I was competing at the Irish national senior indoor championships in the Odyssey Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland and not without a bit of excitement. I was kept outside the warm-up area until 15 minutes before the start. The officials said things where running late, but when I entered the arena the other female pole-vaulters where already inside and warmed up. Talk about an unfair advantage whats going on there, I thought "afraid of the opposition so hold them back,|" watch out for your opposition sometimes its not the athletes.
I asked an official at the pole-vault to go to the toilet and then was approached on my arrival back to the arena that I needed to have someone go with me, Of course I knew that but why do officials not follow the rules at the right time instead of upsetting athletes during competition or perhaps that was the plan. Most officials know the rules and some know all of them but the hard bit is practice them and understanding their responsibility and the athletes responsibilities,which not to remind officials of their rules and regulations. Unfortunately on my first jump after clearing the opening height I spiked my calf badly with my own spicks on landing on the mat. I received 7 stitches and excellent caring from the first aid, so a big thank you to them. I exited the event with no attempt on the masters record this time. I went on to make the final of the shot putt in a fine field of putters with first place going out to 13.34 meters. The next day was a great day weather wise and had a wonderful turn out in the Old Castle venue of The battle of the Boyne in County Meath which hosted the Ras na hEirerà an by Dunleer A.C. What a great job they did in organizing and following through with their event. Thousands watching and large numbers in all events, unlike the previous National indoors which had 3 and 4 people in some events like the walks and pole-vault. The starter Tommy Neary was excellent at his job starting races on time and as scheduled. My own Club Newry A.C had great success in the first event with fast times recorded in all category's and medals to all who raced. Well done to my Champion athletes You did me proud, See you all at training on Tuesday to celebrate. I myself won the ladies 3000m cross-country race run in memory of the late and great legend Larry Mc Guill the father of Dunleer athletics. I was presented with a beautiful commemorative medal with Larry's face engraved on the back, great to see his whole family out and his friends from all over Ireland running the memorial race, people like Brian Vallely Ex president of athletics some years ago when ex athletes ran the association and passion for sport ran high and was top of the list in priorities.
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 Preparation is the key to successful training.
I meet people daily who want to be better in some way. They want to be thinner, fitter, healthier, more successful, less tired, and so on. I want to motivate you the athlete to think about training as a way of life as part of your lifestyle. Make training part of your daily habits. Just like brushing your teeth or having breakfast. In life you decide to get out of bed usually for work, school or just because you are hungry for breakfast. When you make that first decision to get up that's the most important start for the day, as you have made a plan. Before you get out of bed make the same simple decision to exercise that day. When you waken if possible put on your workout clothes and that puts you in the right frame of mind and you will feel fitter and more prepared to exercise. Eat for your session. If you need energy, prepare by giving your body the carbohydrate you need to finish the session with jest. This may mean getting up early to start eating breakfast 2 hours before training. Breakfast may include oats, fruit, eggs and milk but whatever you decide to eat give your body time to digest it and make sure it is balanced and suitable for the workout to follow. Always have a plan, a goal or a focus each day. This can be to work on strength, Plyometrics, endurance or just core work. Then decide how you can achieve that goal. If for talks sake you decide to want to improve your speed and feel that Plyometrics will help improve your reactions and thus leg speed, think about what you may need perhaps small hurdles or 3 or 4 boxes to jump on and off. Then find out where you can get these make them or even borrow. Most people have steps benches or crates around there house so you will find that if you work hard to prepare for the session you are more likely to do the training as you have planned it well. Next think of where is most suitable to train for your sessions. If you need to be on a track check the opening hours but if it’s Plyometrics a flat grassy field or thick exercise mat is fine. Then you’re almost set. I think it is best to phone a friend of like mind set to make the workout fun and more enjoyable. You will be surprised at how many friends would join you in your gladiator workouts. If you can to try to make it a regular occurrence each week that you meet and train that style, so that improvements can be seen and reps or recovery’s, or times improved upon. This way of preparing daily for training can take a few minutes while still in bed but it can make all the difference. This way you do not have regrets only success stories.  Last weekend the senior heptathlon championships where hosted in Tullamore County Offaly where I was placed third to Leona Byrne the overall winner of the high jump, hurdles, long jump and 200m. I won the shot putt Javelin and 800m. It was a close competition with each of us winning our individual favourite events until Ipicked up a small injury in the high jump. With the cold weather and rain and the fact that I had just travelled two days previous on no less than 19 hours of plane journeys from the United States of America, this did not help. I had a sciatic nerve trapped, the pain was travelling down my leg to the back of the knee stopping full power while sprinting or jumping of any kind. All the same I finished with 3 wins out of the 7 events and an Irish record in the 100mHurdles in 16.3 against a _2.6 wind. I spent the last two weeks getting wonderful treatments from Dr Thomas Gillan, Mourne chiropractor in Railway Avenue Newry. A brilliant passionate and diligent professional who thanks to his treatments has almost 90 percent healed the trapped nerve.
