Pushing a elephant up the stairs

was a lyric by R.E.M to the song "Great Beyond" . It could have easily referred to the lugging of suitcases after a 12 day break in Portugal or is perhaps a reflection of my running state of mind these last 2 months. Great holiday all the same with very hot weather. Didn't do any running - not a tap, a fair bit of walking to the pub and restaurant plus various sights- lots of that but no running. The groin was/is still feeling rather sore and the first few days of the holiday it was quite difficult. I was limping a fair bit, the wife amazed at my complete lack of mobility. The scales don't like me either - 14 stone, a figure I haven't seen in a few years. Considering it takes 36 miles of running to burn 1 pound of weight (or 500 calories/5 miles a day) I have plenty of work to do. Mind you why be a slave to a weighing scales?

I have been using the foam roller a fair bit and it is doing the trick. Might start giving circuit training a go - will see. I have very poor conditioning - the ultimate joe runner!!! Again the question is can I be arsed anymore?

In terms of mental focus it is even harder to know where I stand. The interest in running simply isn't there. Previous years I was training for Dublin each year going for a new PB. This time of year - nothing. All those goals I set myself last December, dreaming of a sub 3.20 etc etc won't be happening this year. The Cork marathon really took it out of me.

The solution? Try get back out running. Build up easy miles (3miles for 3 weeks X 3 times a week), get the Hr down close to Maffetone levels, strengthen all that wasted muscle in my legs and hopefully get back in shape. I am thinking a base building period of 10 to 12 weeks increasing the mileage gradually. No promises made re races or speed work. Perhaps a blessing in disguise?

Sorry readers - no heroic 100 mile ultra stories here. Well done to Grellan McGrath, Thomas Bubendorfer, the Cork hurlers and of course the great Rob Heffernan on a brilliant week for sport.

Pulling my leg

Week starting 29^th July

Monday

Entered the Carrigtwohill 5K, traditionally my least favourite  distance and usually my worst. The plan was to hit 7 minute miles and in keeping with the recent trend.. no chance. Did a 14 minute warm up, around a 1.5 miles or so, I had no garmin with me just a stopwatch. Did the first mile in 6.42 just before we hit the hill. It took a bit out of me but I ploughed on hitting the second mile at 7 minute pace. When we hit the hill again i reckon i did ok and we faced into a lovely downhill finish. In fact the setting of Barrystown castle is lovely. The spread was so good before hand i was tempted just to forgo the race and eat the food instead. Any by mile 3 i was running out of gas and I hit the 3^rd mile in 7.30 with the last bit at 50 seconds. My clock time was 22mins19seconds. I reckon the course was probably 3.2 miles rather than 3.1. Nothing special timewise but a enjoyable evening.

1.5 mile warm up with 3.1 mile race, 4.6 miles in total

Tuesday

The back and the back of the legs were rather sore and stiff today. More to do with me digging flower beds rather than the race though I suspect the race and the drive home didn’t help either. Anyway decided to do a 3 mile recovery jog. After every mile i walked for 90 seconds or so, the plan being to reduce the HR. I certainly couldn’t have faced anything else. When I got back the average pace was 10.30 with the HR in the 154 range, a sure sign i wasn’t recovered. My buddies are experiencing mixed fortunes running- one guy has given up the ghost completely after doing nearly 5 marathons, another guy who is semi training for Dublin is finding it hard to get into it and another guy who has taken up running is setting times faster than I have managed all summer3 mile recover at 10.30 pace. Hr 154

Wednesday

Trouble has arrived – uh –oh. The physio last week warned me of a problem in the groin area – adductor longus. I had a soreness of one degree or another since last march but stretching and ice always saw to it. Today walking around even to the shops saw it feel very sore indeed. Iced it and used the foam roller but i suspect time off the feet is the only thing for it.

Saturday

Regular stretching and the foam roller seemed to have done the trick. The pulled feeling in the back of the calves has gone completely at this stage. Did a slow 3 mile jog and I mean slow – 10 minute pace. The HR was going off the scale – 150 to 170. I was certainly finding the effort tough. Since the Cork marathon i had one pain, pull, soreness after the other. IT bands, colds, sore knees and now the groin. Got back home with more icing, stretching and the foam roller (ouch).

That afternoon headed up to Cork for a bit of shopping. Walking around the shop for 2 -3 hours saw that awkward dull ache return once more. Back home again with more ice, stretching and foam roller.

Three problems at the moment. No point in losing the head about it. Just have to be clam and rational and solve each one as it comes. Problem 1 – groin strain. Solution – Rest and time off running for about two weeks. Problem 2 – a bit of a chest cold. Solution – Rest and time off running. Problem 3 – Losing fitness because of lack or running and injury restriction. Solution – get groin sorted and build up fitness again. The last solution will take time. It may mean starting from a base of 3 x3 mile jogs in a few weeks. Anyway lets face it the desire and appetite for running has gone to shit since the Cork marathon so I am not missing out on much at the moment. It means cancelling any plans for races between now and December. As for Achill half marathon that will be binned as well, the race part anyway, the beers possibly not. Heading to Portugal for 12 days holidays on Monday- no fear of me !!!!!

Miles for the week 11.5 - 4.5 Monday with 5K race, Tuesday 3 miles, Saturday 3 miles