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JOHN GRIFFIN MARATHON EXPERT
By John Griffin
May 2, 2006
My running career
Like many other sportspeople I first became involved in athletics through community Games. It was in 1975 after winning the County final in the marathon U17, and getting the trip to Butlins, that I soon became addicted and never looked back. I then joined the local club “St. John’s Athletic Club”. Initially I ran many local road and cross-country races in the 1970’s & 1980’s.
My first big breakthrough came in winning the Irish Junior Championships in December 1977. I was then selected on the Irish Junior team representing my country for the first time to run in Glasgow in March 1978 in the World Cross Country Championships. Also on that team were Dave Taylor and Ronnie Carroll - Dublin, Paul Moloney - Limerick, Jimmy Fallon - Galway, Brendan Quinn - Waterford and subs. Frank O’Meara - Limerick, & Pat Kerrigan - Dublin. All of the above went on to win major races and become successful senior athletes. We finished sixth on the team on that day which is still one of the highest placings for a junior team today.
For the next three years I competed on Road and in Cross Country and Track races. I won the Munster 5,000Mtrs and finished 3rd behind John Treacy and Robert Costello in the National 10,000Mtrs.
First Dublin Marathon and mentors In1980 I remember listening to reports on the radio of the 1st Dublin City Marathon and said to myself I’d love to run in it some day. At that time in the early 1980’s I was l lucky to have been younger than a lot of the Irish long distance runners, namely Donie and Mickey Walsh, Dick and Pat Hooper, Jerry Kiernan, Neil Cusack, Paddy Murphy, Dessie McGann and many more. I got many tips from those mentioned above, before I ran my first marathon in Dublin in 1981, and it was a venture into the unknown. I finished 15th in 2hrs.23min 57secs. From then on I was truly hooked on this great event and the marathon became my main focus. (I have attached a list of results of races, which I have participated in)
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| A welcome sight the winner approaching finishing tape 2004 |
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Breakthrough
My breakthrough in the marathon came in 1985. I ran in three marathons that year. In May 1985 the “Belfast Marathon”, I finished second behind Marty Deane in 2:17:43. In Sept. 1985 I represented Ireland in the European Cup in Rome finishing in 2:18:48 and was first Irishman home. Six weeks later, the icing on the cake was finishing second in 2:17:49 behind one of Ireland’s greatest marathon runners at the time Dick Hooper, with another Irish great Neil Cusack in third.
Best running memory
My sweetest and most memorable victory was winning my first marathon. This was the Dublin Millennium marathon in 1988 in 2:16:02 and subsequently in Dublin again in 1989 in 2:16:44. I was the only athlete to finish in the top three in Dublin on six occasions. It was a good period for me as I also won the National marathon in my hometown of Tralee in a time of 2:18:48. These were followed up by a series of high placings in several races up to 2004.
PB’s on road
5km - 13:57
10km - 29:09
10 Ml - 47:03
½ Marathon - 63:49
Marathon - 2:14:42
PB’s on Track (Didn’t do much Track Racing)
5,000 Mtrs. - 14:19
10,000 Mtrs. - 29:18
Training Philosophy
It is my firm belief that the only way to achieve results in any sport is to simply put in the hard work from day one. Consistency, commitment and dedication are the necessary ingredients for any athlete to succeed. The decline in the number of younger athletes coming through in long distance running in the last decade may be down to a lack of these necessities, of course this does not apply to all young people.
Maybe it’s because things come so easily to people in today’s society. There are no short cuts, no excuses; you have to get out in all types of weather conditions.
Measure your training courses and keep a diary It is very important that your training courses are accurately measured so that you know exactly what mileage you’re covering, also to keep a diary of your training schedule and weather conditions and notes so that you can look back on and compare your training runs.
It’s a simple fact of life whether it’s sport, education, art, music or whatever your chosen field if you don’t put the work in you don’t get the results. Sacrifices are also necessary which means practically no social life when you’re in training.
Marathon training schedule
The following is a typical example of a training schedule, which I followed as a general rule when training for a marathon. It is aimed at athletes who would run 48 mins. – 51 mins. for a 10 mile race and 65 mins. – 68 mins. for a half marathon. It is a fifteen week programme and should enable the above standard of athlete achieve a fast marathon time. It would be suitable for a sub 2:20 down to a 2:14 runner
TABLE 1
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Monday |
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Morning |
6 mile run (approx 40 mins.) |
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Evening |
8 mile run (48 – 50 mins.) |
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Tuesday |
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Morning |
6 mile run |
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Evening |
6 mile fast on road (30 mins.) Warm up/Down 3 miles |
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Wednesday |
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Morning |
--------- |
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Evening |
15 miles (90 mins.) |
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Thursday |
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Morning |
6 miles |
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Evening |
6 x 1,000 mtrs. (2.50 – 2.55 pace) Warm up/down 4 miles |
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Friday |
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Morning |
6 miles |
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Evening |
-------- |
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Saturday |
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Morning |
22 miles (2hrs. 15mins.) |
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Evening |
4 miles very easy 30 mins. |
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Sunday |
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Morning |
10 miles |
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Evening |
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Table 1 above is a guide to a 14-week programme leading up to a marathon,
Table 2 below the schedule for one week i.e. week 15 (The final week before the race).
