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