stain on the back of his grey Rocky sweat pants he'd either pissed himself.....OR a fart had followed through....maybe it was sweat either was I was happy to have at least beaten him to the finish line

9.04 for the final mile 1.30.24 off 9.01 mile pace

Three more medals to the collect, three closer to #300 which if I'm lucky will be by the end of the 2027 season, to aid and abet that I'll be back here next year on November 9th for another{Sham}Rocky Run and Italian Stallion Challenge and another 3 medals

One Down, Forty Nine To Go.......

 Given the season I've had it would have been very easy to draw the proverbial line in the sand after Dublin and say that's it.......however having reached the #250 medal plateau in Dublin I'm now looking down the road at #300 so w/ a potential seven more medals up for grabs between November 3rd and December 8th there was no time to sit back and call it a season so while the masses were off to New York City for the marathon the rest of us were heading to Camden for the Cooper Norcross Run The Bridge 10k

Another Sunday I got an extra hour in bed as our clocks went back this week and another Sunday the race didn't begin at Silly O Clock {8.30am} that said I still had to be up at 6am and out the door by 6.30am to get to the Camden side of the Ben Franklin bridge by 7.30am to give myself an hour to prepare

Good conditions for the first Sunday of November, between my socks, calf sleeves and knee sleeves I'm well insulated from the cold from the waste down but I went singlet and no shirt, short or long sleeved....how long I can continue that between now and Dec 8th remains to be seen.....it can be a crap shoot running over the Ben Franklin bridge in early November in the morning I've lucked out the last few years since adding the Run The Bridge 10k to my Fall race season, I recall its predecessor the now {sadly} defunct A To Z 10k from the Camden Aquarium to the Philadelphia Zoo that went over the Ben Franklin bridge one year in particular my hands were frozen coming off the bridge on the Philadelphia side b4 cutting thro Chinatown to the Parkway and eventually the Zoo

Got my customary clear start from the gun and made my way through the field on the left hand side of the bridge knowing the turn back across the bridge would be to my left, even though for whatever reasons this season I'm not running at the pace I have been my brain is still as sharp and if I can run less distance w/in the parameters of fair play to shave a few seconds off my time fair play to me

I was a bit bemused there were no mile markers on the bridge to indicate miles 1 and 2 I believe the 3 mile marker onwards was posted and while it's no big deal as most runner have Garmins I just think that just one of those things as a runner you expect, again not a big deal more of an observation

I had no agenda today other than to finish so when my Garmin said 8.16 for the opening mile I was non plus w/ that, knowing the opening mile is uphill it was always going to be a little conservative, since mile 2 was downhill the 7.45 split helped balance that out

7.59 at mile 3 I was give or take on 8 min mile pace and looking at 48 mins, again I wasn't overly concerned w/ pace, splits, speed overall/age group finish, take Dublin out of the equation I'd have come into this race off the back of the Run For The Blue 5 miler on Oct 20th and probably 2 weeks of solid training w/ maybe a 10 miler last weekend inbetween as it was this was my first run since Dublin and I probably still had some marathon miles in my legs, hopefully this week leading upto the Rocky Run on Saturday I can flush out any gunk in my legs during the week.

7.33 at mile 4 I'd taken advantage of the downhill off the bridge and now flat terrain on route to the USS New Jersey behind the whatever corporate name the concert venue in Camden is these days and heading back along the Delaware River towards the Ben Franklin bridge, 8.03 at mile 5 at this point any one I could pick off ahead of me was a bonus while it was a race I wasn't in " race mode" like Dublin last week if ye beat me ye bete me fair fucks to ya, just getting to the finish was enough 7.57 at mile 6 and now the approach to the track for the new finish this year maybe 150 meters or so....the track runner in me couldn't resist a kick coming off the turn and up the home straight to the finishline.

49.38.4 off 7.55 mile pace, 9 weeks ago at Philly 10k I ran 48.55 off 7.53 pace so throw in a marathon a week ago I guess it balances its self out, overall I finished 204th out of 1620 6th in the 60-64 age group 3.06 off the podium

It's another medal closer to #300 and another 6 miles onto my yearly mileage tally which is creepin' closer to beating last years tally, hopefully I can  log a couple of lunchtime 5 miles this week b4 Saturdays 5k and 10 miler at the {Sham}Rocky Run.....

250 Not Out...............

Fare thee well sweet Anna Liffey, I can no longer stay and watch the new glass  cages,that spring up along the quay my mind's too full of memories too old to hear new chimes, I'm part of what was Dublin,in the rare oul times.......

The Dubliners Dublin In The Rare Old Times

A few days have elapsed since Sundays Dublin Marathon I wanted the dust to settle b4 committing my words to the blog, nothing has changed since crossing the finish line Sunday lunchtime, sure my legs hurt a lot less than they did as I crossed the finish line on  Mount Street Lower, my finish time is still my slowest time ever but the smile on my face when I think of the race as a whole gets wider

I knew going into Sunday for whatever reason I was on a hiding to nothing,after a brisk 21.02.54 5k on Feb 10th my season has gone downhill rapidly.....or faster than Alberto Tomba in the Giant Slalom as I'm fond of saying,I kept waiting and hoping for a turning point all season  but it never came, by the time I struggled to a  record slowest half marathon at the PDR six weeks b4 Dublin in 1.54.44 off a generous 8.44 mile pace and then four weeks later could barely get a 9 miler in off 10.11 pace I knew I had two choices, bag Dublin and let down several family members who'd booked a weekend in Dublin to see me run and accept I was on a hiding to nothing, about to run my slowest ever marathon.....or go along for the ride and maybe get a new perspective on running the marathon,all of my previous 15 marathons had been built around trying to get from point A to point B in as quick a time as possible,this time maybe I could soak it all in enjoy the sights and sounds around me and maybe interact w/ my fellow marathoners......when in Dublin as they say!    

A nice change of pace.......{ no pun intended!!!} not having to get up at the arse crack of dawn to be at the start, a respectable 8.45am start for once,granted my corral spot was based off a projected 3,30 finish that I knew was wishful thinking but I didn't feel the need to move back into the slower corrals these runners were going to pass me anyways sure I might as well stay where I was  and  just focus on what I had to do,I did however make a point of starting near the back of the Gold corral....no point in everyone passing me thinking "look at yer man here,,,,feckin' gobshite!!!

By nature I'm a meticulous planner and no less so as a runner, this time out the only plan was to reach the finish so pace etc was not an issue, get out get into a good rhythm and hope for  the best, based on my last race the Philadelphia Distance Run six weeks ago I got eight miles in b4 having to stop and walk b4 getting going again and then hitting a  "wash, rinse, repeat" mode over the final five miles, the further I could get today the better, no target mile mark but anything above mile 8 would be a plus.......

My opening 10 mile splits were: 8.29-8.18-8.40-8.21-8.39-8.41-8.43-8.23-8.48-8.37 1.23.39, glass half full off that pace I could reach mile 20 in 2.47.18 but I knew that wasn't going to happen, somewhere between  exiting Phoenix Park and mile 11 the inevitable happened and I stopped to walk b4 getting going again,it sounds churlish when I say I was delighted and surprised to reach 10 miles w/out stopping but this was where I was coming into Dublin, the next 16 miles were going to be a challenge........enter the crowd and my fellow runners,I got so much love and support from everyone around me it boosted my moral,in my previous 15 marathons since 1985........{YES I'm very aware next November is the 40th anniversary of my 26.2 debut........} I hadn't struggled this much for this long so I hadn't had to lean on the crowds and my fellow runners.......however there is a reason why Dublin is known as "The Friendly Marathon" they lifted my sagging limbs and spirits to the finish line and while it isn't possible to thank everyone who cheered and encouraged me offered me Water, Lucozade, Jaffa Cakes, Gummies, Wine Gums, Salt Tablets, and told me I'd make it to the finish "Go raibh maith Agat"......or "Thank You" for the non Gaelic speakers/ readers of my blog.........Kevinrunningfree in Gaelic coming a long way off!!!!

