A good hard look in the mirror

Tuesday 22^nd January

5.2 miles at medium pace in Charleville. Cold day for it and pretty slippy arond the town park and heading into the estate. Was glad to get in the door.

Wednesday 23^rd January

After wolfing down a couple of Yorkie bars, I managed to summon my legs out for a easy recovery run with my wife. Covered 3.72 miles in 40 minutes. Fairly apprehensive about Sunday’s race. It’s my first big race since Dublin and the week before I attempt to prepare for a crack at the Cork marathon.

Sunday 27^th January- Dungarvan 10 mile race

Haven’t done a whole lot since Wednesday bar a easy 3 miles on Saturday. Had planned to meet up for a club session on Thursday but realised on the way down from Cork city I hadn’t packed any shorts and as it was too late to pull into a shop to buy a new pair I had to cancel. Wasn’t best pleased about it but then I also realised I had no wallet on me either to buy a cheapie pair. Maybe a rest would be better after all. Anyway onto the race.

Dungarvan 10 mile race

I was very hopeful and looking forward to this race. Plan A was to break 70 minutes, plan B was to get under 72 minutes. The first 5 miles I kept up with pacers but i didn’t feel great. The rest of the run was a complete and utter disaster. In fact i felt so embarrassed I considered dropping out at mile 8. The legs packed in at mile 5. That was bad enough but the back pain I endured all the way to the finish was something else. I have been getting twinges on and off since December anytime I did any running but today was pretty bad. Even after the Heath 10K I was very sore. Finished in at 1.16.14. Felt like a right eejit. Didn’t want to even claim my goody bag. In fact I gave it to the young fella who lives next door to us. A lot of Mallow runners ran excellent times, felt a small bit gloomy heading back to the car with my mate Don.

What do I need to do?

1)       Back to basics. No point in running any marathons for a while that’s for sure. Keep the paces easy and the races to a limit for a while. I had hoped to train for Cork but until I am happy with my form, appetite and physiology that will be on hold

2)       Change my trainers. The supplier who gave them to me said they were they were the new alternative to the Nike's high arch supports I usually wear. Not too sure if they are helping. 

3)       Get to a physio and get a good back massage.

4)       Start doing some sort of core training. Even if it means sacrificing a evenings running so be it. Back pain and back discomfort needs to be sorted. This goes beyond running.

5)       Next 10 mile race is Ballycotton. Will be hoping for a solid 1.20.No point in getting too ambitious.

Below is a photo from the Heath 10K just two steps before the finish.

 

Hmmmmmm

Monday 14^th January

3 miles recovery jog. 30mins52seconds.

Wednesday 16^th January

No chance of running on Tuesday- work intervened. Went out this afternoon and the legs were like bricks. Hate running like this as mental doubts also creep in. These type of runs are ordeals that have to be endured slowly. Hence the 8min20sec pace. Ran for the hour, covering 7.2 miles.

Thursday 17^th January

More of the same – this time in the evening up in Mayfield. The course is a hilly one so I was overly cautious and besides I hoped the hills at a slow pace would ease out the havey legs and muscular soreness.

Run was very slow.7 miles,1hr01min39seconds, 8min48second pace

Friday 18^th January

Was sufficiently revived to get and go running at 6.21am. I had to stay in Mayfield overnight in my mum’s because of a late work occasion. Surprisingly in the city there was hardly a car on the road and the street lighting made for easy navigation. I ran the same route as yesterday except this doing the route the other way around.

7.2 miles in 1 hour at 8min17second.

Saturday 19^th January

Did a 3 mile warm up and then had a notion to do a 1 mile time trial at the same effort I would hope to hit in a race. AlsoI wanted to shake that sluggish heavy legged feeling that was persisting all week. Did the mile in 6.53 which lets be honest wasn’t great. I also felt laboured doing it. Finished up with 2 mile jog home. Due to head to Offaly to run a race with a friend who lives up there. It’s a 10k race so it will be a very good indicator of what i can manage in Dungarvan. Just hope it’s well organised.

6 miles with one mile time trial at 6.53. 47 minutes in total.

Sunday 20^th January

Ran the 10k heath race in Portloaise.Very well organised. Did my best and happy to say I did so but the time was only ok (43.31) and two minutes slower than my PB. Good to call up to my old buddy Aidan and his family. Aidan a former teenage club runner has the Cork marathon in mind and was happy with his effort of 44.20. He will improve on what was a hilly course. I had hoped to do better but Dungarvan will be a nervy affair next week.

