Training Log 25th December

Christmas Day. I ran 22.7 mls in Cork yesterday. The whole thing took 3hrs30mins taking me right up to my Mum's house in Mayfield. I could have ran for another 3 minutes to get up to the 23 miles but the lure of the annual Lotabeg Green fry up was a temptation too strong ;-) I ran 7 X 1 miles around Lotabeg and then onto and turn around at the top of the North Mall running back the way I came. Anyway job done delighted. It was a tough especially the last 5 miles, lots of hills and one 3 minute walking spell up Spring Lane past the Glen Rovers hurling club. Lots of slow shuffle running after that , not pretty and it looked demented to one of my old neighbours (he thought I might a lift from the AA !!) but I was very happy with it. Hopefully it will serve me well for future challenges ahead.

The fry up was well worth it. All the family were there and that was great.

No running today. Legs a bit stiff and calves a bit tight but hope to get a few more runs in during the week. Again my weekly totals are on the low side.

P.S

Just forgot I did 5.5 miles last Tuesday, 7.3 miles Thursday and 8 miles Sunday.

Training log week ended 15th December

Tuesday 5 miles in 50 minutes (recovery pace). Wednesday no run , can't remember why. No run Thursday or Friday. Saturday 8 miles at handy enough pace, around 8.20 per mile. Sunday a very enjoyable and relaxed 14 miles in around 2hrs 02 minutes. Felt good for that one. Again the long run was good but need to get more done during the week.

Training log week ended 8th December

All the running was compressed into 4 days - Tuesday a 30 minute walk run around Charleville - 3 mls, lots of stretching on the way. Wednesday around 7.2 mls in a hour and a very slow 7 mls at 9 minute pace followed by a 20 mile epic in Cork on Friday.
 I broke the 20 mile run in to 5 X 1 ml loops  around Mayfield and then 15 mls on the regular "Cork long run route" out towards the long road by the Lee Fields and 2 mls back into the city stopping by the bus stop on Summerhill. If I wanted to jog back to Mayfield that would have meant another 4 mls on very very tough hills, it's unlikely I would have been able to run it without walking. It's something I may come back too in the future. This time I was happy / relived to get the run done. The whole thing took 3 hours.

My splits were very even generally in the 8.45 to 8.55 area. As I waited for the bus I popped into the off licence for the life giving properties of Tanora and a Mars bar !!! I was reasonably comfortable for the rest of the day. It was only my second 20 ml run this year but I was happy enough with it.

Saturday was a busy day - Iseult had a visit to Santa in my wife's workplace and I then drove from Limerick to Cork for my work xmas party. Sunday I had planned to do a easy recovery run but Aoiffe was struck down with a bug so that was that. It would have been great to do the 40 mls for the week. Monday is out of the question too. I'm doing a course on that day.

Training log week ended 1st December

Good week just gone. 5 MLS at 930 pace Tuesday. 1 hour with 7.6 MLS on Wednesday. 1 hour in Mayfield Cork at a lot faster pace than before, 8.10 as distinct from previous 8.30 pace. That was it until Sunday. Shame I can't more consistency in terms of getting out 5 times a week. That would have been my ideal training cycle but it's a lot better than it has  been in a couple of years. On Sunday I ran a MP longish run, 11 miles at 8.20 pace. I know in terms of MP it's around 30 seconds slower than what I used to do but that will do fine for the moment. 30 miles for the week.

Hopefully the Xmas break will give me more time to get he running done in the morning. I was hoping for a regular 4- 5 day running cycle

training log week ending 24th November

Anyway I ran the long run this morning - Sunday. I was pretty happy with how it went considering i only had one other run during the week - a hour on Thursday up in Cork. I am aware that I should be logging more miles than I am currently but I can only work with what I can do. Hopefully that situation will rectify itself over December. I ran 18 mls at a very slow pace - 9.13 pace - staying on my feet for 2hrs45mins. That was deliberate. Last Sundays half marathon was a faster pace but this route around Charleville makes a faster pace impossible. I was comfortable enough up to 2 hours (13mls) but started to feel uncomfortable for a mile after that before things settled down again. The last 1/2 mile home was dead on my feet time but I was glad to finish at that stage. I do hope to log around 18-20 miles during the week but I'm not sure what time I will get to do another long slow effort next weekend. I might push it to a Wednesday or Thursday week, maybe run it up in Cork.

