Slogfests and snow flurries

Week ending March 1^st

Too lazy or too tired to write much. Anyway I didn’t get out for a jog until Wednesday. Monday and Tuesday was taken up with after school activities – namely family vists and parent teacher meetings. Well that’s not entirely true. I slept out Monday morning and by the time I got back home in the evening , a howling gale and the smell of a home cooked meal was enough to send me scurrying to the chair. Very nice it was too but ooh the guilt. This worsened after getting home late on Tuesday.

 Wednesday's run in Mayfield was a mental struggle for the first few miles but it was ok after that and actually turned into a enjoyable run though having to complete 4 laps of the estate to make up the 10^th mile must have looked a bit strange to the neighbors. Thursday was more of the same except this time up in Charleville at a slower pace. I was supposed to do a tempo run but the drive wasn’t there for it. I normally try to do a tempo every two weeks and this was first time I didn’t stick to the planned schedule. I was beginning to fear I was reaching a overtrained induced state but the indicators weren’t present (elevated heart rate, tired legs, colds etc). I am probably however reaching a newer phase of adaptation, after all I am running more miles in the last few months that I ever have before. Also speedwork isn’t necessary for a ultra. Volume is the name of the game.

Nevertheless if I do train for a marathon over the summer it s is useful to know just how far I can push it- I will need to do the speedwork. Races will help in that regard.

 Friday was another tough day – again up in Mayfield, Cork. I had a tough day in work and I had a 40^th to attend that night. I was going to be on the dry for the night and I was looking forward to getting the running job done. It was a good enough run and a excellent night out with the lads and ladies. Mind you I scoffed the party food.

Saturday was a run in the company of my friend Aidan (Mayfield again). We hadn’t met up in a while and the run flew by. We covered 7.2 miles at a handy relaxed pace doing more talking than fast running but that was fine.

The big workouts were to occur on Sunday and Monday. I ran 24 miles at 8.50 pace in the company of my Mallow clubmates. This was my longest run to date, in fact my longest ever training run. I ran 3 miles on my own before the main group met up. I practiced some nutritional strategies – 3 gels and one banana after every 5 miles and power walked after every hour for 3 minutes.  What was most encouraging about the run was that I finished strong and felt good. I could have pushed on for the full 26.2 miles but that may be for another time.  While slower than last weeks 21 mile run I definitely felt a lot fresher. I went hope tired but happy. My good wife had a supply of freshly baked scones waiting for me when I got back allowing me to simply sit across the couch watching the rugby. Class.

Monday morning I was psychologically keyed up for the second half of my back to back run but I was dismayed to see the snow covering the town and it environs. Very un spring like weather and I was worried I would forego another Monday run. Thankfully it cleared when I got back home that evening and off I toddled off for a 2 X 7.5 mile laps of the town. It was a flat enough route , in contrast to yesterdays slogfest, and while I slowed down deliberately  for the last 3 miles (time on the feet) I still managed to run 15.3 miles in a respectable 8.31 average pace. The weather conditions while calm and restful were also very cold evidenced by the hailshowers which erupted as soon I got in the door.

Tuesday consisted of a 4.7 mile recovery run at 9.16 pace which was laboured enough to tell me to take a break for a day at least.

80 miles in the last 7 days, 61.7 miles week ended March 1^st and 20 miles the start of this week.

Wednesday 25^th February: 10 miles at 7.49 pace, Thursday 10 miles at 8.05 pace, Friday 10.5 miles at  8.35 pace, Saturday 7.2 miles at 8.44 pace, Sunday 24 miles at 8.50 pace

Monday 2^nd March : 15.3 miles at 8.31 pace, Tuesday 4.7 miles at 9.16 pace

3 weeks of full training left before the taper kicks in