For the second time since 2001  I hit the deck during a marathon, in Philly in 01 in the closing four miles the loop of the lace of my running shoe  got caught on my toe and sent me tumbling in Dublin between mile 15 or 16 I misjudged a manhole cover and caught the lip of it and went crashing to the ground, thankfully my catlike reflexes  meant I threw out my right hand to try and brake my fall, I picked up some nasty Dublin road rash for my troubles and some bruising around my right hand, right shoulder, right hip but it could have been far worse, my injuries could have been race ending and I could have caused a chain reaction, if anything I was more embarrassed to fall in public in front of a large crowd but upon getting to my feet and letting those around me I was ok I joked " let this be a lesson folks.......don't drink and run!!" and continued my quest towards the finish,at this point  THAT was all that mattered

Even though this was a sub standard marathon  by my standards, there were other runners around me who were also struggling and when I was  in those moments of being able to run rather than walk I tried to lend support and encourage my fellow runners we could do this and reach the finish, I joked to one runner that there was no difference in the finishers medal if we walked or ran!

I worked together for a mile or so between mile 22 and 23 w/ Colin a 26 year old Dubliner who had gotten sick on Wednesday and was struggling b4 he encouraged me to press on w/my own race and not worry about him, he said this would be his first and last marathon to whit I said at 26 I had bad marathon days and bounced back and kept coming back for more, I hope Colin will try again in a year or two

When I reached the turn at mile 24 I knew I was close, at no point did I ever think I wouldn't finish,my goal was to finish like every other marathon if it was sub 4 hours that would be a bonus,I knew that wasn't going to be the case now.....and frankly I didn't give a fiddlers....it might not have been fast, I may have walked quite a bit of the preceding 14 miles but I was going to cross the finish line and claim  medal #250 and honour the memory of " the auld fella" who died 40 years ago on Oct 27th 1984, b4 my marathon debut in Harrow in Middlesex in November 85 I had plucked some grass from his grave and wrapped some scotch tape/celotape   around it and taped to the back of my race number, on one of my last trips back to London I had plucked some more grass clippings from near his headstone to repeat the gesture

I knew prior to heading off my family would be somewhere inside the final mile but I only caught a glance of my nephew Tom and brother in law Chris  b4 I made the turn towards the finish,my calves had been cramping for most of the second half of the marathon as I hadn't drank enough water in the build  up to today, had I been " firing on all cylinders" I would have left " no stone unturned" in my pre race build up but it's been that kind of a year, the proverbial writing had been on the wall way back on March 24th when I ran 1.29.17 for the Love Run half marathon off 7.29 mile pace and sadly for whatever reason I was never able to turn the proverbial corner, to my knowledge I'm not sick or injured I just haven't been able to race to the degree I'm used to or train to the levels I'm used to,picked the wrong year for the shit to hit the fan...

4.34.08 off 10.24 mile pace the final 16 miles went:10.16-10.09-10.39-12.12-10.26-12.38-11.35-11.35-12.11-12.07-13.32-12.40-11.25-11.43-11.52-10.10-3.19....but I FINISHED!!!!

The medal felt sweet,I'd earnt this one I felt and when I eventually made my way back to the Grand Canal Hotel to be reunited  w/ Mrs Shamrock Warrior and my family no one cared what my time was,what my pace was or that I'd walked /ran the final 16 miles, they were just happy I'd finished and been a part of the journey.......

I won't say if this is my last marathon or not, bit too soon to make that determination,I haven't ruled it out, I would consider Dublin Marathon again but lets let the dust settle,now that I've reached #250 the target is #300, if everything stays on the up and up that could take another 3 years but one race at a time, one medal at a time and after today one Guinness Zero at a time......Slainte!!!!

Another Brick In The Wall....

Another 5 miler in the books,another 5 miles towards hopefully triple digit mileage this month.....its going to be close so every mile counts

Once again "Hal the little bollix of a Garmin" fucked me partially  my fault for not paying attention at the opening mile,in my defense yer honour I didn't feel the Garmin vibrate which would have alerted me to the fact the mile split came up too early as the 6.43 mile split indicated.....at this point in my season of discontent I shouldn't be too surprised at anything that goes wrong.......

Having missed the opening mile split I saw 8.14 for mile 2 b4 8.57 for mile 3, as is my won't on a good day I ran beyond the turnaround point but knowing that "Hal the little bollix" was off I wanted to try and get the run as close to 5 miles as I could

9.27 for mile 4, a bit slow,but at this point I was just switching to neutral mode and looking to see out the run w/ a hopefully long/longer run on Sunday

8.51 for the final mile for a questionable 42.13.2 time off 8.26 mile pace,one that won't go down as a memorable run and will instantly be forgotten if I'm being honest,in the general scheme of things nothing of note today.....other than a timely reminder to fish out "Hal's" instructions and see if I can calibrate the little bollix.......but also my final lunchtime run b4 not only b4 Dublin but also The Bridge Run 10k the following Sunday,upon my return to work on November 4th I'll be getting ready for "The Italian Stallion Challenge" at the Rocky Run followed by the Penn Relays 5k, Rothman 8k and the season finale the Schylkill River Loop 8.4m.......which yet again will be an out and back race as the yokes in charge of rebuilding the bridge under Spring Garden St bridge are still working on it 18 months and counting......said it b4 and I'll say it again if Wimpey or John Lange were rebuilding it it'd been done LONG ago

 

Sometimes Less Is More....

 So I took a day off on Tuesday, after the buffeting I took on Monday on already leg weary legs there didn't seem much point going at it again Tuesday just for the sake of tagging on more miles for the sake of it, as Kenny Rodgers said "gotta know when to hold em, gotta know when to fold em" 

The plan was a rest day then go at it again on fresh and rested legs, I opted for 5 miles more so because it was 2.10pm b4 I got out the door and I usually account for 45 mins for a 5 miler, I don't like to take liberties  w/ my time you factor in I need 10 mins b4 the run to get changed and stretched then another 10 mins post run to towel off and get back into work clothes there's 20 mins already tack on another 45 for the run I'm already over my hour so 5 it was today

I was confident my time would be quicker than Mondays  laboured 45.54.5 off 9.11 mile pace and logged a 8.46 opening mile heading up the Parkway towards the Art Museum, sunny but a bit brisker than last week, October is a funny month weather wise, I always say treat each nice day as it'll be the  last one because eventually it will be, I only have today and tomorrow this week to worry about it, by the time I resume lunchtime runs post Dublin it'll be Nov 4th and probably halfzip weather time.

8.52 at mile 2 it was noticeble the headwind along the Schuylkill was less obnoxious today, 9.07 at mile 3 unless the arse fell out of in the final 2 miles I was going to be sub 45...., small victories fellas...small victories..... to that end I picked up the pace heading back towards the Art Museum and the mad charge down the Parkway towards City Hall

8.49 at mile 4, 34.47 so even a 9 min mile was going to see me under the magic barrier but I wanted to finish strong I'm already planning for the Bridge Run 10k on Nov 3rd......8.31 for the final mile and a 43.48.9 finish off 8.46 mile pace

Slightly slower than last Wednedays 43.32.0 off 8.42 mile pace but I'm happy w/ the overall effort and time not to mention having the balls to get out there and run when it would be all too easy to pack the tent round up the doggies and piss on the camp fire, another one tomorrow b4 attempting a longer run on Sunday......

All In, No Matter What The Outcome Is

 Final full week of training heading into Dublin, while I'm off from work next prior to heading to Dublin I will try to get some miles in b4 flying to Dublin on Wednesday night, while I doubt they will make a difference in the overall outcome of the marathon they will help me potentially crack triple digit mileage this month which sadly hasn't happen for months, possibly March?

I was feeling leggy from Sundays exploits and it would have been easy to blow off my lunchtime jaunt up the Parkway and along  Kelly Dr period, it's a slippery slope blow off Monday and b4 I know it it's Thursday and I haven't done jack shit which means by Saturday or Sunday there'll be less inclination to get out there, sure as far as Dublin goes it's too late now but the lure of returning to triple digit monthly mileage is a big motivation...whatever it takes yeah?

56 degrees at 2pm as I made my way up the Parkway towards the Art Museum, 8.37 for the opening mile kinda where I was hoping for roughly 9 min mile pace, thankfully no issues w/ Hal the little bollix of a Garmin today!..........9.10 at mile 2, this is where it got interesting......... I was leggy to begin w/ and now as I headed north along the Schuylkill I had to contend w/ a strong headwind.......