Training log week ending 17th November

A good training week in a month marked by inconsistency. Classic November issues. I'm either too wrecked or it's plain too wet to go outside. I don't mind running in the rain or the dark but running in torrential downpours ain't my thing these days. A indication of how my running habits have changed in the last 2 years. Anyway I was up early Tuesday morning for a nice relaxed 5.5 mile recovery run - around 9.30 pace. In Thursday I did 7 miles around Mayfield , Cork City, at around 8.30 pace, a bit slower than the last time I did the same route. Wednesday was a write off, the little one was sick so I had to stay at home with her and I had painters also coming in to do a extensive painting job on the house. (We got a new gaffe last August). It meant that even when Aoiffe came home it made no difference as I had no access to the bathroom (all painted). Friday not a chance, the day involves working from 8.45 to 8 that evening. That left a window of opportunity on Saturday at 6pm after another shopping trek to Cork (Christmas must be on the way). I did a bog standard 7 miles in a hour. On Sunday I ran a half marathon up in Portarlington - the Gingerbread run. It was a 2 looped course. The route was ok enough no real issues with it. I ran it at 8.25 pace for most of the time bar the last two miles which were under 8 minute pace (very fast for me these days). The time was 1.49.40 so solid enough. It was my first race since May and my first half marathon since April.

The rest of the week ...nothing much. Course on Monday. Too tired to get up early on Tuesday. No chance of a lunchtime run on Tuesday. Another course on Tuesday evening. On Wednesday I was home too late to get out for a run as I had to collect Iseult from the creche and then the downpour started again at the night. Thursday was better - 7 miles up in Mayfield. Friday too busy as usual. Saturday my wife was away at a course all day so no chance of a run either. That leaves Sunday so we see what happens then. I suppose we can find excuses when it comes to running. Up to two years ago I was pretty fanatical about the whole thing. Less so these days.

training log week ended 10th November

Only two runs this week. Late home on Monday as usual (after 9) so not possible. Tuesday home late again , parent teacher meeting again closer to 8pm. Wednesday I bailed out of it completely. Thursday no chance in the usual slot and busy in the evening. Working late on Friday and not home until after 8.
4 miles on Saturday. V stiff effort. Iseult was awake at 2.30 am the next morning after getting sick in her bed. I slept on the floor beside her just to keep a eye on her and then went out at 9 am for a 16 mile long run. Same old route as ever. Garmin died again at mile 11 (rubbish device) and then struggled through the last 5 miles in a poor way. I was probably well over 9 minute pace at the end of it. I really would want to be more comfortable at a sub 9 pace in the future. To be fair the bad nights sleep and the lack of mileage during the week didn't help.

Training log week ended 1/11/19

Week off work doing all sorts of stuff and a bit of running. Anyway the short version. Monday 3ml walk, legs were v stiff, lots of stretches. Tuesday 6.2 mls at 8.20 pace. Wednesday 6.3 mls at 8.20 pace. Friday 6.5 mls at 8.15 pace. Sunday afternoon 12mls at 8.40 pace. All Charleville. 34 mls for the week. Other non running stuff included - Trip to Fota with the family, Limping through assignments for my course, spending a grand (yes a grand) on paint and looking at new beds and sofas. Trick or treating with the small one on Thursday night. Watching the Joker in the cinema - great film. Nursing a cold all week and leaving a Lloyd Cole gig halfway through as it was so boring.