Proof of this was my 4 mile road race in Dunleer in 28 mins an a 2nd individual placing along with team mates Sandra and Gillian Brennan we won the silver in the team event also. I also entered the all Ireland Masters this weekend with a little caution avoided the jumping events of high and long jump choosing wisely the shot, javelin, 200m,400m and 800m. I won all events and broke a national Masters record in the shot putt with 10.30 metres.  Geraldine Finnegan four times Masters World Champion is only weeks away from her next challenge at the highest standard. Up against the best in the USA and all over the world Geraldine is confident she will succeed to take home a medal this year again. Last weekend she competed at Leinster Championships in Tullameve, running as a Senior Athlete against 16 – 18 year olds rather than a Master Athlete (035). She won four gold, three silver and two bronze. Quite a feat to win nine Senior medals, but instead of being elated Geraldine was disappointed because she was hit with a cold and this lead on to laryngitis during the week all due to the wind and rain during the last competition. She had been given by her Doctor three courses of antibiotics which weakens the immune system so this time, Geraldine who this year has finally stopped all asthma medication only eight weeks ago due to the frequent visits during the last year to the Salt Clinic in Omeath, is now back revisiting this friendly clinic for more help, but this time to help with the cold and laryngitis recently picked up at the Leinster Senior Championships in Tullamore. Geraldine says she includes the one hour Salt Therapy before training and working out, which was still to do as she is ranked Number One and Number two in the 4oom hurdles pentathlon and 80m Hurdles at the World Championships’ in Sacramento USA.
After only 45 minutes I get more clarity in the throat and nose and I am able to run longer and breathe easier. I think I will continue this after the Championships two per week to also help with recovery as I have a lot of events over the week competing in triple jump, high jump, steeple chase, javelin, 400m, 800mm hurdles. This seems a lot but after winning 9 medals in one day in Tullamore at the Leinster Champtionship it will be easier to compete in 8 events over the week instead of 24 hours. I am a little nervous of my health issues as I have had 3 strong courses of triple and quadruple therapy during the last four months which has weakened by defence system but not my spirit. I am determined to compete without any medication and have been working on natural remedies and natural food supplements to build the friendly bacteria back up like probiotic yogurts, cottage cheese, origami oil, propels from the bee hive, golden seal (from buttercups) and lots of fresh green vegetables like spinach. I feel my energy is beginning to rise, as I as drained and empty from my stomach virus. It is important to be positive in life and help yourself the best you can to give your body the best chance of healing itself naturally. Of course with the current stresses that hit daily life, it’s vital to take time out to relax and that’s where the Salt Clinic also helps me to chill out with a bit of health quiet time to have peace without phones, computers or family around, it recharges your batteries ready to face the stresses of everyday life.  Today in Bush Track outside Carlingford in County Louth was the second day of the County Feild events. The Athletes from my coaching squad did not let me down,and all of them bar none, won gold medals and some even broke more County records. Lydia Jein won the shot putt, javelin and long jump with personal bests in all events. Thats a total of eight medals over the weekend in the Junior ladies and under 17 events quite a feat for a thrower only back this year to full training in all events, she promises to follow in my footsteps as I am the only athlete to also do eight track and field events. Keep following my example and soon you will overtake my results as I am not getting any younger.