Table 2
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Monday |
10 miles |
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Tuesday |
4 miles fast (20 mins.) and 4 miles warm up/down |
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Wednesday |
6 miles (38 mins.) |
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Thursday |
5 miles easy |
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Friday |
4 miles easy |
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Saturday |
3 miles easy |
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Sunday |
3 miles easy |
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Monday |
Race Day |
Races
During the 14 week programme, three races should be included ideally, a half marathon, a ten mile and a 10k. with a three-week gap between each race, with the 10k 2 weeks before race day.
Body care
Hydration is extremely important as is stretching before and after each training session at least 10 to 15 mins each time.
Nutrition A healthy balanced diet is obviously also important. With regard to diet before a marathon, I used to follow the protein depletion / carbohydrate loading but it is tricky and can sometimes go wrong. I later found that carbo-loading on its own was sufficient in the last three and a half days before the race. (i.e. Rice, Pasta, Bread, Potatoes).
At the moment I’m just recovering from a back injury and I’m hoping to get back doing 50 miles per week, I’ll have to see how the next few months go. If I’m fully recovered I hope to run Dublin again and also to concentrate on the masters.
The following is the list of marathons in which I have competed from 1981 to date and my other running achievements.
YEAR VENUE TIME POSITION
1981 DUBLIN 2.23.57 15TH
1982 DUBLIN 2.21.36 8TH
1983 CORK 2.21.03 5TH
1983 DUBLIN 2.21.41 11TH
1984 CORK (Olympic Trial) 2.23.26 9TH
1985 BELFAST 2.17.43 2ND
1985 EUROPEAN CUP – ROME 2.18.48 1ST Irishman
1985 DUBLIN 2.17.49 2ND
1986 BELFAST 2.18.47 3RD
1987 DUBLIN 2.18.54 9TH
1988 DUBLIN MILLENNIUM 2.16.02 1ST
1988 EUROPEAN CUP – BELGIUM 2.25.21 1ST Irishman
1989 NATIONAL MARATHION - TRALEE 2.18.48 1ST
1989 DUBLIN 2.16.44 1ST
1990 NATIONAL MARATHON - CLONMEL 2.18.15 3RD
1991 WORLD CUP MARATHON - LONDON 2.14.42 36TH Position
1ST Irishman
1991 DUBLIN (Olympic Trial) 2.16.17 3RD
1992 LONDON 2.17.10 1ST Irishman
1993 NATIONAL MARATHON CLONMEL 2.28.18 2nd
1993 DUBLIN 2.15.42 2ND
1994 DUBLIN 2.17.52 3RD
1996 BOSTON 2.29.55 93RD
1997 BELFAST ------- D.N.F.
1999 BELFAST 2.22.41 2ND
2000 DUBLIN 2.29.22 13TH (1ST 040)
2001 DUBLIN 2.23.21 14TH (1ST 040) 1ST Irishman
2003 DUBLIN 2.24.20 11th (1ST040)
2004 DUBLIN 2.31.09 24TH (1ST 045)
List of Achievements
Winner Kerry Community Games Marathon - 1975
Winner National Junior Inter Counties – 1977 – Cross Country
Represented Ireland World Junior Cross Country Championships Glasgow - 1978
Second Munster Junior Cross Country Championships - 1978
Winner Kerry Senior Cross Country Titles on 3 Occasions Title
Winner Kerry 4 mile and Kerry 10 mile R.R. on Several Occasions
Winner 1500M & 5000M Kerry Championships on Several occasions
Also winner 800M in the late ‘80’s
Second National Intermediate Cross Country – 1980
Winner 5000M Munster Junior Track Championships – 1977
Second Munster Senior Cross Country – 1979
Winner 5000M Senior Track Championships Twice
Third Munster Senior Cross Country – Early ‘80’s
Third National 10,000M Track Championships – 1987
Seventh National Senior Inter Clubs Cross Country – Twice
Winner National 25Km. Road Race – 1984
Third National 25Km. Road Race – 1981
Second National 15Km. Road Race – 1991
Winner National Half marathon – 1991, 1993, 1994
Third Munster Senior Cross Country – 1993
Second National Half Marathon – 1987
Winner National Marathon – 1989
Second National Marathon – 1993
Third National Marathon – 1990, 1991, 2003
Winner Ballycotton 10 Mile Road Race - 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994
Second Ballycotton 10 Mile Road Race - 1996, 1999
Third Ballycotton 10 Mile Road Race - 1984, 1986, 1993
Seventh Ballycotton 10 Mile Road Race - 2000 (1st 040)
Winner Belgooly 10 Mile, Cork Half marathon, 2003
Winner Cork Half marathon 2003
Winner Cork to Cobh 15 mile Road Race 2003
(Several other open road races won are not included in this list)
Selected Also for the Following ~International Races
International Cross Country Race - Clusone – Italy
International Cross Country Race - Gateshead – U.K.
International World Half Marathon Champs. - 1st Irishman – Brussels
International Road Races - Split & Zagbreb -
Yugoslavia
Also selected for – Helsinki Marathon European Championships – 1994
- Gothenburg Marathon World Championships – 1995
Had to withdraw from both due to injury
I participated in the following international Road Races also: -
International 10 mile Road Race – Zaandam – Holland on 4 occasions
International 10 mile Road Race – Holten – Holland on two occasions
International 10 mile Road Race – The Hague – Holland
International Half Marathon – “City Pier City” – The Hague – Holland
International 18Km. Road Race – Amsterdam – Holland (Winner)
World Athletic Veterans. Assoc. Half Marathon – Valladolid – Spain – Finished 4th Member of Irish Team – Finished in 2nd position – Silver Medalists
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- Updated: Oct 3rd, 2007 - 16:54:37
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