running log week ended 27th October

Monday - rest day doing course. Tuesday - 5.5 mls at 6.30 am. I thought I was doing around 8.30 but overall pace was 9.20 per mile. No harm but a very slow recovery pace indeed. Wednesday - 6 miles around Charleville. I was dithering about this but a good trip to the men's room put me in good form ;-) I ran at around 8.15 pace, the last 3 miles were closer to 8min pace especially the last one which is pretty tough. Thursday I had a window of opportunity at 2.10 before the PT meeting at 4 so I drove up to Mayfield and ran the old 6 mile route covering 6.5 miles. I ran 24 minutes for the first 3 miles downhill and 26 minutes for the harder uphill portion. I used to do a lot better before on this but I was happy that I managed it with too undue effort and managed to use my "gap" time effectively. I bumped into Don on the way who was doing his own job. He is running the  Dublin marathon on Sunday alongside his wife as are a load of other people I know including my good friend Aidan. Yeah I feel bad about missing this again.On the positive side I did run 14 miles solo on Sunday. The garmin died at 12.5 mls but I was probably slightly over 14 miles if anything. 32 miles this week

training log week ending 20/10/18

 Better than the last few weeks in that I managed to get out 4 times this week. 4 mile recovery run on Tuesday during work time. No garmin just a stopwatch but the pace was certainly slow enough to justify it being called a recovery run (9.30 pace). Wednesday my wife was off sick from work and was at home so it was chance to have the chat before I popped out - 6 miles in around 50 minutes. Again just a stopwatch. I had a good 2 miles with a traveller lad of around 9 years old. Pacy fella too, boxing was his game though. Nice lad.

Thursday I was a bit wrecked and not happy coming out of work. Anyway I managed a another good 6 miles when I came home before I collected Iseult from Grannies. The pace was somewhere in the region of 8.10 per mile so very happy to get 3 runs (limited as they were) in consecutive days. The last run of the week was today. I aimed to run a cutback long run at marathon pace at 8.30 per mile. A couple of years ago this pace would have been 7.30 but it is what it is so we will work with what I have.  I found it a struggle for the first 5 miles to manage 8.30 pace but I was comfortable for the last two miles coming in at 8.15 and 8.05 pace. The rest of the day was spent cutting the grass, making the diners and reading the hand wringing rubbish about the Irish rugby team.

By the way you may noticed ( who reads this - no one) I mentioned marathon pace. I am in the middle if thinking about the possibility of doing one but I have been in that place a lot over the last two years so best to take no notice.

Running log 13/10

2 runs over weekend. 6 MLS Saturday and 12 miles Sunday at 8.50 pace

running log 10/10

Very little last two weeks down to thefact that the running slots were taken up with other stuff. Last Tuesday week no running, Wednesday 6 miles and nothing else until 11 solo miles on Sunday (8.50 pace) around Charleville.

This week just a 5.5 miles 9.10 effort on Tuesday. Wednesday visit my sister in Watergrasshill and Thursday instead of leaving work at 2.10 and going for a run before collecting Iseult from Nana was replaced with a meet and greet with parents.

The days of me running after Aoiffe comes home from work are gone now. I like to spend time with Iseult and Aoiffe in the evening.

Iseult's birthday party on Saturday

Running log 29th September

A good week. Rest Monday. Tuesday 5 miles in Cork during a free class. I got a bit of a wetting at the end and having no showers in our school plus not having a proper towel was not a good idea. That said I was delighted to get the run done.Wednesday 6 miles back home after work on my fast route. 8.05 pace on average with a tough pull on the last mile. Thursday a hill run up in Mayfield Cork City. Another soaking on the last two miles. Some tough climbs. 8.30 pace overall. Nothing on Friday- too much on, in work until 7. Too tired to do anything on Saturday and besides I had to put the small one's new bed together (flatpack !!!!). Sunday drag my sorry self out of bed for a laboured 90 minute run. Probably covered 10 miles maybe more. I suspect 10.4 as the pace felt solid. No Garmin for that one either.

Monday 30th September. Hanging tired and fair grouchy. In work until 8 tonight so that means not home until after 9 pm. We will see what the rest of the week holds.

