2 PB's in a week (part deux)

29^th April 2013

On Monday the legs were in poor order so rather than run I went for a 4 mile walk with my wife. I often swap around a recovery run for a recovery walk. The time difference is interesting – the recovery run takes about 36 -38 minutes, the walk is actually harder-around 72 minutes. Nevertheless I slept like a log that night and getting up for my Tuesday run at 6.30 am I was in good form. Rather than run a tempo effort i settled for a marathon pace effort. It was a lovely morning and the countryside- especially by Pikes Cross –looked stunning. First mile was completed in 8.27 but the pace dropped easily after that with last 3 miles completed in 7.37, 7.45,7.39. I felt very fresh. The HR was high enough though- a ongoing issue -151.

By Wednesday after work it was time to face into a 11 mile effort in Cork city. It was the usual route with the 3 mile hilly finish back to my mother’s house. Last year for Dublin I conquered this route in the week leading up to the taper so I was hoping for the same. Legs felt great starting off and I went with that good feeling. I tried not to race all out content to run again at a marathon pace. The first 8 miles went very well. Very positive run and finally conquered the 3 mile hill run from Leitrim st to Mayfield by running at a solid pace. I call it the "Beast of the Northside". Splits were as follows 1) 7.59 2) 7.50 3) 7.48 4) 7.38. 5) 7.50 6) 7.29 7) 7.29 8) 7.34 9) 8.06 (hill) 10) 7.41 (hill) 11) 7.40 (hill) . I ran the route at a slower pace than last year (by a minute) when I was at the peak of my training for Dublin but the HR was lower too (147 compared to 157 this time). Again the higher HR is a looming issue. Nevertheless a excellent run.

By Thursday evening things took a even better turn. Headed down to the Midleton 5 for the 4 year in a row. I always PB here but this time the legs felt heavy. Met my cousin Don, a Midleton member and we did 2.5 warm up together. We took off just after 8 and I saluted Coleman, a fellow club member on the way out. The legs felt great, really strong and I hit the first and second miles in around 6.36 each. I came to the hills at mile 3 and mile 4 and passed out a couple of dozen runners in particular 2 runners who always finished well ahead of me in the local circuit. One of them wasn’t giving up easily before I finally dropped him at mile 4. Mile 3 passed in 6.44 and mile 3 in around 6.38. That left the last downhill mile and I crossed the last 200 metres overtaking another few runners with a Eagle runner finishing just ahead of me. The last mile passed in 6.29 or so- a great fast mile. I clocked my time in 33.07- the official results had me down as 33.08. I was chuffed and yet a small bit disappointed not to get under 33 minutes. Maybe sometime during the summer in the Ballycotton series. I had planned to do a 1.5 mile coolddown but as is the way of things I got too busy chatting to even think about it. Chuffed.......................

Saturday was a more relaxed affair, 4.5 miles at 9.36 average. A recovery run in order to get the legs working again. It was required for the Limerick half marathon which I ran today (Sunday 5^th May). The Limerick marathon and half marathon has got some serious criticism over the years and I didn’t know what to expect. To be fair it was a excellently run event with planty of people coming to support the various events. If anything it puts the Cork marathon in the shade a bit. As for my race I have to say I was chuffed with my efforts. I PB’ed again with a time of 1Hr34mins.14seconds. Two weeks I Pb’ed the Wexford 13.1 in 1.35.15 and this was my 4^th PB in two weeks and my 6^th PB in a row, a stretch going back to the Ballycotton 10 taking in the Mallow 10, Ballintotis 4, Midleton 5 and 2 half marathons. I chatted to Lisa Boland and John Brady at the start and spotted Barry form Kilkenny pacing the marathon. Paudie was out spectating at the last mile of the half marathon. I felt really strong running this. From mile 3 nobody overtook me finishing strong in the last mile.Splits were as follows 1)7.08 2)7.14 3)7.22 4)7.15 5)7.01 6)7.07 7)7.05 8)6.52 9)7.19 10)7.19 11)7.09 12)7.14 13)7.04 and the rest 70 seconds. Happy days. Back to the hard stuff next week  (long runs that is)

Miles for the week 51 miles. Monday 4 miles, Tuesday 10 miles, Wednesday 11 miles, Thursday 7.5 miles inc 5 mile race Saturday 4.5 miles, Sunday 14.1 miles inc 13.1 mile race