Peak Summer

 I nearly forgot I had a blog. No desire to talk about running the last 6 months as not a lot happened. Anyways today is the 1st of August as ever the Dublin marathon is the key race to face into into 12 weeks time. If I get to the start line it will be my 3rd DCM in a row and my 7th overall. First one was 2010, then 2011, 2012, 2017, (virtual 2020), 2022 and 2023. 

So where do I stand?

51 years old in September. 18 official marathons completed plus a couple unofficial efforts. I want to get to 20 marathons preferably this year. I dropped out of Donadea 50k in 2022 (Covid) and Clonakilty 2023 (injured ankle) and my failure to make the start line in Manchester 2018, DCM 2018, DCM 2020 and Connemara 2019 still bothers me.

My resting heart rate was at it's lowest in 2017 (under 40) . These days its around 52.  My ability to do high mileage has declined (from a peak of 70 miles to now 35miles).  I am a lot more heavier and lacking  the mental and physical sharpness of the past. All I can do is work with what I have..

So .... here's the plan. Get to the start line of DCM having completed at least 2 x 20 milers. Maybe peak at 45 miles in terms of training, ideally a few times. Race a couple of half marathons. Maybe a few runs in the hillier parts of Cork city. Maybe a few speed sessions and a midweek long run.

Ideally the last couple of weeks of training would look like this:

Monday Recovery (3mls), Tuesday (7 miles with 5mile tempo), Wednesday (10 miles hilly), Thursday 5- 7 miles easy paced, Friday Rest, Saturday 20- 22 miles 

Then in the actual marathon itself - finish and get under 4hrs 10 mins. Dreamtime sub 4 hours.

Currently I'm around 92 kgs. Ran 3 miles Monday, 6 miles Tuesday, 6 miles Wednesday hilly, Thursday 3.2 mile walk.

We will see how it goes. If it doesn't happen time to draw a line under it.

Spring springs to mind

 First post of the New Year. Setting my targets for the year. My number 1 target is to stay healthy and well. That isn't just about running it's far more involved than that but the running helps. From a physical point of view I have targeted getting the weight down. It has always been a constant battle, more so as one hits the 50 years mark and also I am not capable of hitting the 60 - 70 miles a week of yore. I know even in the midst of peak marathon training I am at most ever going to hit 45 -48 miles a week so obviously I now need to pay attention to different aspects of a successful regime. 

So far going ok. 94kgs on the 1st January. For 26/31 days I ran a minimum of 3 miles a day and up to a maximum of 10 miles on Sunday. Other days I walked 3 to 4 miles making it part of my recovery run programme. This month as expected I haven't been as consistent but the mindset is still strong. The only fly in the ointment is a virus and cold I picked up over the last few days but I am ok now. 

I threw myself on the scales on 10th February and clocked in at 89.5 kg. Still on the heavy side for successful or satisfactory running but a good loss nevertheless. I still haven't looked at the vitamin side of things and the strength training but I will be looking into it now. I do get dogged down by colds and flus on a regular basis.

In terms of running I am adopting a gradual approach. The big target is of course the Dublin marathon in October (get to the start line fitter and stronger than previous years, bag a sub 4 marathon). That's about 36 weeks away so I hope to reach some intermediate targets between now and Easter (stage 1), Easter and June weekend (stage 2). Marathon training between June and August (stage 3) with the serious training kicking in as ever in September and October (stage 4). After that I hope to enter a few short and medium distance races resting up over Christmas.

At least that's the plan it could all go pear shaped too. That happens to the best of us. At least the ankle and groin have been behaving itself.

It has been 14 years since I ran my first race the Ballycotton 10. 2010 - 2017 I ran some very personally satisfying races. While I never stopped running the years 2018 and 2019 saw me declining rapidly. 2020 -2023 saw a comeback of sorts but with 2 big disappointments (DNF at Donadea and Clonakilty) and a general acceptance that my speed and endurance has slipped. Maybe 2024 might see a upturn in a more positive way.

Last Sunday I jogged happily around Dungarvan coming in a 1hr23mins. That's a start.

 

end of year post

 New Years Eve. According to Strava I logged over 1200 miles. Mostly all running but some walking in there too. The last 4 weeks have seen no running occur as my ankle finally gave up during the Clonakilty Marathon at the end of November. I don't like writing too much about it but the bottom line is that I pulled out at 19 miles or 18.5 miles. I'm not actually sure as the garmin had died and there was no mile markers anywhere on the route. It was impossible to put any weight on it and I was reduced to walking with a limp. The problem dates back to a old fall in 2016 but I had rolled it a couple of times in September. After most long runs when I was training for DCM it was very uncomfortable and I would be walking for a limp for the day afterwards. At mile 20 in DCM it proved to be a issue but it become a real problem during Clon hence the DNF (my third since 2020 ). I couldn't have walked or jogged the last 7 - 8 miles in a way I used to be able do before  Very disappointing and bitterly so. 