Connemara half marathon and Club 4 mile race

2 races this week. In fact my first 2 races of the year. The Connemara was run in atrocious weather conditions even by normal standards- wind, rain, cold and windy. I was glad I was doing the half and not the full or the ultra. I had planned to run it a relaxed steady pace and despite the first mile (uphill on the Devils Mother) taking 9.30 I settled into a steady 8.15 to 8.20 pace. As expected the tricky parts at mile 10 and 11 were always going to slow me down but I didn't falter and that pleased me . The last mile did go on for ever but  crossed the line in reasonable shape for a modest 1.51.30. Job well done and a good weekend meet up with my buddy Aidan McGee. He ran the full and was glad to get around. Later on reflection I actually enjoyed the weekend away doing the half. If you are doing Connemara you get more bang for your buck doing the full or the ultra but the whole thing gave me a source of internal satisfaction despite my time being slower than 2011 (1.44.37)

I rested on Monday (Easter holidays) and ran a 4.5 mile run on Tuesday afternoon at a relaxed effort.

Rest day Wednesday and a club 4 mile race on Thursday in Doneraile park. This would have been my first short race since August 2017 but it was about time I started to face up to proper racing again. This was a unusual event as it was hosted by Mallow Ac runners for Mallow Ac runners and considering it was free to club members it would have been a shame not to take part. The course is tough and while coming slightly shorter than 4 miles (3.93 miles) I was hopeful of coming in around 30 minutes. This was a challenging goal for me at the moment and considering the field of runners that were taking part I was content to do "my best". The first mile is a fast one (7.15) and I knew I was out of practice when I was struggling for breath at mile two. I pushed on past a good few runners but by mile 2.5 I was toasted. Denis, Steve and Neil zipped past me and Rachel was persistently un catchable. The last mile took us down the opposite of Garlic Hill and then a lung breaking run up the hill behind the Big House and a downhill run for the finish. I clocked in at 29.40 but when adjusted for 4 miles it was probably closer to 30 minutes. My splits for the mile 2 to mile 4 was around 7.30 to 7.35.

I sat down on the grass with the other club members having a good natter with the rest of the crew. My time wasn't very good but as a exercise in getting out there and getting racing again I was delighted. I really enjoyed myself this week and it felt nice to be racing. Hope fully the bug will start biting again. Progress will take time but maybe just maybe.......

P.s I ran a very stiff 10k around Charleville on Saturday.

a hour forward

It's the end of March so that means the clocks go forward and it marks brighter evenings and the beginning of summer sport in this country - GAA cycling soccer and road running.

I had a lot of early running starts this morning. Tuesday up at 6.30 am for a 4 mile easy jog. Wednesday at 6.20 am for a 6 mile run with a 3 mle tempo portion in the middle. The tempo wasn't very good  but that was to be expected but job done (7.23, 7.35 and 7.45). Thursday I was up at a ridiculous time of 6 am (parent teacher meeting that evening) for a 1 hour jog on my favoured cooleens route. It's a fast route but the early start didn't suit the legs too much but the run was solid enough - 7.3 miles/ 8.13 pace.

Friday and Saturday made running impossible as Aoiffe was away up in Dublin on a course so the long run was on Sunday. I still don't know where I am going with these but did 13.2 miles at a good solid pace - 8.25 with 1 hour 51 minutes on the clock. I spotted club colleague Paudie runnng 20 miles at a wicked 7.30 pace. Monday (today) was a 45 minute walk to stretch out the legs around 3 miles of so in the company of a work colleague.

Around 33 miles for the week.  I enjoyed the running week. I am running Connemara 13.1 in a few weeks. Looking forward to it. I will treat it as a meet up with a friend.

on it drags

I ran 7.5 miles at around 8 minute pace on the Thursday evening and it was pretty good. The breathing wasn't too bad but I was paying for it that night and most of Friday. The tightness in the chest wasn't too bad but i was pretty nackered by Friday. I knew realistically there was little point in resting another day and it was better to give the long run a shot and see how I got on. A case of Tokyo or bust. I decided to jog around Charleville in what is probably the  most boring long route in the history of long routes. I had planned to do a number of 6 mile loops and see could I make it up to 3 X 6 mile loops and throw in a few miles at the end.. If I had to pull the plug , at least i would only be a few miles from the house. The other advantage was that I was always in range of a water stop and there was number of hills to make it a bit testing.

