Running log 5thJanuary 2020

Last Wednesday 5.5 MLS. Last Friday 6 MLS and Sunday 6 MLS. That marked 40 miles for the week, the first time I have probably managed it during this training cycle. Wednesday (2020) 4 mls. Thursday no run or Friday minding the little one all day while Aoiffe goes back to work. I ran 7.5 miles on Saturday morning feeling a bit chesty while out there but a nice hack up of phelgm after 3.5 miles did the trick. It was the kind of hack up that had a fair bit of substance to it. Quite satisfying. I had considered heading to Blackrock in Cork city running the MCI marathon out there but I don't really have the confidence in my fitness to attempt it. I did something similar when I was training for the Connemara ultra in 2015 but the fitness and hunger was way off the scale back then.

I ran the long run today. The plan was to 3 X 8 mls around Charleville. Namely down from my house and up Love Lane, in and at out of Manor Hill (our old estate) and in and out of Broomscourt and back up and down Love Lane ( long drag) and then down to the Railway Road and back home via town. Time for a slug of water and then do it all again. I had hoped to spend around 3hrs 45 - 50 mins on the feet, 9.15 pace, slow but steady. I was up and out the door by 6.30 am. I was doing ok by 16 miles with one of two little stops but the pace was beginning to drag by mile 13, the legs draining a bit. Maybe it was the blood donation, the headcold, the early start or nothing at all but I was dreading the third loop at mile 16. I decided to run out Smiths Rd and back again and a couple of loops around the town park but it was all getting pretty horrible. Mile 20 passed in a very slow time of 3hrs09mins. Normally I would expect to be comfortable under 3 hours but not today. I was reduced to a jog, a hobble and eventually stopping at 21 miles and 3hrs24mins on the clock.

I tried to be philosophical about it. Bad runs can happen to anybody but this was very poor.  The cut off for Donedea is 5 hours a time with any bit of decent training should be very manageable. I ran 31 miles in 4hrs 38mins back in 2015, a time I was disappointed with at the time. These days I know my training cycle is very limited so I looking for somewhere around 4hrs50 minutes. Essentially I need to be around 4hours with 26 miles under my belt and feeling reasonably comfortable.