One long run, two runners, last training week

Week beginning 6^th May

After running Pb’s in two half marathons, two 10 mile races, a 5 mile and 4 mile race it was bread and butter stuff this week. When I trained for Dublin last year the last running week before the taper had done extremely well. My legs were able to pick up a rapid pace when needed be it 8 X 7.15 pace, 10 X 7.50 pace on hills or 15 at marathon pace on a long run. This last full running week was a lot different. The legs needed to recover after my races of the previous week and so I was happy to be patient. For me the key workout was Saturday’s planned long run up in Cork with my buddy (and running natural) Aidan McGee.

Monday I simply walked /jogged 4 miles. Tuesday was meant to be 10 miles but the legs were very heavy so I simply jogged 7 miles at 8.50 pace. Wednesday  I jogged 11 miles in Charleville and hated every minute of it, running it in 8.30 pace. The Hr for those two runs was low 136 and 149 respectivately.  By Thursday I headed down to Mallow for a speed session but a mix up on the rendezvous point meant I had to run alone – 10 miles at 8.31 pace. I was a bit disappointed nevertheless by the way the week was turning out. While I didn’t expect to be zipping along on water I had hoped to pick up a faster more natural pace. This didn’t happen but maybe my body is simply adapting to the stress of racing –I hope....

Saturday I met Aidan McGee up in Mayfield with a plan to run 22 miles at 8.40 to 9.00 minute pace. It was a tough run covering a large part of the marathon course with a few hills thrown in for good measure. The weather conditions were all over the place – rain, sun and shocking gusts up the Carrigorahane road. The pulls by the Model Farm road and Glasheen really sapped the legs. By mile 19 in Turners Cross I was out of puff. Up to that point I had being doing reasonably well running at 8.50 average pace. Aidan was very comfortable it was obvious he was finding this all very easy. We jogged two more miles up the South Tce and into Patrick st but the pace had dropped to around 9.30 pace. The mind had enough and the left knee was beginning to give out. I stopped outside Waterstones. We must have looked like a right pair. Aidan jogged another mile to make it 22 before we hopped on the bus back to Mayfield and for a good feed of bananas, chocolate and water. I didn’t run the planned 22 miles and that was a disappointment but I had no more to give. I ran 21 miles in total at 9 minute pace. Hr was 147.

Our contrast in moods couldn’t have been more obvious.  Even as we ran I was grumpy and short tempered. Aidan was relaxed and chatty smiling and waving to fellow runners.Aidan was happy and satisfied after the run.. He could do very well in the Cork marathon in 3 weeks time which is all the more impressive when you consider he is running on a diet of 32 to 40 miles. He ran Mallow 10 in 1hr08mins and Wexford in 1hr32mins25seconds. A running natural.

I was (as usual) very gloomy afterwards. Maybe a sPB or even a sub 3.30 is too much to ask for. Perhaps a course PB would be a better bet (3.53 in 2011) or a improvement on my second fastest ever marathon (3hr40mins51secs – Dublin 2011). Then again as Aidan said “I am my harshest critic”. Anyway by Sunday I ventured out the door for another easy run but the legs were feeling surprisingly fresh. Running 6miles @7.47 pace was a nice surprise considering I struggled to hit 21 miles the day before. Anyway all done now- taper starts on Monday with last long run next weekend.

Monday 4 miles jog, Tuesday 7 miles, Wednesday 11.2 miles, Thursday 10.2 miles, Saturday 21 miles, Sunday 6 miles. Total miles 59.4 miles.