6.2 miles – 43.31

Miles for the week 36.4 miles

Who needs those lovely men from the AA? ;-)

Monday 7^th January

3.72 recovery miles with my wife. Around 42 minutes or 10.29 pace. I would have happy to finish after 30 minutes but Aoiffe was enjoying the run. I was just feeling hungry all the time ;-)

Tuesday 8^th January and Wednesday 9^th January

Couldn’t go running Tuesday. Pain in my groin  was bugging me all day. Didn’t feel any better by 5pm so decided to call it a day and just rest and ice it. Went to bed early too , 9.15 pm and felt a lot fresher waking up this morning at 6.30 am. Ran 7 miles this afternoon at what was supposed to be a relaxed pace but after the first mile I couldn’t believe that the pace was going so well. I didn’t force any sort of pace increase but 7.45-7.50 pace felt easy. Last mile was ran in 7.25. Wow!!!!  I hardly felt out of breath.

7 miles in 54mins30seconds. 7.48 pace with last 2 miles at 7.35 and 7.25 pace

Thursday 10^th January

Headed with Mallow Ac. 1.5 mile warm up with 25 minute tempo. Covered 3.65 miles which is around 7 minute pace. Then completed 6 X 30 seconds strides over a distance of 0.35 of a mile. Finished with a 1 mile cooldown. I felt pretty strong as did a large number of my club runners. Every one is making a real effort with a number of races coming up.

6.5 miles in total.

 

Saturday 12^th January

The schedule called for a 8 mile run with 6 miles at goal race pace (7mins a mile). Heading out the door this morning I wasn’t feeling up to par for such a strenuous workout and with a race coming next week decided to change it a bit. Decided to run a one hour time trail. I ran a few of these when training for Dublin marathon and they were a excellent workout. If anything such a workout today would serve as a indicator of any future marathon pace goals. Mile 1 was a uphill effort and I was surprised and happy to see it was completed in 8min04seconds (8.04). The legs were feeling strong and while I wasn’t really pushing it too hard I found myself quite comfortable for the remaining 51mins56seconds of the run. Mile 2/3/4 were all accomplished in 7.31,7.17 (2 laps of the town park-always a fast mile), 7.07. By mile 4 I had reached 30 minutes and now it was time to see what I could do in the remaining 30 minutes. I have usually found in the last 6 months running is as much of a mental activity as a physical one. If you think you will fail you usually will, if you think about going faster your body will carry you. Such was the case here. Mile 5/6/7 were all run in 6.55,7.04,7.06. During last summer I managed 8 miles in a hour in a training run for the first time ever. This had positive implications for my half marathon and marathon finishing times. Today it now felt I should be comfortably well under 8 miles in a hour. Mile 7 occurred after 51.07 with the last mile (mile 8) taking me through town which slowed me down slightly – 7mins23seconds. With 58mins30seconds up on the clock i was determined to get another bit of distance in. When the alarm sounded after 60 minutes I had run 8.21 miles.

Very happy with the workout. Were I training for a marathon I would be very excited with the numbers indicating as it does a possible PB at the 13.1 and 26.2 distance. Shame I didn’t have my heart strap with me but when I finished I didn’t feel stressed at all. In fact there was a 9^th mile in me. In regards to the Dungarvan 10 it means with a little more push I should not be too far off my target time but it could still go either way.

8.2 miles in 60 minutes – 7.19 pace. Fastest mile 6.55 with slowest mile 8.05. Last mile 7.23.

 