Anyway Iwas feeling pretty good by mile 12 but at around 13.5 miles of two hours the legs began to buckle and the stiffness started to kick in. I stopped and stretched at mile 14 but by mile 15 the splits began to slip to over 9 minute despite the increasing effort. By mile 16 I had done enough. I was a mile from home and tried jogging it home but that proved beyond me. The sweat was running out of me (even more than normal) and I felt a bit ill. Lots of coughing and phlegm sort of thing.

I was paying the price for missing on long runs two weeks in a run and that's not something you can skip on. Chest infection or not you can't skimp on the basics of training. I have often completed marathons battling one thing or another.

I had given the training the best shot I had in me but for the 3rd time in a year I failed to get the to the start line. That is something I would have found unthinkable a number of years ago but it just isn't  there in me and no amount of rest, core work or self cajoling won't change anything until I get the head game right.

In contrast my friend Aidan ran 24 miles in training today. Now that is crazy (in a completely admirable way

I deferred to run the half marathon in Connemara instead.Let's see what happens.

Best of luck to all those involved in the Mallow 10 today.

I made a list of all the marathons I have entered but have failed to make.

Sixmilebridge 2014 (puled quad muscle, wrecked after Amsterdam 2014)

Galway Bay marathon 2016 (broken arm, twisted ankle)

Manchester 2018 (completely fed up with running post Dublin 2017, work and family issues)

Dublin marathon 2018 ( personal burn out and fed up with running)

Connemara 2019 ( appetite a lot better for running but skipped a number of long runs, chest infection)

Postscript - Dublin 2019 ( PF and ankle issues but I paid too much notice to the Physio. I should have listened to myself and got to the start line and have just completed it)

stop start and all that

the same old thing the last 18 months....no consistency....no long run on that Sunday...no chance of run on the Monday.....7.3 miles on the Tuesday....3 mile fun jog with the pupils on Wednesday and then headcold, stuffed right up...took no notice went for a 3 mile jog on Thursday....headcold got worse and that was me done for the rest of the week...plenty of Lemsip and paracetamol ......no running of any description.....cough kicked in on Patricks Day...attempted a 4 mile run on the Bank Holiday Monday....cough got worse...attempted another few miles on Wednesday morning and went to the doctor that evening for a course of antibiotics...so that's it really...3 weeks next Sunday to the marathon...will rest up for weekend and see where it stands...

going well up to a point.....

The week had gone very well. Tuesday I ran around 7.7 miles in a hour. Wednesday I did a "Mayfield" run covering around 7.5 miles in over a hour, around 8.17 pace and Thursday I covered 8 miles a hour. This was my best running in a long time and I followed it up with a 4 mile recovery run on Saturday. Everything should have been set up for a 21 mile long run on the Sunday. I had planned to meet up with Aidan up in Cork on Saturday but the journey down for Aidan from Portarlington was probably asking a bit much. I didn't fancy the journey down to Mallow as I knew a large number were racing in Newmarket later that day. That left me with the solo option in Charleville and to be honest I didn't fancy it.....

So there you are....

20 up

So yeah I was feeling like a bit of a crock by the end of the week. Sore knee, throbbing ankle and the PF on the right foot were all saying hello to me. Nevertheless after a trip to the physio (John O Sullivan, Mallow) I felt in great shape. The stiffness in my hips and the back was alleviated and it seemed to do the trick, Saturday morning i did a easy 6 miles and met up with Mallow members to run 20 miles on Sunday. I won't deny that the 20 mile run was hanging over me especially the night before and I was humming and hawing about weather to just stay local and solo instead. That would have been a bad idea as the Mallow long runs on Sunday always bring me on and the company is good too.

Fergal Murphy met up with me at 7.30 am a to do 6 miles out to the racecourse and back. He was good company and his youthful enthusiasm rubbed off on me. We then met up with the main group at 8.30 where I continued my adventure. They ran 13 miles along a testing route (plenty of hills). I was slow but was reluctant to take too many rest breaks. I was overtaken by the posse at mile 17 and my pace which was in the 8.30's dropped to a bit over 9 minute pace. The last 3 miles were a real mental struggle but I was damned if I was going to give in. I mightn't be fit at the moment but this was all about getting the miles up on the legs. At mile 18 I turned off towards the healthcare centre and I was glad to face down the last mile by the town park. I won't deny I was glad to see the Garmin beep at mile 20. I was on my feet for 2hr58mins, roughly 8.52 pace. Job done. The rest of the day was spent doing very little, watching the Irish rugby team huff and puff against Italy. Today was all about huff and puff for me too.