I did strongly consider turning at 2.5 miles and making it a 5 miler but ploughed on till mile 3....fuckin ada.....9.56 split at this point I stopped to walk a little and somewhat belatedly opted to make this a 5 miler 9.19 at mile 4, 36.22 I was going to have to hoof it if I was going to get sub 45 for 5 miles

8.53 for the final mile for a 45.54.5 time off 9.11 mile pace, yes slow but somedays its about the effort not the time, it would be easy to " throw my toys out of the pram" at this point and say if I can't run the Dublin Marathon to the level I've been accustomed to the last 39 years why bother? kind of a cop out so I've accepted Dublin won't be my finest hour....or four and embrace the event and run a marathon from a different perspective, interact w/ the crowd and my fellow runners, hopefully help a fellow marathoner  as we grind through the miles towards the finish and if any would be spectator wants to bestow some Guinness upon us mad bastards out on the course I can say w/out fear of contradiction  I'm here for all of that.......Slainte!

It's A Long Way To The Top.....Its Even Further To The Dublin Marathon Finish Line......

 There's a classic line at the start of Woody Allen's movie "Love & Death" where he says "there comes a time in every mans life when he had so die...for me that's 6am.....should have been 5am but got a smart lawyer, got leniency...." that's how this weekend felt.......

I pushed back Saturdays all important " long run" to Sunday if for no other reason to delay the inevitable, I already knew what was in store for me, there was no miracle waiting  irregardless of which day I ran.

Out by 8.10am, I should be grateful after several weeks I had finally gotten out there on the weekend, I have one more weekend b4 Dublin and then it's five successive weekends of races b4 a weekend race free and then the season finale on Sun Dec 8th, conditions were sunny and mild although I did eventually work up a good sweat by the time I reached Fairmount Park

8.10 for the opening mile, a tad brisk but the opening mile often is, I opted for the Powelton Ave route to  31st/Mantua Ave then a left on to 34th St towards to Philadelphia Zoo and the Lansdowne Dr to get up to Fairmount Park, 8.32 at mile 2 and at this point it all felt it was going to plan...... just after I turned onto 31st St at roughly 2.77 miles I began to "suck air" it's possible the 8.10-8.32 opening 2 miles had something to do w/ that but sadly too often in recent weeks/months I have felt I'm struggling to breathe, during the Summer I blamed the humidity but I can't use that as an excuse any longer in mid October, what the issue is I don't know it doesn't present it's self in any other area of my day to day life I live on the third floor I don't get winded going up the steps, I constantly walk a flight of stairs to the 22nd floor at work, no issue and on any given day at work I'm required to walk several city blocks to make deliveries or pick ups, again no issues until I run, the kick in the bollix is I always joke that the two requirements to be a good runner are a good respirartory  system....and a full frontal lobotomy cause we have to be out of our ever loving minds to not only do what we do...but love doing it......

I got going again pretty soon after stopping and clocked  9.37 at mile 3, normally when I stop running I stop the Garmin but I figured I'd just let it run, I was that unconfident of getting 16 miles in.....9.32 at mile 4 again I felt good and hoped the early stop was a result of the opening two splits being a tad brisk.....the uphill on Lansdowne Ave is often a tough incline when I'm 100% today I had to stop and walk b4 making the turn to Avenue Of The Republic, 10.13 at mile 5 the writing was truly on the wall but I wasn't ready to throw in the towel just yet so rather than just head home via Belmont Avenue I continued towards the Mann Music Center but after rounding the statue at States Drive I turned back down Avenue Of The Republic rather than my usual route towards Fairmount Park via States Dr and crossing Belmont Ave

10.42 at mile 6 now it was just a war of attrition to make it home I was reminded of a Charles Barkley comment during the 92 Olympics when the NBA Dream Team represented Team USA in the Basketball" no you can't have an autograph, no you can't have a photograph, no you can't have my jersey, take your beatin' and go home"........

12.27 at mile 7 insult to injury I stopped the Garmin at the junction on Lansdowne Ave and Girard Ave to wait for the lights in my favour but upon resuming my run I guess I didn't hit the restart button so the next 400m/600m I ran went unrecorded......great don't even get credit for the distance ran......

12.07 at mile 8 after turning onto Powelton Ave, I had some Pitbull barking at me from the passenger seat of a passing car I did laugh to myself it must've been an Israeli Pitbull  since I was wearing my Palestine running vest to brake it for for Dublin......

10.20 at mile 9 I called it a day there I still had less than a mile to get home but didn't feel like doing loops around the block to round out another mile 1.31.38 in 10.11 mile pace, hardly earth shattering but it is what it is, a classic case of trying to make a Silk purse out of a Pig's ear........

SO where does this leave me? I'm woefully short of miles for Dublin but I'm going to do it, I was already resigned to it being my slowest ever marathon to begin w/ so I may as well try and enjoy it w/out the  pressure of worrying about time, if I was signed up for the Philadelphia Marathon on Nov 24th I may have time to "pull a Rabbit out of the hat" but 'm not and I don't, Dublin will be what it is but it will springboard me to the remaining  six races of the Fall Road Race season

Keep On Truckin' Young Renegade

And there there were six.......miles in my legs and in my logbook....., the fact I had hoped to begin the week w/ six miles but settled for three but slowly worked my way up to it is a testimony to where I'm at right now, Dublin Marathon  aside I do need to prep for the remainder of the Fall Road Race season, Bridge Run 10k Nov 3rd, Italian Stallion Challenge 5k & 10m @ The Rocky Run Nov 9th Penn Relays 5k Nov 16th,Rothman 8k Nov 23rd and after two weeks off the season finale Schuylkill River Loop 8.4m so getting back up to 6 mile runs is good moving forwards the next several weeks

Out the front door at 2pm a mild 60 degrees but sunny as I made my way up the Ben Franklin Parkway towards the Art Museum and Kelly Drive, once again "Hal" the sadistic little bolllix of a Garmin posted a mile split way too early heading to the Art Museum  but I took it in stride, I'd shaken off the over riding feeling of being tired{ this was afterall my 4th  run in 4 days, not something I'd done since March 4th-7th} and feeling hungry, I can ill afford to miss any more training runs between now and the 22nd so all those negative feelings had to go on the back burner

8.40 at mile 2, the plan was sub 9s out and back for a sub 54 min time ,again the miles were more important than the time, that said I wasn't looking at a plod so maintaining a reasonable pace was key,8.54 at mile 3, 25.01, almost 2 minutes under the 27.00 target, as has been my wont this week I continued a little beyond the half way point b4 turning to rule out the potential of maybe having to loop around the 16th-17th street block of Market & Chestnut streets upon my return to work if "Hal" had fecked me, a 6 mile run is 6 miles NOT 5. some auld shite.....trust me I've " looped the loop" more than once to get 6.00 on the run on this route....and may well have to again b4 the start of March.....

9.06 at mile 4 I wasn't too concerned I was 6 seconds over given I had 1.59 " in the bank" to go sub 54.00, this was as good a point as any to get the legs and lungs on the same page thinking ahead to Saturdays long run, 9.21 at mile 5, my slowest split all week but to keep it in perspective my closing mile Monday over three miles was 9.21 and since then I'd managed to increase my daily run by a mile a day

Knowing I had a rest day tomorrow I was able to up the pace coming back down the Parkway.... I also knew at 54 mins give or take I needed to be back at my desk by 3pm  so I picked up the pace, 8.42 for the final mile 52.13.9 off 8.42 mile pace

I'm pleased to be back up to 6 mile runs but I'm not " givin' it the bigun" as far as the Bridge Run 10k and Rocky Run 5k Penn Relays 5k and Rothman 8k this is good prep but I need to remember that Saturdays long run and the Dublin Marathon are still out there to be tackled, to that end I hope getting back into the routine of daily running will motivate and inspire me to get up Saturday morning and go long, the last few weeks I haven't and that may well come back to bite me in the arse in Dublin

I Think I Can, I Think I Can

 Another day, another mile, another boost to my confidence, another deposit into the Dublin Marathon bank

Out the door by 2pm, sunny and warm at 68 degrees as I made my way up the Ben Franklin Parkway to the Art Museum and Kelly Drive, based off the data Tuesdays 4 miler in 34.56.6 off 8.43 mile pace gave me I was looking at 5 miles in under 45.00 off 9.00 min mile pace

Either I learnt my lesson from  Tuesday where my opening mile of 8.26 had me " suckin' air" or I was being cautious w/ the extra mile today but I opened in 8.46, again the more important number was the miles not my speed and pace, 8.59 at mile 2 still sub 9 pace.

