Blog Entries

Barcelona

kaneo — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

With a week to go, all is going well. My training is going good and im happy with where im currently at. Not much more can be done at this stage.

Im looking forward to getting the championships started, it is what it is.

I have worked hard over the winter, focusing on the process and now I will let the outcome look after itself.

My main aim is to run well of course, and if that's good enough to win or get a medal so be it.

We have a strong team heading out, with a good mix [...]

Blog 36

kaneo — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

After the national Championships I decided to stay on at home for a few days before flying back to Loughborough. I wanted to catch up with a few mates and spend time with the family. I haven't been home since May and I wont be home again until my break in September.

Due to the niggle I had in my foot, the Athletics Ireland doctor sent me for an MRI scan on Monday. We both knew it wasn't anything serious, but while I was at home we may as well check it out and take no risks. Everythi [...]

Blog 35

kaneo — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Arrived back from Switzerland on Monday and I was tired!! Didn't sleep well Sunday night and was up early to get a flight from Geneva. It is always hard to get to sleep after a race.

My next race is on Friday so the few days I had back in Loughborough were all about recovery and of course wash my kit and repack.

Training was light during the week, and I got treatment from my physio Jo and massage therapist Mark

My 4th race of the summer took place on my birthday in t [...]

Blog 34

kaneo — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

My week was all about gearing up to my third race of the summer, which was taking place in the Swiss town of La Chaux De Fonds up in the mountains. I don't know what mountains, but they were high and they were not called the Alps. I know them, they have snow!!

It's a small meet, but I was happy to travel there, as it can be a fast place if you get the weather. Also, the new IAAF diamond league is turning into a bit of a mess with hardly any 400m races around, so you got to take what [...]

Race 4 - Barcelona, Spain

kaneo — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

1st - 44.95: My 4th race of the summer took me to the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona. It is the same stadium that will host the European Championships at the end of July, so it was a great opportunity for me to check it out and actually race in the Stadium

The race went really well, drawn in lane 5, I had the next quickest guys outside me in lanes 6 and 7. Both athletes were in the World indoor final in Doha back in March, so it was time for a little bit of revenge.

I got out well f [...]

Race 3 - La Chaux De Fonds, Switzerland

kaneo — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0100

1st - 44.98: My 3rd run of the summer and im happy with where I am.

La Chaux is a small meet high up in Switzerland. I was happy to travel there as it can be a fast place if you get the weather.

The line up was good with French runner Leslie D'jone drawn in the lane outside me. Conditions were OK, it was warm and sunny but it was fairly windy down the back straight, but sure look you cant have all your own way!!

I knew what I had to do!

Gun went and [...]

Blog 33

kaneo — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Arrived back from Budapest on Monday evening into the arms of my excited girlfriend who's birthday it was.... she wasn't excited to see me, she just wanted her present.

No race planned this week, mainly due to a serious lack of meetings around Europe and also a lack of 400 metre races. Personally I think the new format of Diamond League is not good for general athletics. The diamond league had 14 meetings but only 7 400m.

Anyway, I don't really mind, as I know I can run well off tr [...]

Blog 32

kaneo — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

I was still a bit tired on Monday from my race in Geneva. Monday's session was ok, just a light enough grass session.

As I was racing again this weekend, Tuesday was the main session of the week, split 400m, which is 200m, 90 seconds, 200m. It's race pace over the first 200m and then what ever you have left. I had a good session, but the wind up the home straight on my 2nd 200m was a killer, not nice at all.

In the gym with Pete on Wednesday, light, fast activation weights. [...]

Race 2 - Budapest, Hungary

kaneo — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

2nd - 45.29: Felt ok warming up, a little sluggish, but was up for the fight and ready to roll.

I flew out of the block and got into my running down the back straight. Coming into the home straight, the Belgian come up on my inside, I tensed up a little and gave him a metre.

He won and I was just behind him. I was annoyed at myself, I felt I gave him the race by switching off around the top bend, and I didn't feel I ran my own race. But on a positive note, my time was good, [...]

Blog 31

kaneo — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The week got under way with a session on Monday morning to decide if my hamstring was ok to race on in Rome on Thursday. I hadn't done any full out running on it, so I was a little nervous.

I had 2x250m, and it went really well. The time's I ran were good and most of all, my hamstring was completely fine!

After pulling out of Rabat the previous Sunday due to my hamstring strain, the big wigs at Rome said "let us know on Monday if you are able to run". Nick rang them after my [...]