In terms of a body N.C.T I was ok enough , the knee was a bit sore but nothing too major. I guess I will know better when I get back out running during the week.

The mileage this week was 38 miles , very low compared to what I used to do but I am happy to play it careful for this cycle. Hopefully the weeks of 60 miles a week won't be too long in coming back this year.

Running in and running out

The last three weeks have gone ok enough. 3 mid week runs on average during the week, around 1 hour each, 7 to 7.5 miles each time and long runs of 13 miles, 18 miles and 10 miles retrospectively. Coming into March will mean long runs in the region of 20 - 22 miles or at least I hope so. These will have to be done on my own more likely so I hope it goes well.

This is where the focus has to be good. It was never a problem before so hopefully it won't be this time either.

P.S Issues with the left knee, ankle and PF are sufracing lately

spun out

Great intentions this week after a good solid week last week. Took the Monday off as per usual as there is no real opportunity to get a run in given work/ family/ creche collection obligations. I did my usual Tuesday morning run at 6.30 using (as usual)the stopwatch. I covered 7 mls in what I felt was a modest effort. The rest of the day went fine but by Wednesday evening after the snow cleared up I had nothing in the tank - I just came home and slept for a hour before I headed down to collect Iseult from the creche and that was pretty much the window closed. Thursday evening was a productive effort but the legs felt gammy for the first 3 miles before picking up the pace and running 7.5 miles at a comfortable 8 minute pace. I was happy with the workout and looked forward to a productive weekend.

Friday was a odd day. No chance of running given the usual work/ iseult collection cycle. Again on Saturday I had no interest in running in the morning (too cold.... too dark.... too soft) before heading up to Cork with the gang for a dinner up in the Montenotte hotel and meeting the lads for the rugby game in the Crawford. I was hanging coming home (tired not drunk) and I knew I was in trouble for the Dungarvan 10 on Sunday. Iseult was up again at 6.30 am (the pet) and my wife had other stuff on (work) and I frankly didn't have a ounce of energy mentally or physically for the drive down, a race and a drive back. I simply stayed at home and grabbed 40 winks when possible.

I was in my own words "spun out". I have had this before but looking back I should have done a few things differently in the week. I'm happily rested now but better care and attention required in particular with diet, rest and hydration. Too much running (pardon the pun) doing stuff during the week and in particular Saturday allied with a very poor sugar laden diet did the damage.

Hills all the way

Ran 17 mls today. 13 mls with 4 Mallow Ac clubmates and 4 mls on my own. Those 4 mls were tough remaining me of the time when you just have bit down hard and get on with it. I was happy to plod away at 8.50 pace covering 2hrs30minutes on my feet but I didn't have much more to offer either. I did 7 mls on Tuesday and nothing until Friday having to attend Aoiffe's granny's funeral (96 years some age). I ran 7 on Friday and Saturday. The week before was a good solid week - 15.5 ml long run in the company of the Mallow Grouch at 9 minute pace with a couple of 10ks on Tueday and Wednesday and a longer tempo of 8 miles around the town on Thursday. That was a good run - 7.40 average but some miles were well under 7.25, the start was slow. Sunday was a 10 mile run- easy as she goes

Oh yeah I am running Connemara after all. The flights for Manchester were rip off central - 400 quid return. So it's Hills, Hills, Hills all the way

Better ( but lets be cautious)

Too lazy to write much

but in summary

Monday 5 miles

Tuesday 7 miles at 8.20 pace. Rough marathon pace type run

Thursday 7 miles with 30 minute tempo at roughly 7.30 pace

Saturday 5 miles recovery run at 9.15 pace

Sunday rare long run with Mallow. Ran with 9 minute group. Did 13 miles with them and a 2 mile sufferfest on my own.

Total mileage 39 miles.

Better, Good mileage. Tempo run. Long run. Recovery run. Marathon pace run. Better (but lets be cautious)