As is it's won't the Garmin went garrity on me and gave me a 7.36 split for mile 3...I knew that was bollix but I figured it was an 8.55 split after finishing and adding  the other four splits and looking at the finish time.....at a time when so many other things in my running aren't working the last thing In need is grief from my Garmin......that said I saw "2001 Space Odyssey" I know computers are evil bastards eh Hal???...

9.27 at mile 4 and again that could be off due to "Hal" being a little bollix, doing some quick math on the proverbial fly I had some time in the bank to stay below 45.00/9.00,however w/ lunchtime runs there's always the need to be back at my desk, toweled off and  a liberal supply of deoderant so as not to offend any of my co workers so I picked it up coming down the Parkway towards City Hall, 8.43 for the final mile,43.32.0 off 8.42 mile pace 1.28 inside 45.00,another good run in the books

Hopefully tomorrow I can get up to 6 miles, it's as far as I can go w/in the confinds of a lunch hour but it would be another building block in the restoration of my Dublin Marathon hopes and dreams, I'm gonna focus on getting 6 miles in first b4 I start to think about the prospect of a long, longer run on Saturday, hopefully getting back into the swing of running during the week will lend its self to getting up when the alarm goes off Saturday morning and taking my chances on a double digit run, I should have been doing this the last few weeks but the motivation just wasn't there, ye'd think the fear of not falling on my hole in Dublin would be motivation enough but when my running wasn't going to plan as I would expect it to, it was very easy not to "put myself out there"......it is as they say time to"piss or get off the pot", at a time when I should be tapering I'm desperate to log longer runs.....live it to himself to zig when other runners zag........

Time Keeps On Tickin'........

 I was tempted to go the Europe route and use "The Final Countdown" but much like if you sing "Happy Birthday" ye have to pay royalties, I'm not giving  Joey Tempest any money.....although I'm sure he could use it since Europe were pretty much  a "One Hit Wonder" back in the 80s.....

So a little "house cleaning" from Monday, after a near 3 week period of inactivity I got my sorry arse out the door at lunchtime, this was my first lunchtime run since March 7th,full disclosure I had hoped to run six miles ....however a mile and a half into said run I was "suckin' air" as a result of my inactivity so I promptly cut my losses and turned around to make it a three miler, rather than throw my toys out of the pram I figured hopefully Tuesday I could bump it up a mile to four and then five on Wednesday w/ a view to getting to six come Thursday, at that rate a mile a day I'd be up to nineteen miles by the 23rd the day I depart for Dublin......not too shabby.......however there is the oh so small matter that this week and next week I'm at work and trying to utilize my lunch hour to run.....not sure an extended lunch to up my miles will cut mustard w/ the powers that be......the man....always keeping me down!

I have to say conditions both days at 2pm in the opening ten days of October were ideal, sunny and warm w/ no heat or humidity to contend w/ as I made my way up to the Schuylkill River Trail via the Ben Franklin Parkway, why I haven't used the Parkway b4 I don't know it's only  a block over from JFK Blvd which I had been using, its less crowded w/ pedestrian traffic and vehicle traffic and also a change of scenery never hurts 

Based off of Monday when I managed 3 miles in 27.25.6 off 9.09 mile pace I was shooting for 4 miles in  roughly 36 mins, opening mile was 8.26 and yet again I was " suckin air" but managed to find a rhythm and clocked 8.45 at mile 2 just beyond Boathouse Row, at this point I was going to be inside 36 mins but given my recent failures to complete runs and the clock tickin' on Dublin I was more focused on getting the miles in, sub 36 was an added bonus if it happened....

9.00 flat at mile 3 as I made my way down the Parkway towards City Hall, did I "let the clutch out" and go for it or keep in mind I have to be back tomorrow to tack on an extra mile......8.43 for the closing mile and a 34.53.6 finish off 8.43 mile pace, lets keep things in perspective it's only 4 miles which would only get me to Phoenix  Park in Dublin however at a time when my confidence is as low as Whale shit at the foot of the ocean I have to take even a small victory and use it

Lets see if I can tack on an extra mile tomorrow and get further thro Phoenix Park.....

Start The Mixer!

 Like a foul oder ye just can't seem to get rid of yer man has returned to the blogaverse w/ more of his auld shite.......

So apologies for the lack of blogging since PDR....this was due in no small part to a lack of running by yours truly, to be fair I didn't plan on being on the sideline for three weeks but here I am, the days of running a half marathon and then going out the following day to " shake it out" seem to be from a bygone era and by midweek the desire and drive to get out there seemed to have escaped me, then factor in the end of Summer and the start of Fall and it being pitch black dark b4 7pm meant evening runs were now a flight of fantasy, I had planned to resume my lunchtime jaunts along the Schuylkill River Trail the first week of October.....however that felt like another week that got away from me......all the while the clock is ticking down to October 27th and the Dublin Marathon, tick tock, tick tock....

Ye would think the prospect of a marathon would be enough of an incentive to shake me from my malaise and get cracking, and yet therein lies the rub, it's fair to say I have struggled almost all year in training and in my races, and were this a normal Fall Road Race Season I'd have time to get my mileage up to where it needs to be for The Bridge Run 10k, Penn Relays 5k, Rocky Run 5k and 10 miles, Rothman 8k and Schuylkill Loop 8.4 miles, the prospect of 26.2 miles w/ the lack of miles under my belt is not one that fills me  a great deal of hope that this will be anything other than a dumpster fire.....that said I'm fully committed to going and giving it a lash, and in the immortal words of Noel Furlong '' Just Fuckin' Drive It"

I have 2.5 weeks to log what miles I can b4 flying to Dublin in the hope I can be if not in typical marathon shape, run a marathon....the over riding fear is a Dublin City Council workman behind me at the finish pushing a broom waiting for this gobshite to cross the finish line so he can go home long after everyone else had made it back to Merrion Square, hopefully the next two weeks at lunchtime I'm out getting miles in and on both weekends hopefully something resembling a long run, w/ the prospect of the day b4 flying home to Dublin one final long run, to that end I will do daily blog updates, if I have to be tortured and tormented then so should ye!

Slow & Steady.....Won't Win The Race......But Will Get Ye To The Finish.....

 So apologies for no blog last week, in the build up to PDR off the back of another two failed attempts to get double digit mileage runs in I opted not to post anything, hoping some positive vibes would magically  appear in my legs for Sundays all important Philadelphia Distance Run......

In the week leading up to Sunday I didn't get out along the Schuylkill River Trail/Kelly Drive, a late start to work on Monday put me behind the proverbial 8 ball and then Tuesday when I was quite gung ho about getting after it I waited an age for the trolley home, another nite it was close to 6 pm when I got home w/ the evenings drawing in now and it getting dark by 7.30pm I need to be out the door b4 6pm if I'm going to be out there for 90 mins/10 miles etc.....an excuse that would hold water in late September early October I know.....part of my reluctance I felt this week was my piss poor form of late since mid July I have only logged two 10 mile runs July 13th and July 28th like anything when your form isn't there the desire and drive to get out and get after it tends to be in short supply.....even if I had magically managed a 10 miler on Wednesday or Thursday I doubt it would have made a can of beans worth of difference to how Sundays race would play out........

