September update

 I'm overdue a blog update. Sitting here on a Friday evening at 6.30 pm in supervised study with 3 students and glorious Autumnal sunshine outside. I'm clocking off at 7 pm and should be home by 8.15 pm looking forward to getting home to see my gang. I probably haven't updated in a while probably becuase I was pre occupied getting into a new school / COVID era routine. Seeing all the pupils especially the 1st year's wearing face masks proved a bit disconcerting at first but the new normal has become  (somewhat) normal).

I had resolved last month to get training for the Mallow Ac virtual marathon on October 25th and training is going reasonably well. I say reasonably in the context of how my running form has declined in the last 3 years. Ideally in the period 2010 to 2017 not withstanding injury I would be hitting 50 - 60 miles a week clocking up some handy PB's on the way and well on my way with the high mileage long runs. These days things are different but hopefully I am learning to live with it. Last week was my higest mileage in a single week - 43 miles.

This consisted of 5 miles Monday, 6.5 miles at 7.50 pace on Tuesday, 6 miles up in Mayfield on Wednesday (first run up there since March - had to walk twice) with a 24/26 minute split. I was a beaten docket on Thursday. I ran 7 miles on Saturday with 18 miles on Sunday on the Charleville-Churchtown road. The long run was going ok-ish enough but the legs cramped up at mile 18.07 and I had to walk the remaining 3 miles home. That is something which rarely happened before but is now a feature of the last 3 years. Also true to form I picked up a headcold (from Iseult and running) on Tuesday which has ruled me ut of any running since then. I'm a lot better now.

Accordingly consistency has still become a issue but unlike the last 2 years (2018 and 2019) the resolve to get to the starting line is a lot better. I have 5 weeks to get to the starting line and while a sub 4 hour marathon may be looking unlikely I hope to get a couple of 20 milers done yet even if it won't be pretty.

On the positive note the calorie counting is paying off combined with the running and 3 mile walk to and from the car every day. The kilo's have dropped from a 91.5 kg to a morning standing weight of 87.5 kg. That feels a lot better. It involves a fairly disciplined healthy eating regime and with the running (the good weather helps) I should be hopeful of further drop over the next 5 weeks.

So anyway one week at a time. I would be delighted to get back into the 40 mile range.