Starting over

Week beginning 21^st April

Decided to do a bit of running this week. “Bit” in this case means as many non running days as running days. Monday morning saw my wife choking with one hell of a chest infection which as I write this is only clearing up now. It means her plans to run a 6 mile run in Limerick over the May weekend will probably come to nought. As her self appointed coach I can’t but help feel disappointed for her. She hadn’t missed a single training session up to this point but chest infections are not to be messed with especially when it comes to running. A clubmate of mine had to cancel a planned marathon because of something similar.

I ran 8 miles on the Monday morning and I think it was around 8.20 pace. The first few miles were around 8.55 pace but it dropped and finished around 8.05 pace. A promising run and a nice start to the week. Headed to Mallow for a all too rare appearance by me to a evening training session. There was a small enough turnout but it was a good session. 2 mile warm up and 2 mile cool down. The workout consisted of a 20 minute tempo, a  10 minute tempo and 6 x 30 second sprints. My speed wasn’t great but I was happy enough to take it easy and glad to get a few miles up on the legs. Shane our trainer arrived late and assumed we also had carried out our planned 2 X 30 seconds press ups. Darragh fessed up and we ended up doing those as well. A interesting way to end a session. Hopefully we can get away with it next time!!!!

The workout on Wednesday was a planned 5 mile easy jog. Problem was I hardly slept a wink in the last 3 days as Aoiffe’s cough was bad enough to keep her awake all night and me with her – running up and down the stairs for various medications and boxes of cough sweets. Other times I was simply worried she hack her lungs up – it was that bad. Anyway the run was a deliberately slow affair. I had no garmin but I ran for 46 minutes doing around 5.5 -5.7 miles.

There was no running Thursday as the blood bank were around and I donated my pint of claret. I have done 6 of these and apparently the milestone number is measured in 25, 50, 75 and 100 donations. Something worth aiming for- certainly easier than 50 marathons anyway!!!!! Friday was a non running day simply because I was concerned having done 21 miles this week and only 16 miles the week before and with  a planned long run at the weekend it was better to have a few days off. I prefer to ease rather than to rush headlong into a training schedule. Also it is less than 3 weeks since the Connemara marathon so there is nothing to be gained than too intense a exposure to high mileage.

My last run of the week was a 10 mile in the company of the gang from Mallow Ac. I did 7 miles with the lads and lassies at a solid enough pace before running the last 3 miles myself at 8 minute pace. Felt fine afterwards heading up to Cork to meet some of the lads and watch the Liverpool-Chelsea game and the tailend of the Munster game. Easter holidays finish tomorrow so back to the blackboard jungle!!!!!!

Miles for the week 33 miles (Monday 8 miles, Tuesday 7 miles, Wednesday 5.5 miles, Saturday 2 miles with couch to 5k group, Sunday 10 miles)