For the umpteenth time since my PDR debut in 1989 I was up at the arse crack of dawn to get to the Ben Franklin Parkway by 6.30am for a 7.30pm start, while waiting in line for the portajohn on Eakins Oval I saw 59 degrees displayed on trusty Peco Tower a good morning for a race I have faced all manner of conditions over the years in this race, hot and humid, gray and overcast, pissed out of the heavens and idylic today was close to the later although the sweat off my running vest into the top part of my shorts indicated a reasonable amount of humidity along the out and back course, like last year it was down the Parkway, round Logan Circle back up the Parkway, up Kelly Drive, over Falls Bridge, down West River Drive making the turn b4 Columbia bridge, back up West River Drive, over Falls Bridge, down Kelly Drive and finishing in front of the Art Museum

Corral 3, I fear my days of the 1st corral are behind me, in fairness I don't recall what time I put for my seed time but I was a bit concerned to see the 1.50 pace group behind   me , again off piss poor form coming into the race I had no overriding concerns about my finish time, speed or pace.....on Saturday nite I did wonder what if?.......what if like my recent attempts at 10 mile runs I got to mile 6-7 and ran out of steam.......long feckin walk back to Eakins Oval to get my bag........I quickly dismissed such thoughts I was reminded of an old Usain Bolt quote on my living room door I see b4 each training run/ race " worrying gets you nowhere, train hard show up for your race and run your best" sage advice......easy for a 100m/200m runner to say not so easy for a distance runner but worrying wasn't going to help me get to and from the finish so why use up nervous energy?

Clear enough start, was cognizant that I " wasn't ripping up any trees" w/ my pace, sadly a theme of my last 4 races{Love Run Hot Choc 15k Broad St Run Philly 10k} since late March, 7.52 for the opening mile I hadn't given any real thought to pace so sub 8 seemed ok if I could maintain it.....I'm painfully aware of the old adage ' if my Aunt had balls she'd be my Uncle" so ......... 7.57 at mile 2 and 8.06 at mile 3, I vaguely recall 25 mins plus at 5k, at this pace I'd be lucky to break 1.50.......

8.12-8.06-8.17 for the next 3 miles and over Falls Bridge, by now there was a steady flow of runners coming back up West River Dr towards Falls Bridge......I remember those days running 1.18-1.20 for a half marathon..... sadly from a bygone era I fear, made the turn on West River Drive b4 Columbia Bridge, mile 7 was 8.29.....ever so slowly my splits were creeping up but I was still moving.

Between mile 7 and 8 I stopped briefly to walk b4 getting going again now was when I would have to dig in mentally and physically w/ just over 5 miles to go, unlike my recent incomplete runs I had other runners to work off of, and to put things in perspective as bad as a day I thought I was having I was about to hit mile 9 crossing Falls bridge, there were runners who had yet to hit mile 5..... and further down Kelly Drive I saw the 2.45 pace group w/ a few runner behind it.....that takes some doing to not only commit  to a 2.45 half marathon but also know you'll be so far behind everyone else who's finished but also watching runners on the other side of the road heading towards the finish when you haven't even made the half way mark/turnaround.....mad respect to those runners

9.14 at mile 9 this was "survival mode" I went about each mile knowing I was closer to the finish. 9.08 at mile 10 by this point I'd stopped calculating what each mile would be, just take one mile at a time and keep making my way towards the Art Museum and the finish line, whatever  my 10 mile time was {1.24 I think} I was slower than my time for Broad Street in May when I ran 1.14, each mile resulted in a brief stop b4 getting going again, the longer I walked the harder it would be to get going again, unlike those failed runs in August & early September when I had to endure the walk of shame I was going to finish this race running...no matter how slowly! 9.29 at mile 11 but 10.29 at mile 12 as I stopped twice now for the final 1.1 mile at this point  the goal was to break 1.55....I always knew there would come a day when I'd end up running a 1.55 half marathon.....I had just hoped it would be later in my 60s......

9.42 at mile 13 b4 a 58 second .1 to cross the line in 1.54.44 off 8.44 pace.....well at least I finished period and claimed medal #6 for the season and #249 for the career albeit w/ my slowest ever time for a half marathon but now in the cold light of day comes the inquest......unless in the next 38 days b4 I board my flight to Dublin I can somehow pull together some serious double digit mileage the Dublin Marathon  WON'T happen, it's one thing to grind thro a half marathon when the work hasn't been done but I'm NOT subjecting myself to that over 26.2 miles nor fair on me not fair on my family to wait around four hours for me to cross the finish line

Hopefully finally getting a double digit run in albeit w/ the aid of  6 walk brakes yesterday triggers something this week as I look to build on that at this point I'd settle for one 20 mile run b4 Dublin but I need to get to 20 first, we'll start slowly this week and hope and pray the miles come

August......Don't Let The Door Hit Ye In The Hole On The Way Out.......

 Seldom have I ever been so happy to see the back of a month as I was on Sunday morning when the calendar said September 1st, tis a far cry from my days as a young pup when August meant the end of summer holidays and the dreaded "Back To School".........

Sadly the feckin humidity scuppered  another week of training, I'm not nieve enough to think cos we're into September now that's it w/ the humidity{ this coming weekends plans to " go long" are in jeopardy already!} but I only managed a mile on Tuesday at 6pm as it was 87 degrees w/ 39% humidity, I felt I was breathing through syrup w/in the opening mile so called it quits off an 8.37.5 mile

Sadly the weekend didn't yeild any respite w/ the humidity although the heat was beginning to drop sadly  as it's been well documented in the blog this summer my issues are w/ the humidity and not the heat so that was the proverbial fork in that......like I can afford to be missing any runs right now  let alone the long runs on the weekend

So I think I misspoke last week when I said Dublin was ten weeks away...it was actually nine and now w/ this lost weekend it's eight.....the feckin sands of time are slowly getting away from me.....as of right now next weekend looks questionable for a long run as the humidity ramps back up so I'm reliant on midweek 12-14 mile runs to try and bridge the gap to 16-18-20 the final six weekends in September/October, as fickle as fate can be the weekend after next is PDR so no long run that Saturday b4 a half marathon on Sunday......can't win for losing at the moment can I???

In the back of my mind is the fact that in 1990 I only had 6 weeks to prep for the New York City marathon and back in 1985 I logged a 20 mile run the week b4 my marathon debut in Harrow it looks like I will have to rely on the glories of marathons past if Dublin is to come to fruition this year......

Born To Run.......Just Not As Fast And As Far As I'd Like........

 Well the clock is ticking folks, Sunday marked 10 weeks till Dublin, my first race in 16 weeks and the unofficial start to the Fall road racing circuit........mercifully we're also a week closer to the end of August and hopefully  cooler conditions.......

Tuesday Aug  20th Moment of truth having failed miserably to nail a 12 miler in my four previous attempts I felt I needed to scale it back a few miles to gain some much needed confidence so the plan was 8 miles but if  I was feeling ok maybe squeeze out an extra mile and put me one step closer back to double digit mileage......

70 degrees w/ 42% humidity just gone 6pm as I set off down trusty Baltimore Avenue and the South St bridge to the even more trusty Schuylkill River Trail, 8.04 for the opening mile which I backed off of w/ an 8.31 split at mile 2 and 8.29 split at mile 3 along the trail

Given my recent trials and tribulations I could be forgiven for being concerned when mile 4 ballooned up to 9.28 in my recent crash and burn runs this is where the wheels have begun to come off but I dug deep till I hit 4.5 miles in the region of 38-39 mins still inside  1.21 pace off 9 min miles for 9 miles, in recent weeks my mantra that wasn't a foul mouthed tirade post failed run was I'm not overly concerned w/ time, speed, pace etc just distance.....this evening would be no different......

9.22 at mile 5, 9.31 at mile 6 and 9.31 at mile 7, having made it up the on/off ramp at South St bridge and over the bridge now it was just a matter of gutting it out the final 2 miles, 9.28 for mile 8 and 9.49 for mile 9 a tad leg weary but still moving forward w/ out having to stop and walk.......

1.22.15 off 9.08 mile pace, far from earth shattering but given all the body blows my confidence has taken since that 10 miler at 5.30am on July 19th this was a much needed win.....however "one swallow does not a summers make"........fuck me a bit of Shakespeare in ye old blog......never let it be said Kevin Running Free didn't provide a bit of culture...... and this run alone will mean nothing w/out the ability to build upon it.......

Thursday Aug 22nd Hindsight they say is 20/20 and perhaps the day after I stood for three hours at Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, barely ate, didn't hydrate and didn't get home till close to midnight was not the afternoon to run......what I lack in brains I try to make up for in heart I guess!

