end of year post

 New Years Eve. According to Strava I logged over 1200 miles. Mostly all running but some walking in there too. The last 4 weeks have seen no running occur as my ankle finally gave up during the Clonakilty Marathon at the end of November. I don't like writing too much about it but the bottom line is that I pulled out at 19 miles or 18.5 miles. I'm not actually sure as the garmin had died and there was no mile markers anywhere on the route. It was impossible to put any weight on it and I was reduced to walking with a limp. The problem dates back to a old fall in 2016 but I had rolled it a couple of times in September. After most long runs when I was training for DCM it was very uncomfortable and I would be walking for a limp for the day afterwards. At mile 20 in DCM it proved to be a issue but it become a real problem during Clon hence the DNF (my third since 2020 ). I couldn't have walked or jogged the last 7 - 8 miles in a way I used to be able do before  Very disappointing and bitterly so. 

I went to physio a week later and he diagnosed a ankle sprain and issue with the Achilles and calf muscle. In layman's terms it's knackered from over use. I have been doing my prescribed exercises reasonably regularly.

I have done 7 days of walking and running these last week but beyond that the enthusiasm or interest in running isn't great. I am enjoying the Christmas break and like in 2013, 2018 and 2019 the running thing is not doing a lot for me. I am sure that will change but best not to force it.Eating wise I am doing all the bad things very well. On the scales yesterday I was 94.1 kg, around 2kg heavier than this time last year. For DCM I was 87kg.

I have entered DCM 2024 so that will be in the back of my head. In terms of 2023 I did complete one marathon and a few half marathons plus 3 ten mile races and 3 four mile races but injuries and illness had proved disruptive. I'll play the waiting game and let the mind and body recover in it's own time.

Dublin Marathon 2023 - 4hrs15mins-12 months is a bloody long time away...

 When I got back into Charleville last night after the marathon I was delighted to see Aoiffe and Iseult. Fire on, dinner on the table, cup of tea and a bun afterwards and of course a big hug from Iseult. I settled into my arm chair spending the night on my phone texting my buddy Aidan, receiving some nice congratulatory texts from family, friends and work colleagues. It was when I saw how other runners (known to me) got on that's when the disappointment kicked in.The next morning after a somewhat expected unsettled sleep (always the case after a marathon) the first thought was ...I left it behind me and 12 months is a bloody long time away.

I had 3 goals going into this one 1) Get to the start line 2) Get to the finish line 3) Get a good dinner in afterwards. I achieved all 3 (Junction 17 is a great spot for a dinner) but I also had a time goal in mind, get under 4 hours or at the very worst get a improvement on last year's 4hrs16mins.

At least I got that if only by a minute. The split up to mile 18 were very solid. I was maintaining a 9 minute per mile average allowing for the fact that the garmin and the miles on the course were out of sync by 15 - 20 seconds. I was determined to get to 20 miles and I was dong ok in that regard but I was feeling the strain at that point. Coming into Dundrum I broke on the hill and walked to mile 20. Even though I have run the DCM 6 times I never actually noticed that there was a hill there before or at least never took much notice of it. For me that was a sure sign I was finding this running lark a lot harder than before (and a note to my training in the future). 3 hours on the clock

The heavens opened up at this point for the third time and it cascaded down. I pretty much walked from mile 20 to mile 22 and at one stage I was not feeling all that well-a bit faint actually. I was gasping for water but there was no stations nearby and I simply picked a half empty bottle off the ground and drank that. I did the same at mile 21.

When I got to Roebuck Road (heartbreak hill) the rain became a torrential downpour and the spirits sank to a low. 3hrs 27 minutes up on the clock and it looked as if I was going to be out on the course for well over 4.5 hours. I jogged gently up the hill and down the other side and to my surprise I kept jogging after that.. While the pace was a 10min - 10mn20sec shuffle pace it was still better than walking.

On I trundled to mile 23, mile 24 and mile 25. The chest was getting very sore and the ankle was screaming at me to stop and walk. I did that for a minute or so and then jogged onto the last 800 metres on Mount Street. To be fair the crowds were great and jogging besides other runners all of us trying to get to the finish line was a amazing feeling. We might have been the slow bunch but we were all in it together doing our own thing. I crossed the line in 4hr15mins04seconds. I was absolutely shattered.