I went to physio a week later and he diagnosed a ankle sprain and issue with the Achilles and calf muscle. In layman's terms it's knackered from over use. I have been doing my prescribed exercises reasonably regularly.

I have done 7 days of walking and running these last week but beyond that the enthusiasm or interest in running isn't great. I am enjoying the Christmas break and like in 2013, 2018 and 2019 the running thing is not doing a lot for me. I am sure that will change but best not to force it.Eating wise I am doing all the bad things very well. On the scales yesterday I was 94.1 kg, around 2kg heavier than this time last year. For DCM I was 87kg.

I have entered DCM 2024 so that will be in the back of my head. In terms of 2023 I did complete one marathon and a few half marathons plus 3 ten mile races and 3 four mile races but injuries and illness had proved disruptive. I'll play the waiting game and let the mind and body recover in it's own time.

Dublin Marathon 2023 - 4hrs15mins-12 months is a bloody long time away...

 When I got back into Charleville last night after the marathon I was delighted to see Aoiffe and Iseult. Fire on, dinner on the table, cup of tea and a bun afterwards and of course a big hug from Iseult. I settled into my arm chair spending the night on my phone texting my buddy Aidan, receiving some nice congratulatory texts from family, friends and work colleagues. It was when I saw how other runners (known to me) got on that's when the disappointment kicked in.The next morning after a somewhat expected unsettled sleep (always the case after a marathon) the first thought was ...I left it behind me and 12 months is a bloody long time away.

I had 3 goals going into this one 1) Get to the start line 2) Get to the finish line 3) Get a good dinner in afterwards. I achieved all 3 (Junction 17 is a great spot for a dinner) but I also had a time goal in mind, get under 4 hours or at the very worst get a improvement on last year's 4hrs16mins.

At least I got that if only by a minute. The split up to mile 18 were very solid. I was maintaining a 9 minute per mile average allowing for the fact that the garmin and the miles on the course were out of sync by 15 - 20 seconds. I was determined to get to 20 miles and I was dong ok in that regard but I was feeling the strain at that point. Coming into Dundrum I broke on the hill and walked to mile 20. Even though I have run the DCM 6 times I never actually noticed that there was a hill there before or at least never took much notice of it. For me that was a sure sign I was finding this running lark a lot harder than before (and a note to my training in the future). 3 hours on the clock

The heavens opened up at this point for the third time and it cascaded down. I pretty much walked from mile 20 to mile 22 and at one stage I was not feeling all that well-a bit faint actually. I was gasping for water but there was no stations nearby and I simply picked a half empty bottle off the ground and drank that. I did the same at mile 21.

When I got to Roebuck Road (heartbreak hill) the rain became a torrential downpour and the spirits sank to a low. 3hrs 27 minutes up on the clock and it looked as if I was going to be out on the course for well over 4.5 hours. I jogged gently up the hill and down the other side and to my surprise I kept jogging after that.. While the pace was a 10min - 10mn20sec shuffle pace it was still better than walking.

On I trundled to mile 23, mile 24 and mile 25. The chest was getting very sore and the ankle was screaming at me to stop and walk. I did that for a minute or so and then jogged onto the last 800 metres on Mount Street. To be fair the crowds were great and jogging besides other runners all of us trying to get to the finish line was a amazing feeling. We might have been the slow bunch but we were all in it together doing our own thing. I crossed the line in 4hr15mins04seconds. I was absolutely shattered.

I could hardly make it to the funnel to get my medal and T shirt. The walk to collect the dropoff bag was even more exhausting. I must have been in a bad way as a medic asked if I needed assistance but I waved him away and met up with my buddy Aidan. He did well coming in at 3hr49mins but was probably unlucky not to come in under 3hrs45mins.

A note to the organizers in future - the crush on the way out needs to be avoided. It was hairy enough at times.

As usual it was great chatting to Aidan, his wife Emer and the rest of his family. Then it was time for a big feed in Junction 17 and the drive back to Cork from Portarlington. 

In the week since I have spent a lot of time sleeping and resting. I have run a lot of good marathons, bad marathons and a few ultras but I was seriously shattered after this one. The ankle is less sore now but I am sleeping a lot more than I expected.

