End of the Odyssey

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 09:30:46 +0100

I’ve finally gotten home after a long, long, LONG, trip home.
The Olympics...well what can I say? I guess I’ll start with the race itself. As I’m sure all of you saw the race, the pace went out hard from the gun. I’m disappointed that I didn’t fast as if I’d equalled my time from 2007 I’d have made it through. However, I know in my heart coming off the track that I could not possibly have run any faster then what I ran on the night. I left whatever I had in body on the track. So in that way, I can’t be too disappointed with the performance, just with the preparation because it’s in that facet where the answer lies as to why I didn’t run a personal best.

Before I left Limerick for Japan, sessions were going pretty well, certainly suggesting a low 146 was easily possible. What changed when I left Ireland? I’m not exactly sure. The training camp in Matsue was good I thought but the only thing I can say is that the entire time I was there I felt my legs were dead and I was forever trying to get them to freshen up and get them loose. My time trial before I left Japan certainly suggested that I wasn’t where I needed to be but I remained upbeat and pressed on. In the end, the race played out perfectly for me to get through as a fastest loser and I made a determined effort to put myself in contention for as long as I could but I ran out of juice and was exposed.

Some people in the media made the statement that I didn’t take my opportunity to run a personal best. I think to say this is a bit redundant because as athletes every time we step on the track we try our hardest and whatever we run is whatever what we run. Do people really think I didn’t run as hard as I could on the biggest stage of all? Clearly, they don’t know me. Was I trying to run a personal best? OF COURSE. Did I manage it? Obviously not.

But to say I’m disappointed overall it too strong a statement. It was an amazing experience and one I’ll never forget. I can’t want for the next three weeks (I won’t run for 3 weeks now) to be over so I can start getting ready for London 2012! The atmosphere is different to that of a Europeans or Worlds. In my mind it is a modern day version of Ancient Rome with its Coliseum, the barbourous multitude hanging from every nook and cranny of the stadium, screaming to be entertained, not really having a clue what’s going on, just wanting blood.

The intensity of the Birds’ Nest is something I had never even thought existed and certainly never felt before. I wasn’t nervous on the start line. Let’s face it, I was a rank outsider, but you couldn’t help but be awed by it and pumped from it.

Anyway, bottom line, I gave it my best shot, it wasn’t enough but I can’t beat myself up because I had nothing left and left nothing behind.

The rest of the trip was comprised of late nights or maybe early mornings. It was great fun meeting new athletes from other sports. Ken Egan is the personification of coolness, calmness and collectedness. It was a learning experience to be around him and see how he conducts his business. I also had decent craic with the rowers who were in my apartment in the village. Those lads are mad! But now it’s time just to relax, take my holiday and let my body recover from the year.

Like I said, I’ve got 3 weeks off before I get back to the grind. Next year I’ll be based in Limerick until December. Liam Reale and I have made the decision to join up. Liam will now come under the McManus banner and we’ll be training together with a view to doing well at Euro Indoors in Torino in March. I’m excited to get stuck in and Limerick is somewhere I really enjoy training and I think it’s easily the best place to train in Ireland. Liam is a quality athlete and I work well with him. McManus has taken a job in Fresno, California so Reale and I will have to stop down there at some point but as I write this Mac and I are putting ideas together on how to improve our system and how to rectify the mistakes we made in ’08. I’m sure Reale will thrive under Mac’s system, just as I have.

So this will conclude the madra08 project. Not how I pictured the year going but I can’t say it’s been a bad year! I have to say so many ‘thank yous’ to so many people. The support I received from all my friends and family has been amazing so guess what....Thank you.

Finally, I hope everyone who tuned into the site learned a little something or can take something away from my experiences. Maybe some training tips, or how not to train or whatever. Thanks for following along and I’ll see you all in the indoors.
If I can make an Olympic team then there are many, many more of you out there that can do it. Hard work always gets results.
So all the best and take her handy
madra

Village People

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 02:54:35 +0100

Computer on the blink and not even sure if this post will go up because I can’t seem to access the server from the Village.
Life here in the village is quiet. Thought it would be more manic with athletes getting shitcanned after their events but it has been quiet so far.

Good buzz in Irish camp...especially around the boxers who are beasts.
The athletics team, well we havent had the results we’d hoped for but Hesh is tearing it up and we’re gonna try to feed off his good performances for the remainder. The team are not too down on the whole and I’m feeling good about my own race tomorrow.
Still no sign of a start list but not stressed...any way it is it’s gonna be a hard race. Did a light speed session on Sunday with some fast 200s and 150s. Legs are coming around. Resting up now today to make sure I’m itching to rip it up tomorrow.