I could hardly make it to the funnel to get my medal and T shirt. The walk to collect the dropoff bag was even more exhausting. I must have been in a bad way as a medic asked if I needed assistance but I waved him away and met up with my buddy Aidan. He did well coming in at 3hr49mins but was probably unlucky not to come in under 3hrs45mins.

A note to the organizers in future - the crush on the way out needs to be avoided. It was hairy enough at times.

As usual it was great chatting to Aidan, his wife Emer and the rest of his family. Then it was time for a big feed in Junction 17 and the drive back to Cork from Portarlington. 

In the week since I have spent a lot of time sleeping and resting. I have run a lot of good marathons, bad marathons and a few ultras but I was seriously shattered after this one. The ankle is less sore now but I am sleeping a lot more than I expected.

In terms of what I am going to do in the future and what to improve on ...that's for another day.

Joe Jogger Joe Blogger

 Last week of the taper in front of me. Race day is next Sunday 29th October. Training has gone ok enough but load of areas for improvement, improvements I may never take on board.

1) I had hoped to get 3 x 20 mile runs completed. In the end I settled for 2 x 22 mls

2) I had hoped to get a good few long runs completed in Cork. In the end a 18 miler with Aidan on the 2nd of September.

3) I had notions of doing speedwork once a week mile repeats and tempos. Never really happened.

4) I had hoped to get 50 miles up on the legs in September. The most was 43 miles.

5) I had hoped to get under 1hr40mins in the Charleville half. In the end I settled for a 1hr52mins.

6) I had hoped to drop the weight to under 85kg but it has remained at 87kg.

7) Rejoin a running club. Never happened.

I have  run as well as I could under the present circumstances. Weekend long runs have always occurred. I l also have generally got 3- 4 times a week. HR has also remained steady. I am a lot more comfortable getting a baseline training of 30 miles a week up on my legs. Injury wise not too bad but the ankle is still niggly. The gammy hammy/quad thing is still there on faster runs.

One week to go. Lets enjoy this one.

the last week to make a good impression

 The last week of the training cycle before the taper kicks in.....time to squeeze in that mileage....I did ok enough but not as good as last year....3 miles recovery Monday morning. I had no work that day so that was great. Spent the rest of the day cleaning, hoovering, moping and powerwashing. Tuesday was a work from home in service but it gave me a hour off to pop out for a run. Good run too 7 miles at 7.57 pace.

Wednesday was a opportunity to run up in Mayfield after work (another half day) on the old hilly route. I covered around 7 miles at 8.25 pace but it felt, well, cleansing.

Thursday no chance of a run in work and I had so much to do when I come home the whole workout slipped away.  I had run 4 days in a row and was glad to get the rest. Friday I opted for a easy 3 miler to loosen the legs.(another half day)

Saturday - the day of 3 big things - Iseult's 7th birthday party, Ire V Scotland in the Rugby World Cup and lastly and most importantly a 22 mile run in Charleville. 

The run was hanging over me all week and their was moments at mile 7 and 13 mile I was feeling the strain.  However on a positive note I did plough through. By mile 20 I was on the last legs but battled through for the last 2 miles. The same boring route but solid overall pace 8.58 to 9min pace and good HR 145. Delighted to have got it done. My second 22 mile run of the cycle. Not sure where I stand for Dublin Ithough. 42 miles for the week. Birthday party was great as was the match.

My buddy Aidan ran 23 miles. His 4th 20 plus run of his cycle. Two will do me. It will have to.

On the road (hopefully) with Iron Man

 A good running week to cap off a pretty brutal working week. Least said about the working week issue but dealing with pillocks of different types had affected the long run the week before on the Sunday. I had hoped to get a 20 mile in but the work related stressors had taken its toll as I couldn't tune correctly into the effort. I tried one visualization and concentration aid after another but no luck. The legs or the mind gave in after 17 miles and I simply walked home the last 3 miles. 

I resolved this week to focus completely on the running and to not allow intrusive thoughts into the head. This did the trick and I ran 7 miles on Tuesday,Wednesday and 7.4 on Thursday. In work we had a sports day on the Friday and I didn't do any more rigorous than the egg and spoon race. I excused myself a hour early as the tummy wasn't feeling great and I feared the worse that night. HR was elevated too around 90 beats instead of the usual 70 beats. Queasy.

