Called off due to rain.

Week ended 10^th April

I didn’t run Wednesday. That is a deliberate policy as I am currently simply trying to go out running when I feel rested and fit as distinct from feeling the need to put myself under pressure and go running 6/7 days a week. On average I am running 4 days a week at most. Thursday effort was to be a marathon pace effort. I was planning to run 7 miles at a 7.55 pace but when I looked down at the watch at mile 6 I was surprised to see I was running at around 7.35 average pace. I hadn’t expected that so I decided to dial the pace back a bit for the last mile. The HR was reasonable enough – 158 – for a marathon pace effort but I may want to keep a tighter rein on the pace next time.

My next run was on Saturday morning with the club in Doneraile park. The plan was 2 mile warm up , 6 X 1km and 3 mile cooldown. I wasn’t completely focused and I was feeling a bit heavy legged if truth be known. I was well down the back of the group for the repeats – around 7.58 mile pace. The rest of the club members were flying it and I tried to be philosophical about it. Running is as a honest a sport as it gets, you get out what you put in.

The plan on Sunday was the 10 mile race in Cobh. I had intended to run it at around 7.20 pace feeling strong and controlled. It’s a tough course and I hadn’t had enough done yet to challenge myself to do anything faster. What was even tougher on the way down however was the weather. It was bucketing down, it was cold and the temperatures were very low. In other words ideal weather for catching up with boxsets certainly not for running. By the time I reached Belvelly bridge the waves were lapping over the bridge and onto the road. It looked pretty spectacular and a lot of cars were turning back home. I drove to the finish line and some stewards were packing away barriers and traffic cones so it was obvious it was going to be called off. That announcement was texted to me later.

The morning wasn’t without it’s compensations. I popped into my mum’s home on the way back and got well fed so happy days !!!!

I didn’t even bother trying to venture out the rest of the evening. It does mean however that I haven’t run 10 miles or more in around 3 weeks so that will have to be remedied.

By the way congrats to club stalwart Paudie Birmingham who ran sub 3 in the Rotterdam marathon to day. A great achievement and well deserved..

Monday 40 minute walk, Tuesday 6 miles with 4 X 1 repeats at 6.52 average pace, Thursday 7 miles at 7.37 pace, Saturday 8 miles with 6 X 1 km repeats. Total 23 miles