I won all the field events today and the 100m 200m 400m and 800m yesterday;making the total gold medals I won to eight. The other senior ladies athlete I coach came second in the shot and Javelin events was Diedre Duffy from Dundalk who concentrates mainly on her talents in badminton. Diedre played all day yesterday and so missed her chance to take more medals this year, Its always hard to decide between competitions when you are good at both, but I think Diedre made the right decision as she also was presented with an award last night at the Badminton Annual Dinner dance for her badminton league results. Well done for being able to do both. Rory Kirwin the star of the throws events won the shot putt with a throw just under 12 metres a personal best with the senior 7 kg shot. Rory broke the County record for the Javelin senior 800gram event with a throw of 50.79. He was pushed by my other javelin under 18 thrower, Kevin Murray although under par with the strong winds and two javelin events in two days, he threw 47 +metres which was one metre better than yesterday and another gold in the Junior event. Kevin is working hard this year to win the schools javelin event in a few weeks time. What is great to see is that all the athletes who have worked hard and committed to the intensive training during the last year have reaped their just rewards. It did not go unmissed as several new athletes have now requested to join the daily sessions held all over Louth and Down. All new athletes are welcome to attend as all ages, levels and abilities are catered for. Email me for more details.  Summary
Geflex running training camps are both Winter and warm weather training camps where we develop running training schedules| Coaching athletics ireland, All year round athletics coaching ireland The distance is 2 x 5K at an increasing pace. Pace: Keep a 10K pace for the first two miles, a 5K pace for the third mile, and a sprint pace for the final 0.1 miles. Repeat the entire process after resting for three minutes. 5K Long Run Progression Long Runs are not exclusive to marathon training. Given below is a long progressive run for a 5K. The training involves running for 12 miles at increasing pace. Pace: Keep an easy pace this is known as stamina 1 pace, for the first eight miles. Increase your speed to 10K pace this is known as stamina 2 pace for the following two miles. Then speed up to 5K pace this is known as stamina 3 pace, for 1.5 miles and complete with 0.5 miles at 3K speed or around 10 to 15 seconds per mile faster compared to your 5K pace. The recovery time is none except for hydration breaks. 5K Speed Progression The 5K requires speed and toughness. This is a training that improves both . The training includes running 5K at increasing pace. Pace: Keep a 10K pace for the first mile. Then increase your speed in a gradual manner during the last 2.1 miles from 10K speed to 800 meter speed. The recovery time is none for this routine. To be successful in 5K running, you should have the ability to run negative splits and accelerate to near sprint speed in the last 400 meters when you really feel exhausted. Progressive training runs are a very effective in training for negative splits and running strong when you are a feeling exhausted. Given below are a few progressive training runs designed for a 5K. Classic 5K Progressive Training Run This is a simple progressive run that is based on the classic progression use for every race distance. It involves running for 6 miles or 10K and steadily increasing pace during the run. Pace: Start with an easy pace. After warming up, increase your pace in a gradual but steady manner throughout the remaining run so that you are at 5K speed for the last mile. No recovery time is required with this run. 5K Negative Split Progression This is a good option to training yourself for negative splits (running the second half of a race faster than the first) without risking over training. It involves running for 4 miles at an increasing pace. "When Ronaldo da Costa broke the marathon world record at Berlin in September 1998, he justified a racing tactic I've promoted for a long time. Da Costa ran negative splits, which means he finished the second half of the race faster than the first half--a full 3 minutes faster, in fact." Pace: For the first two miles, run at 10K pace, then increase speed to 5K pace for the last two miles. The recovery time is none for this run. 5K Race Simulator Compound Set This 5k progressive training run combines negative splits and a fast finish for simulating an actual 5K race. The distance is 2 x 5K at an increasing pace. Pace: Keep a 10K pace for the first two miles, a 5K pace for the third mile, and a sprint pace for the final 0.1 miles. Repeat the entire process after resting for three minutes. 5K Long Run Progression Long Runs are not exclusive to marathon training. Given below is a long progressive run for a 5K. The training involves running for 12 miles at increasing pace. Hill Runs Speed and Power Hills "this includes". short, fast runs up steep hills with ample recovery between reps to promote explosive speed Downhill Sprinting or Strides - short, very fast runs down a moderately sloping hill to promote fast leg rhythm Stamina Hills - longer, steady paced runs over moderately steep hills to promote endurance and strength You need a long hill for this workout. If you don't have an appropriate hill in your neighborhood you can do this one on your treadmill. Description: 3 miles or 5K at increasing pace on a moderate to steep hill or a treadmill at up to 10% incline Pace: Begin this run at an easy pace. Gradually increase your speed to 5K pace so that you are running the final 800 meters at 5K pace. Jog down the hill as a cool down. The problem with the way many people do Stamina Hills is that too much recovery is taken between reps. If you run up a hill hard and jog down it, then you are going to be doing a 1:1 work/rest ratio at best (and probably more like 1:1.25 or 1.5.) This is too much rest. A better way to do hills to build stamina is to have about a 1:0.5 work/rest ratio. So how do you do this short work/rest thing.You could get a lift in a car back to the bottom of the hill. Note, the key is running in a staggered (zigzag) incline. This is done by finding a hill that will take you about a 1 to 2 minutes to climb. Run hard for 30 seconds in a direction 45 degrees from the up hill, then turn left and run up the hill, then turn right and run 30 seconds at the top of the hill. Now jog down the hill back to the start. This should result in about a 2 to 3 minute hill rep with about a 90 second recovery between reps. Recovery: None except for the easy run down the hill. This can be repeated 8 times or more if necesary dependant on the race and time of year. When Hill running should be done: Marathon Training - From Week 12 to Week 7 in a 16-week marathon program. Cross Country - During the entire cross country running season with the exception of the last two or three weeks. Track or Road Racing - For 6 to 12 weeks in the late base or pre-competition phase of training Four Times World Champion, European Masters Champion and National Senior Champion. |
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 My Blog
Hi everyone and welcome to my new blog. I will try and keep you up to date on all my future Events, plus results from students competitions and training progress. 
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April 2017
Athletics Ireland
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