Courtesy Herald newspaper
After running the marathon at the Rio Olympics, Paul Pollock took a two-week holiday around Ireland with his girlfriend to refresh the mind and body.
They wandered around the country, staying at a family house in Donegal, then heading for Achill – a place Pollock loves – and taking in the Wicklow mountains.
Last weekend, he was back working as a locum in the A and E department at the Royal Victoria Hospital and running in the Bangor 10k; an annual ritual for him. He’ll soon return to his London base, with his sights set firmly on the marathon at next year’s World Athletics Championships in London. Along the way he aims to run in the European Cross-Country Championships next December.
“I didn’t do as well as I had hoped in Rio, so the journey hasn’t ended. I haven’t hit the peak I want yet,” he says.
His time of 2:16.34 in Rio is a qualifying mark for the world championships, but he isn’t satisfied with that. “I want to run the time again, so I’ll be looking fora fast marathon in February and March.”
He is as aware as anyone that the standard of marathon in Ireland is not as good as it could be and strongly believes that Irish distance athletes don’t train hard enough.
“When you look at times internationally, there’s a block of guys at 2 hours 3 minutes. Then another at 2 hours 8 minutes, another at 2:10/11 and then a block at 2:15. It’s very difficult to move up, but I think one person will achieve it and then three or four will follow.”
The Marathon Mission has helped improve the general standard. “We had full teams of men and women in Rio for the first time ever, with others also inside the qualifying mark.”
In the build-up for the European Championships Half Marathon last June, Pollock needed a steroid injection to help clear up a stress fracture to the foot. He still managed to finish first Irishman in 64 mins 28 secs.
“My main goal is to stay injury free. If I can get in a 16-week block of training, I would be happy – but it’s tricky. You’re on a knife-edge all the time.”
“I believe in trying to keep it simple. I run about 110 or so miles a week normally and then would have three weeks of 140 miles in the build-up to a marathon. I don’t do much else apart from some strength and conditioning work in the gym.”
While Pollock is an SSE Airtricity ambassador for the Dublin Marathon, he won’t be running it this year at least.”We thought about it but it was too close to Rio.”
His first attempt at the distance came in the Dublin 2012 race. “I had a terrible build-up. When I look back I really don’t know how I even finished.”
His advice to those running on October 30? “Enjoy yourself on the day. Prepare everything in advance – get your clothes, shoes, socks and race number all ready. Make a plan and don’t go out too fast. Decide on a pace and stick to it.”
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