tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36499493.post2910621289617336359..comments2024-03-29T07:47:38.538+00:00Comments on Running in Cork, Ireland: Debate...Are there too many road races...???John Desmondhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02156613639160765654noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36499493.post-13941135148169481322011-08-04T09:06:46.715+01:002011-08-04T09:06:46.715+01:00Sorry that was a bit unclear about Ron Hill. I was...Sorry that was a bit unclear about Ron Hill. I was not saying he wasn't constantly running as its well documented about the amount of time he was on his feet. All he was really saying is don't think about intervals etc too much just go out and run, then do a race to sharpen up and you will improve as a runner. i.e. Racing can pretty much replace "sessions" once you have time on Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36499493.post-33248636736529479152011-08-03T23:44:37.983+01:002011-08-03T23:44:37.983+01:00I agree, numbers are up, PBs are probably fuelling...I agree, numbers are up, PBs are probably fuelling enthusism & for participants are literally voting with their feet !Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36499493.post-71602875836546939862011-08-03T18:43:43.064+01:002011-08-03T18:43:43.064+01:00Granted the question posed as a Debate and while d...Granted the question posed as a Debate and while debate is worthwhile I think we have not gone into the realm of speculation and conjecture.<br />We need to simplify the response to the original question and look the direction of the debate. How can there be too many races when we still have big numbers attending most of them ? Running is for all levels and if someone can run a race in West Cork Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36499493.post-83708279082995457592011-08-03T17:48:19.950+01:002011-08-03T17:48:19.950+01:00i doubt ron hill went for a few runs and then r ac...i doubt ron hill went for a few runs and then r aced for a bit.if you read about his training he consistantly ran well over 100miles a week and is go the guiness book of records for having run every day without taking a break.However a take your point about using races to sharpen up.there is no substitute for good competitive racingAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36499493.post-57999622584018699722011-08-03T11:00:11.939+01:002011-08-03T11:00:11.939+01:00I recently heard an interview with Ron Hill where ...I recently heard an interview with Ron Hill where he gave out about this advent of interval,tempo,speed sessions etc. His arguement was back when he was running at a high level the theory was to go out and train a few times a week at a steady pace then go off and do a race to "sharpen up". He then used the point that the amount of men breaking say 2:30 at the london marathon 30 - 40 Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36499493.post-45114057062718803202011-08-03T07:58:39.575+01:002011-08-03T07:58:39.575+01:00I think you will find there are 2 points in the ...I think you will find there are 2 points in the article, the main one in bold is "should we have less races in order to improve standards" and the second leads from Johns interpretation of that statement. Johns interpretation suggests that the standard is dropping as the faster runners are doing too many races. I feel that if there is a problem it may be that with so many races, it Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36499493.post-86994554647011118992011-08-02T17:43:58.272+01:002011-08-02T17:43:58.272+01:00It's not the argument at all, the point that i...It's not the argument at all, the point that is being made that in the opening statement is "some of the faster runners are doing too many races then their overall times may be slower as a result." This suggests that the quality competitors head to every available race, surely heightening the competition.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36499493.post-7830930548586819222011-08-02T14:07:51.507+01:002011-08-02T14:07:51.507+01:00"who could seriously suggest that running sta..."who could seriously suggest that running standards fall because there might be too many races ". Lots of people would suggest that standards fall because there might be too many races. The argument is that due to a large number of races those at the front, who need competition to improve are now not getting that competition. I have often heard interviews with top class elites where Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36499493.post-89032510826067633812011-08-02T13:55:21.524+01:002011-08-02T13:55:21.524+01:00I think the person that left the original comment ...I think the person that left the original comment may have felt that doing too many races would result in a drop in performance which is certainly true.<br /><br />However, there is no reason why someone cannot run fewer faster races.John Desmondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02156613639160765654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36499493.post-58477427271516120922011-08-02T08:24:24.384+01:002011-08-02T08:24:24.384+01:00This is the old chestnut, that gets trotted out ev...This is the old chestnut, that gets trotted out every year...., a variation on the theme of... are the non-elite joggers bringing the elite runners down...who could seriously suggest that running standards fall because there might be too many races ?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36499493.post-64551839828666487732011-08-01T16:47:56.287+01:002011-08-01T16:47:56.287+01:00Just a correction...Mitchelstown is 50km or 30 mil...Just a correction...Mitchelstown is 50km or 30 miles from Cork City. With the new motorway, it takes about 38 mins to drive to from Cork City, much the same as any of the Ballycotton races.John Desmondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02156613639160765654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36499493.post-81150232221514866292011-08-01T15:01:25.259+01:002011-08-01T15:01:25.259+01:00Standards improve with more practice not with less...Standards improve with more practice not with less. This holds true for all things in life... :)<br /><br />If we look at the Cork race calendar for the next week (off Johns main page) there is a race in Bantry (90 miles west of the city), Mitchelstown (40 miles north of the city), Crookhaven (90 miles west of the City) and Novartis. So for a city slicker like me I have one BHAA 5K race I can Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36499493.post-60966554905240554152011-08-01T10:30:44.615+01:002011-08-01T10:30:44.615+01:00I don't think there are too many races as ther...I don't think there are too many races as there is plenty of choice for athlete's of all level's. However the calendar in the summer month's is very congested. Would it be worth spreading the races out beyond the summer month's? For instance there are very few shorter races scheduled for September. As a club runner myself I will not do more than 2 races a month as alot of Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36499493.post-80740376466084505342011-08-01T09:32:29.453+01:002011-08-01T09:32:29.453+01:00I'm not a very competitive runner myself, been...I'm not a very competitive runner myself, been doing a lot of the races this summer, tend to finish about half way down the field. I don't feel there are too many races. I don't do them all of course - there's no ongoing league table that I'm aware of, apart from the Ballycotton series, so there's no pressure to do them all. If you feel it's a race too many, just give Kevinnoreply@blogger.com