In terms of what I am going to do in the future and what to improve on ...that's for another day.

Joe Jogger Joe Blogger

 Last week of the taper in front of me. Race day is next Sunday 29th October. Training has gone ok enough but load of areas for improvement, improvements I may never take on board.

1) I had hoped to get 3 x 20 mile runs completed. In the end I settled for 2 x 22 mls

2) I had hoped to get a good few long runs completed in Cork. In the end a 18 miler with Aidan on the 2nd of September.

3) I had notions of doing speedwork once a week mile repeats and tempos. Never really happened.

4) I had hoped to get 50 miles up on the legs in September. The most was 43 miles.

5) I had hoped to get under 1hr40mins in the Charleville half. In the end I settled for a 1hr52mins.

6) I had hoped to drop the weight to under 85kg but it has remained at 87kg.

7) Rejoin a running club. Never happened.

I have  run as well as I could under the present circumstances. Weekend long runs have always occurred. I l also have generally got 3- 4 times a week. HR has also remained steady. I am a lot more comfortable getting a baseline training of 30 miles a week up on my legs. Injury wise not too bad but the ankle is still niggly. The gammy hammy/quad thing is still there on faster runs.

One week to go. Lets enjoy this one.

the last week to make a good impression

 The last week of the training cycle before the taper kicks in.....time to squeeze in that mileage....I did ok enough but not as good as last year....3 miles recovery Monday morning. I had no work that day so that was great. Spent the rest of the day cleaning, hoovering, moping and powerwashing. Tuesday was a work from home in service but it gave me a hour off to pop out for a run. Good run too 7 miles at 7.57 pace.

Wednesday was a opportunity to run up in Mayfield after work (another half day) on the old hilly route. I covered around 7 miles at 8.25 pace but it felt, well, cleansing.

Thursday no chance of a run in work and I had so much to do when I come home the whole workout slipped away.  I had run 4 days in a row and was glad to get the rest. Friday I opted for a easy 3 miler to loosen the legs.(another half day)

Saturday - the day of 3 big things - Iseult's 7th birthday party, Ire V Scotland in the Rugby World Cup and lastly and most importantly a 22 mile run in Charleville. 

The run was hanging over me all week and their was moments at mile 7 and 13 mile I was feeling the strain.  However on a positive note I did plough through. By mile 20 I was on the last legs but battled through for the last 2 miles. The same boring route but solid overall pace 8.58 to 9min pace and good HR 145. Delighted to have got it done. My second 22 mile run of the cycle. Not sure where I stand for Dublin Ithough. 42 miles for the week. Birthday party was great as was the match.

My buddy Aidan ran 23 miles. His 4th 20 plus run of his cycle. Two will do me. It will have to.

On the road (hopefully) with Iron Man

 A good running week to cap off a pretty brutal working week. Least said about the working week issue but dealing with pillocks of different types had affected the long run the week before on the Sunday. I had hoped to get a 20 mile in but the work related stressors had taken its toll as I couldn't tune correctly into the effort. I tried one visualization and concentration aid after another but no luck. The legs or the mind gave in after 17 miles and I simply walked home the last 3 miles. 

I resolved this week to focus completely on the running and to not allow intrusive thoughts into the head. This did the trick and I ran 7 miles on Tuesday,Wednesday and 7.4 on Thursday. In work we had a sports day on the Friday and I didn't do any more rigorous than the egg and spoon race. I excused myself a hour early as the tummy wasn't feeling great and I feared the worse that night. HR was elevated too around 90 beats instead of the usual 70 beats. Queasy.

Nevertheless on the Saturday morning I felt and went on my run. It was the usual route but despite one enforced pit stop in the railway road I was feeling very relaxed. Again I substituted negative thoughts for a positive one (and for some weird reason kept singing Iron Man in my head). My pace was very solid and  after 20 miles I kept chugging away for another 2 miles. The garmin died at 16.2 miles but I knew the route well enough to pretty much guess the distance left. It was my best long run since the 18 miler I did with Aidan on the 2nd of September. The 13.1 race in Charleville on the 10th September was solid affected by the high humidity.

The rest of the day was great. 22 miles in the bag, 43 for the week, up to my Mum's for a social chat, nice dinner in the evening and wins by Everton in the football and Ireland in the rugby.

I was proud to wear my running top given to me by 6th years last May. It's good to remember the positive stuff - that's what matters.

35 days to the Dublin City marathon.