down the line

To be fair in the last few weeks  the long runs were going reasonably well  - 11 mls with Mallow, 12 mls solo, 13 miles with Mallow last week. Nevertheless heading down to Mallow yesterday morning I felt I probably might have benefited from a shorter run this time rather than a 14 mile effort. During the week I ran a 5 mile easy effort on Tuesday and a faster 6 mile effort on Wednesday (7.57 pace) but managed nothing on Thursday. I was very tired and quite cranky with it all the week. It was obvious to me I was on the tired side of things and needed to pull back for the week. I took a rest day Friday as we had to head down to the garage to get the car sorted. That meant my next run was  a  Saturday. Again it was good 6 mile run (8.10 pace). By Saturday evening I was feeling tired again and I knew fully well it was better to opt for a  shorter Sunday long run. I met up with the usual gang on Sunday morning and I was doing pretty well after 7 miles but as soon as I hit the Caherduggan hill the energy drained out of me. I struggled on for another 3 miles before leaving the group off at 10 miles and I walked in by myself for the last 3 miles. I knew after 8 miles the problem was not helped by the fact that I was dehydrated. A sip of water would have sorted me out and I would have made the last 4 miles so a lesson learned there.

Anyway this week is a busy one on a number of fronts. Aoiffe is back in the office this week so it will mean a earlier start for me if I want to get the running in. I am also popping down to Killarney for a few nights for a spot of hill walking and then at the weekend I am undertaking a bit of  outside maintenance work on the house. It shouldn't stop me from getting the long run in. My focus will be completing the virtual marathon organised by the club in October.

two long runs in a week

I can't remember too much about the weekend before last running wise but I didn't do a long run last Sunday as we had to attend my sister's 40th lunch up in her house around 40 miles away. I took the easier option of postponing the long  run until Monday morning running 12 miles at 8.46 pace. It felt fine.I ran 4 miles on Tuesday and 10 km on Wednesday resting Thursday and another 6 miles on Friday with 4.5 miles on Saturday. I ran with Mallow Ac on Sunday (today) in glorious sunshine. We ran 13 miles including a tough 2 mile climb up to Dromahane. I thought at one stage I was going to heave up - it was that tough. The miles from 7 to 10 were downhill and while I struggled at the end , doing a lap of the park to make up the 13 miles I was very happy with the effort. The splits and over all pace was solid enough - 8.37 per mile. I wouldn't have managed it on my own that's for sure.

Anyway I entered the virtual Dublin marathon and Mallow are organizing a lowkey marathon on the scheduled day on the 26th October. It's a great idea and gives me massive incentive.

I'm delighted.

45.7 miles give or take but that figure is inflated by the 12 run on Monday.

(re) born on the 4th of July - Mallow long run

....went for a long run with Mallow Ac for the first time since April 2019. I was a active member of the club from 2012 to 2016 but was less involved in the club in 2017 with only sporadic runs with the club since then. I don't know how I will get on in the future but I really enjoyed my 11 mile run with the club on Sunday in the company of Kevin and John. Both guys are in their 60's and 70's but I am in total admiration of their fitness and dedication to running. Very fit guys and very good company.

I went for a run on Saturday , 5 miles and this filled me with a lot of confidence before the Mallow run on Sunday.

A good running week for me. Sluggish starting off but ended well. I was tired all day Sunday (but in a good way) and took Monday off. I'm nearly finished a course I am doing. It was/is going ok until the inevitable falling out in the group project. Lesson to be learned : Teachers can't do teamwork  but this crowd I was working with are a right bunch of shits.

Rant over - happier now!!!

in july

Pretty wet month so far...only running 25 miles a week since last month. The last week very little indeed. I was (sorry to say) floored after donating a pint of blood for the week and took a week off running. I went back two days ago and was struggling to even run 4 slow miles the last two days. I am considering running with Mallow on Sunday but i think even a hour never mind 10 miles could be beyond me. I hope this trough ends soon as I do have a running ambition I wouldn't mind fulfilling in September.