If this post goes up and I get word back I can post to the server I’ll try to get some photos or videos up.
Now it’s time for some bricfeasta...thanks for all the support everyone...time to get stuck in
laters
madra

Into the cauldron

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 15:06:38 +0100

Tomorrow I head off to the Olympic village. I’ve a long day of travel ahead of me. 3 airplanes, 9 hours....someone shoot the travel agent! Since the time trial I’ve been relaxing. Me and Gillick got haircuts and hot towel shaves one of the days. I did some light running and tonight I hit up the track for my last semi-hard work of some 200s and 100s.

Sean Cahill (one of the team coaches) was out to give me some advice on my running style and form and we worked on some things I’ll try to implement in the finishing straight next Wednesday. I was clicking off some good times and i felt relaxed and smooth, which was the goal of the session. Tomorrow I’ll be up bright and early for an easy 40min jog before catching the first of my aircraft. I’ve also got to pack and all the rest! Uh oh...my laundry still isn’t done either. Joe, where are you? Only kidding. Everyone who knows my mother knows she would never allow me to be so dependent on her (or anyone else) to do my laundry. It is this independence of action that is one of her many gifts to me. Oh Joey, thanks!

I’m doubting the internet access in Beijing. I’ve heard that madra08 has been banned by the Chinese and people in Beijing cannot access it. This will probably mean no updates. I’m sorry but not much I can do. I’ll try when I get there but if people in Beijing cannot connect to the server I’m not sure how I will.

The training camp in Matsue has been great and it’s be so interesting to experience Japanese culture. It has been an enriching experience to say the least. But now the work that I came here to do has to be done. No matter what happens next Wednesday I’m going to walk off the track having given it all I’ve got on the night. The chips will land where they will land. I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their help along the way to this point. All the emails, texts, messages, phone calls...I’ve been shit at writing back...but thanks so much for the support.
I’ll be on as soon as I can.
Time to go to work

madra
Believe.

Time Trial Time

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:02:45 +0100

Since the last update I’ve been slowly but surely getting the body feeling fresh and the legs are coming around. Mind you, my sleep patterns have been a bit all over the place. Every night since getting here I wake up quite early, except today where I slept until nearly noon!

Anyway, the time trial did not go very well. I was a bit salty through 400 (48point) but faded hard over the last 150 to be outside the time I had hoped for. Oh well! Can’t dwell on it too much. Nothing I can do except get the legs to that start line and give it a lash.

A recovery day is on the cards tomorrow followed by some light speedwork on Thursday (2 sets of 250, 200, 100). Then it’s off to the Village to get settled in and rest up for the race. Apart from that we haven’t been doing much. I’ll have to do laundry at some point, which is always a joy. Some of the team have left already.

It’s strange to be over here in Japan, away from the madness of the Village. Seems like we’re almost not preparing for an Olympics. There’s not much coverage on the telly of the Games here in Japan or any coverage there is is all about the Japanese (naturally).

Anyway, all that remains is to do the last bit of prep work and rest up.
I’ll be on again before I head into the village. I think the internet in the village is a bit shite so who knows.
Take it easy and all the best
madra
Believe.

First one down

Sat, 9 Aug 2008 06:33:26 +0100

So today was the first bit of work I got stuck into since I came out. On the cards was 300, 3x400. I ran the first interval with Gillick and hit it in 36. After 2mins rest I lashed into the 400s but couldn’t quite hit them as fast as I would’ve liked. The legs were feeling a bit flat and it was early enough in the day and I’m happy enough with it as I’ve only been over 3 full days. All things considered, solid. I’ve got one more hard session on Tuesday...a time trial...before backing right off in the lead in to the big dance.

Today was a low key day otherwise. Massage was an essential today as I’ve got IT bands like guitar strings and quads like cement blocks. Not too sure why as usually my calves would be in ribbons but since the travel and everything I’ve just been super tight up there. A fireworks display took place as part of some festival but I was on the massage table and missed most of the good stuff.

Tomorrow will be pretty easy training wise as I let me body rest up and recover. I’m hoping after Ciaran pounding me on the massage table the legs will loosen up and the body will get proper rocking.
Away from Japan, Mac has just moved out to Fresno, California and will be giving me a full diagnostic report on what the running is like out there. I’ll hope to be based in Ireland until Xmas anyway but the shite weather might have to be avoided. Exciting times, planning for next year already!
I’ll be on again soon.
All the best
madra