Photo Donadea 50k 2022 - DNF with COVID

 I don't really take a good photo at the best of times but the below one says it all. I think I was 9 miles into the race (3laps out of 10laps) and I was feeling pretty crappy. Snot running down the nose and weak legs. Chest was starting to heave as well. Finished up at 15.5 miles. Hacked up the phlegm. Drove home. Positive antigen test the day after. Positive PCR test the day after that. Felt pretty mank and tired all the week. A bit like a flu. Informed all close contacts, employer and race organiser. Felt a lot better on the Saturday after. Self isolation finished on Monday 21st. Blank antigen test. (Why I couldn't have got the VID a week later?) Went for a jog today. 4 miles. Slow pace (9.11 per mile) but the HR wasn't so unreasonable as to be considered crazy (154). Ankle sore mind you. Donadea hurt me but 950 euro raised for Women's Aid. Time to pick myself up.

Donadea 50k 2022 - DNF and the COVID kick

 A bad week ended with a bad run. COVID household in chez Daly/Lowe. Iseult and Aoiffe got caught with the virus. I had 3 antigen tests tested negative but feeling brutal Saturday morning at 1 am. I took a few paracetamol and hoped for the best. I also tested negative on another antigen test at 3am. I  was up at 5.30 am with Iseult waking up at various stages during the night. Left the house at 6 am. My routine was totally out of whack. Had hoped to be staying in my friends house the night before but obviously that wasn't on.The start of the race I was not feeling good at all. Pain in the head and totally drained. By lap 4 my time was ok but I knew I wasn't happy and I was totally zoned out of it. I wasn't enjoying this at all, in fact I found it to be quite BORING - a feeling I never experienced before. The legs were like jelly. I was done going up the muddy hill a 5th time and resolved to call it a day. I was empty.

I got back to the car and starting up yellow phlegm. Pure shit state of affairs. I felt little pity for myself. It was one of those things and all things being equal I know I might have got under 5 hours or at least 5hrs10mins. At least I raised nearly 900 euro for Womens Aid so thanks for all those who gave generously. I felt bad letting people down and that does bug me.

As for Donadea I am gutted. I was 90 % sure I would get a sub 5, all my raining pointed to it. For 70 quid I do feel you could get a bit more bang for your buck but thems the joys. There is too much cult worship around the race organiser for my liking. Mallow 10, Ballycotton (now gone), Charleville 13.1, Connemara marathons are better events but don't go blowing its trumpet as much as this event.There is certainly no cult of the RD anyway. Its probably its selling point but doesn't work for me. 

Feet up time and await the results of another antigen test tomorrow. The training had gone well but the real life intrusions did for me. You can't run with a virus inside you. Those anti vaxxer nuts talk their little brains and their big holes. A few of them were in the leading race group today. Knobs.

P.S 

Just tested positive. Guess that explains it. All information passed onto relevant authorities and race organiser.

over the humph - 1 weekto go

 Too lazy to write regular posts these days.

Last week i decided to enter the MCI marathon in Bracknagh with my buddy Aidan. This was a response to the poor 18 miler the Sunday previous. The week leading up to Bracknagh was very solid, a couple of 5 milers during the week. Monday during my lunch break and a pacy 5 miler (7.37pace) on the Wednesday in Charleville. I headed to Offaly the Friday evening staying with Aidan and his family.

This was my first MCI run and it was verywell organised. The plan was to run over 4 hours (my frst time ever) and to treat it as a training run.  The route was flatish enough - 5 laps X 5.25 miles. I ran very slowly with the regulars for the first two laps. (Big shout out to Irene, a mighty lady and a 100 mile runner in Connemara). I started to push on a little bit but felt very relaxed.No gels this time either, just a banana for the first 3 laps, some water and lucozade. The first 13.1 miles passed in 2hrs03mins and the first 20 miles went in around 3hrs04. By lap 4 I was feeling fine reaching 21 miles. By mile 22 the inevitable heavy legs kicked in but I was well able to manage it. I passed a number of runners all in varying states but by mile 23 - mile 25 the pace had dropped to under 10 minute miles and the humpback bridge before the finish had me walking for 45 seconds.  Mind you I wasn't worried. It was a training run after all and I didn't want to be pushing for a time. I crossed in around 4hrs4minutes but kept jogging for another 5minutes after that giving me 4hrs10mins on the feet and around 27 miles on the legs. Job done. I was delighted. It was my first marathon since 2017 and my 15th overall so box ticked.

Aidan strolled in at 3hrs 55 minutes and was very relaxed. He is in great shape.

Next day in Charleville I tacked another 5 miles up on the legs giving me 42 miles for the week.

With 2 weeks to go to Donadea all the work was done and I did very little all week. A easy 5 miles on Wednesday and Saturday and nothing on Sunday. I hope this works out ok for me, I had very heavy legs going into 2 years ago . Saturday night I was out for a rare dinner with my wife (no daughter in tow) so we made the most of it. Full tummy today. 

The legs hopefully need very little work this week. Maybe a couple of easy turnover jogs. Then up to Donadea on Saturday. 

In terms of shape I am as good as I can expect. The long runs while not always easy and not without their problems are okish . 19 miles, 23 miles, 24 miles, 18 miles and 27 miles. The mid week stuff was okish, mostly 3 runs a week but not always 100% consistent either in terms of frequency. The training cycle is slightly better than the attempt of 2020 but it could go either way on the day. The consistency of old (running 5-6 days day in day outbang on)isn't quite there at the moment.

The left ankle is still a issue but I hope I have done enough to keep it quiet. Possible outcome? I intend to finish, raise money for Women's Aid. In terms of finishing time I think sub 5 hours is unlikely but maybe 5hrs15mins to 5hrs20mins might be more likely?I am going to enjoy it and ignore the nonsense.

After that rest and recovery and train for the Cork marathon (again just finish) and hopefully hook up with the running club again. I turned down the offer of a spot for Connemara marathon/ultra and the Wild Atlantic Ultra. I am a ways off that but maybe next year (who knows- anything happens and usually does). Weight wise I have moved away from 14 stone and is now somewhere in the regionof 13stone 7pounds. I was careful with a few thingswith the diet. That will most definitely slip for a few weeks after Donadea tho !!!!