Back to the Mill.

There's been a lull.  For nine days now I've done nothing.  Nada.  Haven't run a mile, or cycled or even played hopscotch outside the parish hall (not that I ever did that).  And why?  Have I been injured?   - No.  

Busy at work?  - No more than usual.  

Bad weather?   - Well, we live in Ireland... 

Any excuse then?  Not a one.  

But, there you go... it happened and I'm now over the lull, following a three mile threadmill run.  No more negative ninny - there's a lot of training to do between now and my Waterford Half Marathon on December 10th.  Let's get to it...

The Con Job and I Beat the Elements.

What a difference a day makes - this glorious pic was taken only yesterday, down at Trá na Reilige.  

Day off, and run due.  Conor and I were committed to running Seanadh Phéistín and it would be the first time for us to run together for many, many months.  However, I awoke this morning to the worst weather we've had in this country for a long time (which really, really says a lot!).  Lashing rain and fierce gale made me think that today's run would not materialise... but then I remembered the commitment had been made by Conor - a man who would run in an earthquake!  So we met at the cross at 12.30pm and with my trusty windsheeter I set off with the Con Man.  The first mile of Seanadh Phéistín is a long and slow incline and much to our great pleasure the wind was at our backs!  We were pushed up the hill, with minimum effort being expended!  There were points on that section of road where I swear my feet didn't even touch the ground (slight, ever so slight, exaggeration).  I had hoped to tick 6 miles today but we had to decide to turn at the 2.5 mark, as the rain became too much to bare and our run was entering the realms of pure lunacy!  After the turn there's another, sharper, incline - this time with no gale to assist.  As luck would rarely have it though the wind and rain definitely seemed to die down on the way back and we decided to push the pace a bit from the two mile mark.  Conor's garmin made for decent reading at the end of our run - mile 4 was clocked at 7.12pace, while our last mile was run at 6.40m/pace.  Shockingly quick for me!  All in all -nothing beats a run against the elements and thanks to the Con Job for making it happen...

Slight Slippage but Keeping it Going..

Not a great week - especially when taken in the context of the past few weeks when I was well and truly motoring in training.  This Tuesday I did some interval training, but couldn't manage the required amount from my Furman schedule.  I had to pass on the tempo run on Thursday and didn't do my full long run today.  The body just needed a pair back I reckon - a recharge of batteries and some muscular rebuild (that's my story anyway and I'm sticking with it!).  Hopefully next week will be a bit better - I have Monday off and am hoping to do a 13miler.  Meanwhile, I have nothing to practice as regards my showboating style finishes to races - as the pic below shows!

Kevin and I finish the Conamara 10k last week - image from TríSpórt's facebook site...

Run a Month Boys do the Conamara 10k!

It's been a week since my last entry, but far from being a neglectful runner, I've actually had a good week's training.  It consisted of : intervals on Monday, tempo run on Wednesday and then the long weekend run.  This weekend saw my own club's big event - the Conamara 10k - held in Carna, give myself and Kevin (the Run a Month Club!) an opportunity to click our 10th month.  The day was a bit drizzly and dark to start off with, but by the time the race got underway it turned, well, just a little less drizzly and dark!  Kevin and I started and finished together, again, and this time we finished just a few seconds outside the 53min mark!  The course was very scenic - starting off outside of the Connemara Bay Hotel in Carna and then winding it's way around the outskirts of this gorgeous village.  There were hills - but they also went downward!  Full credit to the lads in the club who organised this event - including the oft mentioned Big Ron! - it was a really fun day out and well geared for families.  We were all thrilled to hear some advice from the great Caitriona McKiernan (former Cross Country Champion) after the race.  The other great thing about a local race is that friends are met that are rarely seen these days (due to mundane adult responsibilities).  One such friend was Aideen, who finished the race in 47mins and is in flying form.  

On another, unconnected matter:  our poor rugby lads lost this morning to Wales in the world cup... pity for them.  They should, however, hold their heads high for one particular reason:  they just may have fostered a new habit in Irish people, that of getting up at 5.30am - now this could lead to a healthy and productive economy???!

12 Miles on the Old Ardee Road.

I was in the Wee County this weekend and decided that a good long run with a wholesale change of scenery with be just the thing for me.  I'm now following the Furman First Half Marathon Training Programme, and have dipped straight in to week 11 of 18.  My aim is to set a PB for the Waterford Half Marathon on December 10th, to finish off my 'Run-a-Month' project on a high.  This sounds more difficult that it is - my old PB is just 1.56mins, and was set back in the days when I used to have beer for breakfast (slight joke).  I had company for some of my weekend run - Benny came three miles with me, and ended up doing a very creditable six himself.  The old Ardee road is a very pleasant run - not much traffic and enough ups and downs to keep a body on it's toes.  I felt great throughout and kept a very steady pace of about 8.40mins.  Of course it rained, and rained, and rained... but that mattered not a hoot while I was out in it.  The good thing is that I'm hitting a wee bit of form at last - and what better place to start hitting a wee bit of form than up in the wee county!

One of Three Great Routes.

Dinner party to organise for 8pm, work to finish at 5.15pm, an hour's commute and shopping to consider - would I be cutting it fine if I did my 5 mile tempo straight after work?  Well, that's what I did, and finely I did cut it!  My route was the Salthill prom - out to Mutton Island, around South Park and back down towards the prom, and my training schedule called for a 'mid-tempo' pace.  I'm not quite sure what a mid tempo pace means, but I took it to be 'quick enough', so I ran at a level above the norm.  There were times during this run when I thought I was going to konk out, but I kept going and discovered a second, third and even a fourth 'wind'.  I'm blessed with great training routes:  Seanadh Phéistín, An Cheathrú Rua, and Salthill... each has it's own merit, but the one factor in common to all is wonderful scenery.  The Salthill route is probably the easiest of the three in terms of being flat as a pancake, but this allows me to concentrate on building a little speed.  The 'prom' is an old walkway that hugs Galway Bay and is used by thousands of walkers every day - so the scenery, both human and natural, is always interesting.  I even managed to finish this particular run with a spring in the aul step.  And believe me, I needed the spring in the step to prepare for a dinner party with very little time to spare!  By the time I got home my wife and I went straight to peeling spuds, carrots, parsnips - sticking them all in the oven with some chicken, rushed a shower, got dressed, quick kitchen clean and hey presto, guests arrive (never knowing the panic of the preceeding 30mins!). 

Full of Beans After Last Night's Repeats.

I sprung out of bed this morning at 6am .  Surprisingly I was full of energy, something I didn't expect following yesterday evening's interval training session.  What was required of me was 6 by 800m repeats at 3/4 pace, with the obligatory warm up and down.  This was my first session of interval training since early August, so I didn't know how I'd react.  After the second 800m set I nearly collapsed, put my hands on my knees, gasped for air as my chest contracted, and thought I would drop dead there and then on the football pitches of South Park!  And what a place to cork it -  with the sun shining on Galway Bay, boys playing hurling, women out walking and jogging and life whizzing all around me... and there, in the middle of it all, am I - having a collapse!  I recovered enough to run the third set of 800s at a slightly (ok, significantly) slower pace.  And then the fourth set, fifth set and finally sixth set of 800s - hey presto, job done!   A hell of a tough workout.  And the effect of it all:  I sprung out of bed at 6am this morning, went for a walk, cleaned the kitchend and am full of beans and ready for work!