Race 1 - Geneva

kaneo — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

2nd - 45.32

First run done. Always good to get the first race of the season under my belt. Felt good and strong and was nice and relaxed down the back straight, but at the same time a little rusty in parts, particularly around the top bend from 150 to 100m.

Happy with the time, good solid opening and im looking forward to my next race in Budapest this Saturday.
Onwards we go!!

Shafted!!

kaneo — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

I have just got shafted!

I was due to race in Rome this Thursday. After pulling out of Rabat due to a slight hamstring strain they said "let us know on Monday if you are able to run in Rome". I trained really well yesterday, delighted with myself, rang Rome and said "Yeah Gillick is ready to rock"...the reply i got was "oh we have given his lane away..sorry"

Thanks a lot!!!!!

Blog 30

kaneo — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A frustrating week. I was hoping to be OK after my hamstring strain from last week, but with these things you have to give them the time they need.

I was able to jog on Monday but my hamstring was still abit tight and I was unable to stride out. This was the case for a few days. I was in with my physio Jo, every day.

During this time I just try and make sure I'm doing everything right to help recovery, I was still hoping to race in Morocco on Sunday. So I would ice bath ever [...]

Blog 29

kaneo — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0100

On Monday, the day after the meeting in Loughborough I woke up and my legs were tight and I was tired. I took caffeine before I raced on Sunday to give me a lift and I couldn't get asleep as a result. So I was tired! But we had a very light training day, just aqua jogging in the pool. The weather was good, so I Monday afternoon was spent on the hammock!

That was the theme for the early part of the week, recovery. Tuesday and Wednesday session were on the light side. The workload i [...]

Blog 28

kaneo — Fri, 28 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

A long week. It started with a serious training session on Tuesday morning, 2 race pace runs over 350 metres and 250 metres. Full recovery between the runs, so it's all about quality. Because it's a big session I was a little nervous, but its good because it's the same before a race so its good race preparation, and nerves are a good thing, they show you care about what you do!!

The session went really well for me and adds to my confidence. I was happy with the times I ran and the [...]

Openet to Sponsor David Gillick

kaneo — Mon, 24 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

I am delighted to announce that I have agreed a sponsorship deal with Irish owned transactional intelligence company Openet.

Announcing the sponsorship deal, Niall Norton CEO stated,

"Openet are proud to support David Gillick - in many ways he characterizes values we hold as essential to success in our own business - energy, enthusiasm, high performance and integrity."

This is a major boost for my athletics career and will help give me the piece of mind in knowing th [...]

Blog 27

kaneo — Mon, 24 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

I just want to race by this stage of the year! It's been a long hard slog since I started training for the 2010 season back in October. 6 days a week for the last 8 months. I've trained hard through out and I feel I'm now ready to just get out and race. I still have a few weeks left of preparation but it's a good feeling when you are looking forward to racing...I'm hungry!

My week was hard, 3 tough running sessions. Tuesday session was a strenuous 450, 350, 250 off 8 minutes recover [...]

Blog 26

kaneo — Mon, 17 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

I got back into the full swing of things this week. Nick has us back into a bit of a heavy training phase over the next 2/3 weeks before the season kicks off at the end of the month.

Tuesday session was 4x300m off short recoveries, so just had to be careful not to go mad over the first one or two reps and then blow up in the remaining runs. At this time of year your ready to run fast, and that is what we did out in LA, but this phase is all about working hard again, so just have to [...]

Johnson on Bolt

kaneo — Sat, 15 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

While filming 'The Fastest Man Who Has Ever Lived' I got to spend time with Usain Bolt in Jamaica. We had met briefly on a few occasions but this was an opportunity to really get to know each other.

I was worried he may be a little cagey about speaking but it was surprisingly easy to get him to open up. I think a combination of things helped him relax.

We were at his practice track, where he was in his element with familiar faces, and there was also a curiosity on his part t [...]

Blog 25

kaneo — Mon, 10 May 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Back in the bubble of Loughborough and the jet lag is killing me!

Landed into Heathrow and my girlfriend Charlotte was there to pick me up. Was great to see her and a lift back up to Loughborough was exactly what I needed as getting a 3 hour train journey with 3 bags of luggage was not what I fancied!

So back in Loughborough and to be honest its good to be back. I like my routine of the way I do things and what I like about Loughborough is that everything is in easy distance [...]