A comfortable 77 degrees and 34%  humidity at 12.40pm 8.22 for the opening mile followed  by 8.41 by mile 2 when mile 3 ballooned up to 9.14 I'd knew I'd seen this movie once too often of late to expect a different outcome.......I cobbled together a 9.27 mile for mile 4 b4 sticking a fork in it 4 miles in 35.46.3 off 8.57 mile pace

Not what I was hoping for but again probably too big of an ask off the back of the Springsteen show and while another blown run doesn't sit well I wouldn't have traded last nites Springsteen for anything it was truly epic

Sunday Aug 25th I had considered a run on Saturday given the ticking clock that is Dublin and the number of blown runs of late this month but it didn't pan out, I tend to do better when it's a case of get up and run right off the bat around 7-7.30am however w/ the humidity what it is for another week or so {PLEASE LET THIS END SOONER RATHER THAN LATER!!!!} it was prudent to hold off till 10am and frankly that just didn't pan out......given the way the race went maybe that was for the best....

Good to know 48 years into my career  things are still the same now as they have always  been a sleepless night followed by  dodgy guts when I woke up at 5am, you would think after all these years and races I'd be used to it by now........NO CHANCE!!!

Down to 9th and South b4 6.30am as is my won't I like an hour b4 the race to get myself prepared and use the Portajohn since it's a given I'll need to go again and frankly the lines at said Portajohn are less an hour b4 race time.......plus you may NOT want to use one after a ton of runner have blown it to kingdom come pre race.....just saying!

I had no preconceived ideas about pace for this race which given how it went was probably for the best, 70s for heat and humidity at 7.30am when the gun went off, this is the 11th edition of Philly 10k, I've been fortunate to have been a regular since 2018, minus 2020 when Covid stuck a fork in it this was my  6th year of racing thro South Philly and Center City starting and finishing on the iconic South Street

7.40 for the opening mile....good job I didn't have a pace/split in mind as I'm sure it wouldn't have been 7.40.....7.54 at mile 2 at this point sub 8s were looking like the flavour of the day, 8.04 at mile 3 I forget what my 5k split was  but it wasn't going to be anything outstanding.....

8.07 at mile 4 w/ 2 miles to did I go for broke and risk blowing up in the final mile or hold on and try and get to the finish in a decent clip?........8.21 for mile 5 what the fuck.......at least mile 6 was south of respectability off a 7.51 split and the final 400m was a semi respectable 61 seconds for a 48.55 finish off 7.53 pace........let the post mortem begin.......

Obviously in recent week my focus has been on distance not speed so the fact this ranks as my slowest ever 10k should come as no surprise side bar on Sept 11th 1983 I ran my first ever 10k in Wimbledon in a time of 38.55 so in 41 years I've only lost 10 minutes not too shabby I guess but cold comfort in light of my slowest ever time for the distance........

The bigger issue is another sub par/ slow race minus my season opener at the Cupid Chase 5k at the Philadelphia Zoo in early February all of my races this season {Love Run, Hot Choc 15k, Broad Street Run, Philly 10k} have been slower than anticipated a worrying trend I need to correct STAT  period but also I only have one more race {PDR} in 3 weeks time b4 Dublin  time is ticking......

While I keep being optimistic and saying this is not the time to panic we are getting to the business end of training for Dublin, I have to hope this will turn around and soon ,the weather forecast for this coming week isn't great I need another compromised week of training like I need another sub par race...

Back To Basics/ Putting Your Ego Aside

 Another week things didn't go to plan, another week of  rewriting my mileage.....another week of the old mantra don't panic.......to quote an old but always quotable Monty Python quote "still I was getting used to it by now"...........

Monday Aug 12th Finally a dip in the humidity, was tonite the night to finally nail the elusive 12 miler?

83 degrees and 40% humidity at 6pm when I set off, it wasn't lost on me that in my previous 15 marathons over the last 39 years I'm sure there was always that one distance that gave me fits and starts, just so happens to be 12 miles this time out.....

8.16 for the opening mile so I eased off the gas a little up Powelton Ave to clock 8.42 at mile 2, as is its wont the Garmin opted to pile in on my recent woes and gave me a ridiculous 7.27 split for mile 3 which came up b4 I even crossed the Spring Garden St bridge so I knew that was off......like the 7.27 mile split wasn't a big enough clue!!!!

9.00 for mile 4 and things felt on pace, however mile 5 went up to 9.18  now I was starting to have concerns.......9.14 at mile 6 and I made the turnaround between St John's Boathouse and Strawberry Mansion bridge in 51.20 w/ 54.00 being the target time off 9.00 mile pace

In a scene that has become all too familiar  not just this summer but the last 3 years the stop/start along Kelly Drive and the inevitable "walk of shame" home, I did manage to cobble together a 7th mile at 9.39 for a disappointing 61.49 off 8.48 mile pace b4 the 4 mile walk home

The "walk of shame" is bad enough an exclamation point on a botched run and having to walk tonight 4 miles  last week I believe it was 5 but the added boot in the bollix is watching other runner glide by you as you walk head down, I know I'm better than this!

Less than a month ago on July 19th I got up at 5.15am and ran 10 miles at 5.30am so I know I have the distance in my legs, while humidity has been my kryptonite of late I couldn't use that as a crutch tonight which begs the question is it now a mental block?.....as the old running adage goes often the greatest distance a runner must tackle is the one between both ears........

In running as in life " when you're in a hole, stop digging"!!!! clearly spinning my wheels and failing miserably over 4 attempts now at 12 miles  tells me there is a problem so I will scale back my runs and try and get some much needed confidence going......ego can unseat a rider now matter how confident or cocky they are, Mr Lyles got very humbled in the 200m Olympic final, perhaps a little less showboating b4 the gun went off when ye were compromised by covid and ye wouldn't have exited the Olympic stadium in a wheelchair?????

Saturday Aug 17th So the plan was 8 miles this morning......nobody told the weather Gods this as it was 74 degrees but 71% humidity at 8am when I set out....

Having had to walk down Powelton Ave more times that I would like the last few weeks I opted to go the South St bridge route this morning in June and July this was my favoured route and frankly at this point I need all the good juju I can muster, however  it was very evident early on the humidity was going to be a factor 8.21 for the opening mile followed by 8.42 for mile 2 b4 crossing the South St bridge the all too familiar shirt dripping in sweat and my breathing becoming laboured b4 mile mile 3 returned...

9.07 at mile 3...heading out to mile 4 at this point was  pointless I turned w/ the intention of at least making it a 6 miler but had to settle for 5 miles off two more splits of 8.21-9.30 for a 5 miler in 44.03.5 off 8.49 mile pace

If all I had on my radar was next Sundays Philly 10k I'd be slightly concerned however three weeks beyond the Philly 10k I need to double my mileage and add a mile......and then  six weeks after that double a half marathon into a full marathon.....something needs to give and give soon....if not now!!!

Good Craic/ Time To Crack On/ Don't Crack Now

 Another Olympics in the books amazingly 7 medals for Ireland, 4 Golds and 3 Bronze and a pair of 4th place finishes a great performance for our tiny country, what we lack in size, climate and facilities  we make up for in heart and determination, it will be interesting to see what LA28 yields in four years time and beyond, how many people will have been inspired by Team Ireland in Paris and look to become future Olympians, I of course was the other way around{I know, you're shocked!!} it was my running in High School track that lead me to watching my first Olympics in 76 in Montreal and thus the 48 years and counting love affair w/ running....although after yet another disappointing week in my prep for Dublin I feel a trial separation might be on the cards.......it will never be a full blown divorce running and I have been together too long for that but at this rate living apart for a while has been mentioned, not quite ready to move out but the spare  bedroom is getting a workout at the moment........

Wednesday Aug 7th Another night I either over estimated my ability to handle the humidity or under estimated how stifling it was.....the temps had finally dropped to 70 degrees so I felt confident heading out for a 12 miler, however as in recent attempts the humidity was  high 82% and yet again this would be my undoing....

Out the door by 6pm I was cognizant of my opening pace, on  my previous attempt at 12 miles I went out too hard for the opening 6 miles and paid the price for it after the turnaround so this time out I eased off the gas w/ splits of:8.42-8.53-8.52-8.48- as I reached Kelly Drive via Powelton Ave.....

