Your only as good as your next race
Soooooooo........
It's beens a while, in fact probably the whole track season!
I have found it hard to fit everything in so unfortunately my blog was left to the way side. To be honest I didn't have much to write about.
My season started well considering being injured for February and March. The stint of altitude training had hardened me up, unfortunately however that was as good as it got.
I ran a silly race to run 3.42 early doors but did not improve. I ran a number of 3.44's and then ran a 3.47 and a 8.32 for 3K flat (I wish that was a steeple time).
The 3K was on in beautiful Karlstad, Sweden. Unfortunately, I had my National Championships 4 days after that disaster. I considered packing in the season as I sat in a bar that night with some of the American athletes. I couldn't walk, my foot never really healed fully from the early season injury and a massive blister had nestled itself on the outside of my foot. I also had a cold which was impossible to shake.
I decided to race in Dublin and see what happened. I was able to run the heat and went back to my friend Tommy Scanlon's to regroup with lempsips and a strange paste Pat made to help my foot to heal. I ended up third in the final and I have to say I am happy with that. Paul Robinson (1.47, 3.42) won his first National title and John Coghlan was third. And that was the end of Track Season 2011 for me as I couldn't walk and was coughing for Ireland.
I think there are a lot of factors involved in having a poor season this year. Being injured did not help, after having such a great year last year I was determined to push on, so I trained too hard in the Winter and got injured.
Starting the new job takes a lot of getting used to, I hope to get the balance right next season there also has been a lot of personal issues in my life that all seemed to come at once.
But thats life! Some people say your only as good as your last race. I disagree, your only as good as your next race because it doesn't matter what you have done in the previous races, everyone on the starting line wants to beat you and if you dwell on how great you were previously you will lose.
I want to say well done to Andy Vernon who won the World Student Games. Andy is massively talented and I think people underestimate him on the track. Also well done to Jonny Mellor on the HUGE P.B. the other week.
Finally I would like to say good luck to all my Irish and English friends in the Worlds (maybe a bit more for the Irish on this occasion!)
Comments On "Your only as good as your next race"
Future planning
Rory
Paul Posted on August 23rd, 2011Put the past behind you and start planning for the winter season now. Good preparation and mental attitude will bring the results!
With regard to work/running life balance- you need a regular, organised and routine lifestyle to bring it all together. Talk to Andi Jones to see how he fits in a full time teaching job with family commitments and a massive running workload- but he is well organised and puts in hugh sacrifices for the sport he is successful in !!!
Good luck for the winter and start thinking positive attitude now.
Cheers
Blog
Don't know why it's a block of text.. sorry will try to sort it out..
Chesser Posted on August 22nd, 2011