13^th January 2013

Morning of my long run. Was thinking about 12 miles. Headed to Mallow and met up with the rest of the group. I was feeling in poor form when I got there probably down to the fact I ran a tough workout this week. I also didn’t pack any hat or gloves which given the drop in temperatures was a bad idea. The group plan was to do 13-15 miles but I was hoping to just do 12 miles. I perked up when we started but by mile 6 the legs were feeling heavy. Moreover that groin strain which I have had since October was flaring up again and the talk amongst the group of a planned hill was enough to see me double back early by myself. At mile 9 I had to stop to stretch the affected area, jogged another 3 miles and finished the workout in 1.44.46. I wasn’t too worried about the pace which was faster than I expected (8.38 pace) , just glad to get the 12 miles out of the way. Afterwards had a good chat with a few of the club members even getting roped in by a lady to jumpstart her car battery. She was a nice woman but I was pretty wrecked and the brain wasn’t completely thawed out either. Anyway myself and Paudie got the job done (I haven’t had to jumpstart a car in 8 years and to be honest I wasn’t completely sure of myself) and before she went I noticed she had a AA sticker on her car. I asked why she didn’t ring them and she replied “Sure they take ages to come out and isn’t it great having two strong lads to help me out!!!”. One of the club runners laughing his face off asked me if she gave me a kiss in gratitude. I had to laugh myself. Hope the lady in question managed to find a home for that rescue dog in her front seat.

Anyway finally got home and tucked into a bowl of soup. Much better.... Must get that groin seen to pretty soon though.

12 miles in 1hr44 to 1hr45 minutes, 8.38 pace.

Mileage for the week 37.42 miles

Sugar is your thanks in this world!!!!

1^st January 2013

Start of new year with routine recovery jog. 3 miles in just under 27 minutes

2^nd January 2013 and 3^rd January

Took a rest day on Tuesday (2^nd January) mainly in anticipation of Wednesday’s  tempo run. Spent most of Wednesday driving around Cork with my wife looking at granite worktops and new kitchen sinks. I know it sounds pretty dull but I enjoyed the day. To be honest I haven’t a clue about DIY but the wife is a dinger at this kind of kind replete with measurements, wood colours and the various phraseology. It’s just that the guys who work in these places answer back to me while Aoiffe asks the questions. I find it quite funny but I don’t think Aoiffe does. By the way in case you are reading Susan , Vincent was informing me of your injury issues, I hope they sort themselves out. You were making serious strides running.

Anyway my run today meant I was on more familiar ground. It was a tough workout. The first mile was a warmup run (8.45).This was followed by a 5 mile tempo effort, hopefully under 7 minute pace. It was a tough workout but at no stage did I feel it was running away from me. Mile 1 was hit in 6.55, mile 2 6.57, mile 3 was the toughest hitting a long pull out on the Cork road 7.00 pace.I was hitting all my splits every ¼, ½ and ¾ mile. Did a U turn out on the road and headed back towards town. I was feeling really strong at this stage and completed this in 6.53, helped by a sharpish downhill section. I started cursing loudly to myself pushing myself for another 7 minutes. The 5^th mile brought me back down the railway road and I was chuffed to have completed this mile in 6.50. In all i ran the 5 miles in 34minutes 40 seconds. To put it in perspective I only managed my first sub 35 minute time in the Midleton 5 last May. I know hope to maintain this tempo pace in future in particular when I start marathon training later in the year. At the moment my focus is firmly on the Dungarvan 10. Finished the workout with 3 minute recovery and 1.2 mile jog home. Very excited with todays workout!!!!

7 miles with 5 mile tempo in 34 minutes 40 seconds.

Friday 4^th January

I reckoned the legs would be heavy enough today and so it proved. Very blustery outside which made progress difficult. Having a big lunch a hour before i went out the door wasn’t the best idea either. I wanted to run this workout at around 8.30 pace –a throwback to the days of the midweek medium pace run. Even though i was only out there for less than a hour the time seemed to pass really slowly. 1 hour felt like 2 hours..a sign i usually feel of mental fatigue. I certainly wasn’t enjoying the run but I was determined to win this battle too. Completed the 7 miles in 58mins45second which at 8mins24seconds  pace isn’t too shabby at all. Of more concern is the rising weight. Before I tapered for the Dublin marathon my weight was bang on 13 stone which was 10 pounds less than it was when I started training. I am now comfortably back up the higher point of the scales now. While I hardly expect to lose much weight in 3 weeks, it’s time to make inroads. Time to quit the tea, the biscuits, beer (not that I drink a lot), the white carbs and the chocolate (sigh). I often wonder were i nearer 12 stone rather than 13 stone what racing times would I manage!!! Even someone commented to me recently I was “quite overweight for a runner”!!!! Shit’s the thanks, eh?

 Also on the lookout for a good strength and conditioning course. The wife goes to circuits but it’s a bit too hi-tempo for my needs. My body gets enough of a pounding on the road as it is without adding to it...

7 miles in 58mins45seconds (8.24 pace)