When mile 5 crept up to 9.16 I knew what was coming next, the skies were grey and the air was thick and heavy, thanks to the cloud cover the turnaround on this 12 miler was way beyond where it was on on July 27th I had to go past Strawberry Mansion bridge where as on the previous run the 6 mile turnaround came up in between St John's Boathouse and the bridge, I live and die by the Garmin, gone are the days of " eyeballing" my distances but it's frustrating to do the exact same run and have differing turnarounds......I've seen "2001 Space Odyssey" I know these little feckers are not to be trusted!

9.20 at mile 6, 52.31 off 9 min mile pace the turnaround would have been 54.00 so my pace was slightly ahead of that.....however not long after the turnaround I stopped to walk b4 getting going again believing I could see it out....however  this proved to be a false dawn and I was forced to stop and walk again back down Kelly Drive

I somehow cobbled together a 9.35 mile for mile 7 but the writing was on the wall, a 9.48 split at mile 8 and b4 Boathouse Row I reluctantly said "No Mas"........and had to walk the final 4 miles home w/ my tail between my legs......

8 miles in 1.13.13 off 9.09 mile pace great if I was prepping for the Philly 10k in 2 weeks time but somewhat alarming for PDR in 5 weeks time that I can't hit double digit mileage  let alone the Dublin Marathon in 11 weeks time.........

Sunday Aug 11th Up and out the door by 7.30am, I'd elected for Sunday over Saturday as there was less humidity in the forecast.....however too much humidity for yours truly to handle.....AGAIN!!!!!! 70 degrees and 66 % humidity even at 7.30am, I had hoped a  16% dip in the humidity would help me......did it fuck!!!!!

Again cognizant of my pace I went out conservatively  for the opening mile in 8.42 followed by 8.54, however by mile three the sweat was heavy on my Dublin sleeveless shirt  as mile 3 went up to 9.03, I pushed on up Mantua Ave towards 34th St but crossing the Septa bridge I knew the gig was up, fuckin Garmin doesn't have my last two mile splits not that they were anything to write home about, much less blog but my overall time for 5 miles was 45.54.0 off 9.11, frankly I couldn't be arsed to try and work out what those splits were I'm at that point w/ my training right now.......

I keep saying now is not the time to panic and or throw my toys out of the pram  I still have 11 weeks to turn it around for Dublin, less we forget in 34 years ago the day b4 PDR I got notification in the mail I'd gotten into the New York City marathon at that point I was only up to 13 miles and over the next 6 weeks I eventually upped my training to 20 miles in the afternoons as I was on third shift back then on route to a glorious 3.06 time that got me into the Boston marathon 5 months later where I ran a then pr 2.54 so it can be done, I just need to keep the faith.....and pray this bastard humidity fecks off!

Don't Panic!

 "Oh, all that I know there's nothing here to run from cause  yeah everybody here's got somebody to lean on"

Don't Panic-Coldplay

Out of July, into the Dog Days  of August, heatwave #4 another typical week for yours truly..... regrettably zero miles logged the heat and humidity just conspired against me, there was a small window of opportunity on Tuesday evening that maybe just maybe I could get out after work and try and run however mass transit had other ideas when I left work throwing an industrial size spanner in the works on that notion

Having gotten some miles in over the last six weeks it's possible an unscheduled week off wasn't the " be all and end all" for me I still have 12 weeks till Dublin and rosary beads gripped tightly it does look like the heat and humidity are about to ease up, according to the weather app on my phone after today Aug 6th the next 9 days till  Thursday Aug 15th are:75-75-83-84-85-83-85-85-86, granted there are still some days when the humidity is quite high but I'm hoping and praying for a minimum of one 12 miler this week, maybe two on Wednesday & Friday b4 a 14 miler on Sunday putting me back on schedule to be running 20 miles come the first weekend of September b4 the Philadelphia Distance Run on Sept 15th

I only logged 48 miles in July....hardly earthshattering however July tends to be a low mileage month due to the heat and humidity, last year in August I believe I logged 100 miles b4 103 in September so hopefully were seeing the back of triple digit weather and the return of triple digit mileage

I'm three weeks out from the annual Philly 10k in South Philly which I always consider the unofficial start to the Fall Road Race season, granted this years Fall Road Race season is a tad different w/ the Dublin Marathon on the schedule that however just means longer runs to prepare, if I was looking at my usual races; Philly 10k, PDR, Market St 5 Miler Penn Relays 5k, Bridge Run 10k, Rocky Run 5k/10Miler Rothman 8k and River Loop 8.4 Miler I'd still need to be out there logging runs  three four days/evenings a week this go round on the Merry Go Round I still require three to four runs....only they need to be longer

W/ the clock ticking Philly 10k three weeks, PDR six weeks, Dublin Marathon twelve weeks lets hope this phase of training goes well.....there's a lot riding on it........

Diaspora

 Another week closer to Dublin another longer run logged.....another week of shaking my head at the Weather Gods.....welcome to the arse end of July folks!

I had hoped to maybe resume evening runs this week as the need to increase my weekly mileage volume is pressing ....however the dreaded heat & humidity continue to be a thorn in my side where that is concerned, hopefully w/ August a few days away that will happen sooner rather than later, it's not a pressing need right now but time is slowly ticking down towards Dublin, the need for more volume per week and longer weekend long runs is great.....but I'm somewhat hamstrung by the daily heat and humidity being what they are, mid to late August looks like it will cool down enough to be out there  a few evenings per week hopefully logging 10-12 mile runs b4 continuing to increase my weekend long runs

Monday July 22nd It is often said "Fortune Favours The Brave".....it is also said Icarus flew too close to the Sun although these days it wouldn't be the sun melting  his feathers and wax it'd be the feckin' humidity.....

At 82 degrees w/ 68 % humidity I felt it was " worth a punt" to see if I could run and how well I could handle the conditions 82 degrees at 6pm is mild compared to what we've been dealing w/ of later as I headed out for my first evening run in several weeks revisting  the tried and tested route up Powelton Avenue towards Spring Garden St bridge

8.34 for the opening mile followed by 8.47....I already knew any aspirations I had of this being a double digit run were folly the sweat was rollin' and bouncin' off of me and my breathing was laboured, at the corner of Powelton Ave and 31st St at 2.5 miles I knew better to turn around and head home rather than head towards Spring Garden St and eventually Kelly Dr

I forget at which point the heavens opened but frankly the rain felt some what cathartic as I saw out another 2 miles in 8.43 and 8.45  for a time of 34.49.2 off 8.42 mile pace, far from earthshattering but another 4 miles in the legs, at this point I'd be surprised if I log 60 miles for July but it's usually August when I begin to hit triple digit miles for the month

If getting out this evening was  glass half full the fact that 82/68 heat & humidity still causes me issues was very much a case of  glass half empty.......

Saturday July 27th Fuckin' Ada it must be getting serious when I head out for a long run on Saturday! last time that happened was  Feb 24th, twenty two weeks ago.....

Out the door just gone 7am while my 8 and 10 milers had been over the South St bridge and up the Schuylkill River Trail I opted for Powelton Ave and Kelly Dr for the 12 miles, w/ hindsight maybe I should have stuck w/ the former....'if it aint broke don't fix it....."

Cool enough conditions at 7am 70 degrees, 63% humidity, perhaps the cooler temps lulled me into a false sense of security, opening mile was 8.20, last Friday on the 10 miler it was 8.39....however  that was at 5.30am, hindsight is 20/20 but maybe I should have eased off the gas.......

8.37-8.39-8.34-8.35-8.32 reached the turnaround between St John's boathouse and Strawberry Mansion bridge in 50.37, off 9 min mile pace that would have been 54.00, again  w/ the benefit of hindsight I should have eased off the pace but having made the turn I was now thinking about the inbound 6 miles

The proverbial writing was on the wall when my next two splits were 8.57-9.19, I've been doing this dance long enough to know when the wheels are coming off, when I walked up the ramp to the back of the Art Museum to access Spring Garden St bridge I knew I was toast, and while I got going again on 31st St and clocked 9.32 for mile 9  I knew any notions of seeing out the final 3 miles were as the auld fella used to say"high notions like the mountain Goats in Kerry"......