Nevertheless on the Saturday morning I felt and went on my run. It was the usual route but despite one enforced pit stop in the railway road I was feeling very relaxed. Again I substituted negative thoughts for a positive one (and for some weird reason kept singing Iron Man in my head). My pace was very solid and  after 20 miles I kept chugging away for another 2 miles. The garmin died at 16.2 miles but I knew the route well enough to pretty much guess the distance left. It was my best long run since the 18 miler I did with Aidan on the 2nd of September. The 13.1 race in Charleville on the 10th September was solid affected by the high humidity.

The rest of the day was great. 22 miles in the bag, 43 for the week, up to my Mum's for a social chat, nice dinner in the evening and wins by Everton in the football and Ireland in the rugby.

I was proud to wear my running top given to me by 6th years last May. It's good to remember the positive stuff - that's what matters.

35 days to the Dublin City marathon. 

Post holiday

 It was fair hot in Las Palmas Gran Canaria. I managed to get 14 miles in on the Monday before we left but plans too do a bit of running over there just didn't happen. Too hot (35 degrees), too hilly (the apartment was outside the main centre on a series of hills) and I was enjoying my holiday too much (beers and good food every night). By the end of the week I gathered enough gumption to do a 4 mile run Sunday and the Monday. The hills , the heat and the food made movement rather slow but I got the job done. Wednesday back in blighty I managed 5.5 miles, Thursday 5 miles and Friday 5 miles in Dublin. On Sunday I ran 16 miles in the usual Charleville route but the tank was empty at mile 10. Nevertheless I was happy in that I kept tipping away and didn't fall too far over the 9 minute pace. Total run was complete in 2hrs23mins. Around 8.53 pace. That night I popped up to Cork to see Peter Hook and his band play. A good set it was too around 29 songs. Standing 3 hours for that. 35 miles for the week.

Monday 21st very easy recovery walk jog. Around 3 miles at 12 minute pace. Tuesday 5.2 miles at 9.05 pace on Treadmill. Hopefully a few more runs at the end of the week. Back to work on Thursday.

August note. The flu before we fly.

 My last post was all very triumphal and then as is the way of these things ...... bang!!!! Well more of a sound of a squeaky balloon with the air being slowly driven out of it. A kind of a farty , squeaky sound.

I had a 3 mile recovery jog on Monday last fully intending to rack up a good mileage week up to the Sunday.

Anyway it never happened. I felt quite ill on the Tuesday morning, the kind of feeling where your body feels it skin wants to peel away from it bones and your head is undergoing some sort of trepanning process. Essentially a type of flu virus. I get this every year and have done for years. Feels like a type of flu - achey bones, sweats, nausea and all that. It usually coincides when I start upping the intensity of mileage for marathon training. It was never a issue when I was only up to 35 miles as that was quite easy in the past but not so the last 5 years . For example when I got food poisoning in Malaga in 2015 I was still able to knock out 45 mile weeks despite being ill for 3 weeks after it. (It's amazing when you never realize in the moment how fit you once were)

Anyway nothing for it but keep to the bed and to the back of the living room when the family are around. 

It meant no running this week so that was another hopeful training week gone to pieces.

Sunday I felt a bit better and ran a easy slow 5 miles at 10 minute pace (HR 127). The rest of the day I was still feeling crappy but at dinner time I had a massive craving for salad, peppers, steak and beetroot!!! It seemed to do the trick and I slept well. The tummy was a lot healthy the bank holiday Monday too.

I decided to head out for a slow 1 hour jog but my mile 4 I was feeling a lot better and kept going until mile 14 and 2hrs05mins later. (HR 152 - high) Had I brought a gel or two I might have kept going up to 16 miles but i was still mindful that I was a wee bit virus ridden. The HR was high enough. Even at 14 miles I am still in a solid position with 12 weeks to DCM.

The rest of the day I felt fine packing for the holiday abroad our first in 8 years. I obviously will be bringing the running stuff but now that I got some sort of log run done the mindset is more optimistic with a few to the next 4 weeks.

Running week

 Monday 31st July 3 miles recovery

Tuesday 6th August 5 miles at 9.53 minute pace . HR 127

 Monday 7th August 14 miles at 8.56 pace. 2hrs05mins. HR 151