A laboured 9.59 10th mile was " all she wrote folks"  1.28.56 off 8.54 mile pace, scant consolation for being 32 seconds quicker than last Fridays 1.29.32 off 8.57 mile pace

The bigger pisser is chances are conditions during the week probably won't lend themselves to a redo so I'll have to wait till next weekend to  attempt my 12 miler, which costs me one of the seven 20 mile runs I had penciled in from  August 31st thro October 19th, I will be monitoring the weather all week to see if there's a brake in the heat and humidity to give me a crack at this again b4 Saturday or Sunday

One final thought, the past two weekends have seen the culmination of the GAA Provincial championships, fair play to the Clare hurlers and Armagh footballers for lifting the coveted Liam MacCarthy and Sam Maguire trophies in Croke Park...... none of them rocked up to Croke Park on the day and thought " we have this in the bag'' to a man the hard work and sacrifice to walk those steps and hold those trophies aloft began back in November and December on cold nights in Clare and Armagh so that in the sunshine of July their hard work and dedication would be rewarded, back on January 6th I ran my first 14 miler in the cold to begin laying the ground work for an Autumn day in Dublin when I hope to have my moment in the sun also

Roulette Wheel/Roll The Bones

 " What's the deal? spin the wheel if the dice are hot take a shot, play your cards, show us what you've got What you're holding, if the cards are cold don't go folding Lady luck is golden she favours the bold that's cold, stop throwing stones the night has a thousand saxophones so get out there and rock and roll the bones" Roll The Bones-Rush

Another week when trying to get out and run was very much  akin to roulette or a crap table, spin the wheel, roll the dice and hope luck is on your side......Mercifully by Thursday Heatwave #3 had come to an end so the odds of a Friday morning 10 mile run looked good, I had hoped earlier in the week to get out for another 8 miler however after  a sleepless night due to the hot and humid conditions the 5.30am alarm was was greeted w/ a " not today" as I attempted to fall back asleep for another 90 mins b4 getting up for work......

Friday July 19th well at least the weather Gods were on my side  Cecily Tynan on #6 News had said on Thursdays weather forecast that Thursday would be the coolest evening in the past two weeks which lent itself to a good nites sleep and the odds of me answering the 5.15am alarm for a 10 mile run were favourable

Out the door just gone 5.30am, this was unchartered territory for yours truly, I'm not accustomed to getting up at 5.15am or running 10 miles at 5.30am but "needs must" I wanted a 10 miler and Friday represented better odds of getting it than the weekend if I was willing to get up at such an ungodly hour, I was buoyed by the fact the air was cool and despite being b4 the official Sunrise dawn had shed enough light that I wasn't running in the dark

According to the much used of late Weather app on my phone 6am was going to be 68 degrees and 68% humidity...this was important since when I reached South St bridge and the usually trust Peco Tower was displaying time and temperature  it said 12.30am and 72 degrees......if the time was cockeyed I had to guess the temperature was also.......!!!

My target time was 1.30.00 off 9.00 min mile pace, I clocked 1.29.28 off 8.57 mile pace, which while pleasing I went into the run telling myself all that mattered was getting the 10 miles sub 1.30 was an added bonus my splits were:8.39-8.56-9.08-7.36?-8.51-9.00-9.16-9.14-8.55-9.53

I put a question mark next to mile 4 it wasn't a 7.36 split the cloud cover was effecting the Garmin as it's prone to do mile 4 should come in at Lloyd Hall at the start of Boathouse Row and I hadn't reached  there when mile 4 popped up so I tacked a bit extra after mile 5 b4 making the turnaround to level it out

Given this was my first 10 miler in eleven weeks since the Broad St Run I was pleased w/ the fact I really didn't have to dig deep over the final 2 miles, maybe knowing I still had to go to work meant there was no margin for error, along those lines I realized this morning that while getting up at 5.50am and out the door ay 6.05am for 5 mile runs was doable b4 work now when I need longer runs I need to revert back to evening runs, weather permitting, I've penciled in next week as the return  to that but it will depend on the weather, but if not next week hopefully the week after as we begin August

 For the record I did run on Saturday but it only ended up being a 2 mile run  at 16.14.9 off 8.07 mile pace w/ spits of 7.38-8.35, I went out a tad too aggressively  in the opening mile and it caught up to w/in the next half a mile so I swung back to tack on the .5 and called it 2 miles

T-14 till Dublin, hence the need to resume evening double digit runs hopefully 10-12 miles 3 evenings a week while using the weekend to continue to extend my long run, I'm hoping next Saturday will be 12 miles which if I can get 2 or 3 10 milers in during the week should be a bit easier.....again  this is all prevaricated on the heat and humidity which hasn't gone away it's just lurking in the long grass....

Boldly Going Where I Haven't Been In A While

 "So here I go,it's my shot feet fail me not this may be the only opportunity that I got"  Eminem Lose Yourself

 Well it was a case of "Quality Over Quantity" last week as the humidity ruled the roost and dictated the state of play throughout the week, however in the classic you can't teach an auld dog new ticks department I discovered it's not the temperature  you need to pay attention to it's the humidity.......

W/ heatwave #2 in full effect I spent more time on my weather app than usual last week checking on a daily basis the temperature and humidity to see if and when there was a chance to get out and run, eventually Thursday looked like it was doable if I was willing to get up at 5.30am and run 8 miles rather than the 5 milers I've been running thus far, I'm at a juncture now in mid July that has become "piss or get off the pot" the clock is ticking on Dublin, Sunday marks 16 weeks to go I need to be able to up the ante from 6 miles to 8 miles this week so that next week it's 10 miles and so on and so forth that my weekly longer run is getting longer, however in order to get to 10 miles I need to get to 8 first and thus far I'm 0 for 2 in my attempt to log and 8 miler so w/ that in mind I spent most of Wednesday hydrating  in preparation for Thursday morning

When the alarm went off at 5.30am I was ready by 5.47am I was dressed, stretched and out the door 74 degrees.....but more importantly only 76% humidity.....finally after several days of stifling humidity a chance to get out and run

A modest 8.34 opening mile, while I was shooting for 9.00 min mile pace the truth was this was more about trying and hopefully getting 8 miles in, time, speed, pace were secondary.....distance was the goal 9.12 at mile 2 as I crossed the South St bridge a little b4 6.10am already dozens of likeminded other runners had the same idea to get out early getting the miles in b4 it became too steamy ,8.51 at mile 3 and 9.00 flat at mile 4, 35.37 at the turnaround just after Lloyd Hall on Kelly Dr, 2 weeks ago when I reached Lloyd Hall I knew I was fried today I was able to turn and head back along the Schuylkill River Trail

I wasn't overly concerned about miles 5 and 6 I had enough 5 miles logged in recent weeks to cover them it was miles 7 and 8 that were a concern my most recent 8 and 9 mile runs came in early to mid April in prep for Broad St on May 5th, bonking on the weekend is bad enough and seldom sits well but on a weekday when I still have to get home get in and out of the shower and get to work by 8amish meant failure was not an option or to quote Eminem from Lose Yourself ''success is my only motherfuckin' option, failure's not......

9.11 for mile 5 and 9.23 for mile 6 the on/off ramp up to South St bridge is always a challenge but it was one I passed today, now for the closing 2 miles.......I was too close to home now to bonk in my heart and mind......I just had to hope my legs were on the same page........

9.01 for mile 7, I was going to be close to the 1.12 target time off 9.00 min mile pace if I could dredge up the last ounces of strength I had......w/ 7 blocks to go and 7.30 on the Garmin I did have to dig deep I was TOO close to home now not to

A laboured 9.41 final mile to reach my door step in 1.12.52 off 9.07 mile pace as I said earlier time, speed, pace were not the issue here, getting 8 miles in was  and I was able to do that and hopefully that puts me on the next rung of the ladder moving up the mileage ladder

For the record the temperature on Saturday at 6am was a comfortable 74 degrees.......however the humidity was 96% it was a suicide mission to even attempt to run so I settled for Thursdays 8 miles and began checking the 10  day weather forecast for heat and humidity to see when is the next opportunity to get out there and run, heatwave #3 is about to begin so it's going to be a game of wait and see.....