Ok, what's next?

aquinn

Murph_D wrote: »

Lots of bladder talk here. Are you drinking a lot of water before going out?

I would guess at the 5km as we were out the night before I had a dialorite on the morning of and possibly a berocca for fear of dehydration. Other concerns normally arise the morning of running so it isn't as if I wouldn't have visited the loo about 10 times. Maybe just the shock of a harder effort.

At the 10km as I wasn't out the night before I would have been well hydrated and didn't have a dialorite on the morning of. By the time 8km arrived I was fit to burst. I even did my ususal pee in a ditch before the race so really don't know. Maybe I drank too much coconut water the day before.

aquinn

Update April 15-21

I was left disappointed after the GIR but in hindsight I really shouldn't be. It was a better result to my previous 10km back in July for the South Dublin 10 km and I hadn't done any specific training for it.

Monday - rest day. I didn't even seem to do a cycle.

Tuesday - Not the club. Myself and P went out for an easy run. I did 4.71 miles @ 9:18 with HR of 146.

Evening Run. 2 miles with P but 6 too much for me this evening.
Yeah, yeah. I'm unproductive.
One soreish left calf but mostly ok. Motivation more lacking. Run and evening ok, except for the usual of being unable to keep heart rate easy. Strava appreciated the effort at least.

Wednesday - over and back to the gym on lunch for a Pilates class. The usual gentle trainer was away so a tougher class than normal. P was doing a session so we headed off in the evening. I had in my head I wanted to run up the seafront to the Wooden bridge, and kick the wall obviously. I hadn't done that in ages and it was fine weather, perfect for sailing really. It was only when I was nearly at the Wooden bridge I remembered the mile on lunch. Lunch was 1.15 miles @ 9:29 with HR 133. Evening run to the wall 8.1 miles @ 10:01 with HR 142 bpm.
From strava ont he night '
Oh, that's how far it is to the Wooden bridge. I was nearly there and remembered the mile on lunch.
Updated heart rate zones based on Sundays 10km but then learnt I shouldn't have. Reset again now based off MSB Max heart rate. Legs got tired and ran most on grass. A wonderful evening and an incredible sound off the seabed as full of chirping birds. '

Thursday - More easy running and a local solo route it looks like so 4.21 miles @ 9:49 with HR 139. This is V low for me.
A glorious evening run. All very easy. Maintaining now for a change.

Friday - Myself and Anna supported the Good run up in St Anne's for MND. I had always wanted to support this and if you can in future please do so. It was well organised and managed. A glorious day, lovely route and a fantastic turnout. I ran this for my Uncle who died of this dreaful illness and it happened to be his Anniversary on the day. Anna was very good to support this with me. We both took it easy. It was a two lap route different to any other run I have done in the park. With a warm-up and CD I did 5.56 miles @ 9:40, HR 143.

Drove then to Waterford and arrived down after 11pm tired.

Saturday - To Tramore of course for parkrun. It was an incredible morning, really superb. Myself and P did a short warm-up and I was supporting the Sancturary runners so went up to introuduce us.

There was a big crowd here this morning, 181 as it turned out. I started back as my plan was really to have a comfortable run and had hoped to do a progression from 7:50 - 7:40 - 7:30.

The following happened.

Lap Distance Time Pace HR
1 0.73 mi 06:52 9:23 /mi 133 bpm
2 1.00 mi 07:38 7:38 /mi 155 bpm
3 1.00 mi 07:41 7:41 /mi 169 bpm
4 1.00 mi 07:15 7:15 /mi 174 bpm
5 0.09 mi 31s 5:42 /mi 180 bpm
6 0.31 mi 03:15 10:29 /mi 148 bpm

Started off and felt comfortable up and down the prom. A wave to P who was at the pointy end. I had a good first mile and was happy to see 7:38 on the watch. By this time we were up on the height for two loops. My pace dropped straight away so gave myself a push as I saw 8:18 on the watch. This happened on both loops. Second mile was 7:41 but doing ok as this was all done on the big loop. Not feeling amazing or horrific either. Working which is what I had wanted. The third mile I really pushed on. You come down off the height and onto the not most amazing surface was you are running the car park with holes and gravel. I was following a fellow Sanctuary runner here. I took an outside line as we turned at the marshal at the end as the course got lumpy and surface worse. I had a good push to the line and mile 3 beeped at 7:15. I gave a fantastic spurt then to the finish and felt great. Roared to get the runner stay ahead of me and push him the final few metres, that was great. Final @ 5:35 pace, woo hoo!!! Brilliant. Poor guy was a bit shook but delighted as it was a new PB for him.


The knee wasn't great during it so the surfaces didn't help. Delighted to finish in 23:07 as it was thoroughly enjoyable. P got an amazing PB of 20:29! Fantastic.

I finished in 44th place and were the 9th female out of a field of 181 parkrunners and you came 1st in your age category.
A short CD and off to breakfast with the Quinns.

Sunday - No running on an amazing day. A drive back up to Dublin and spend the day half exhausted/hungover and doing house jobs. Loved Camile for dinner. P was out at the rugby.

Weekly mileage 27.8

aquinn

Second update of the day.

April 22-28

As it was Easter Monday and we hadn't run yesterday we used our day off to do a long run. It was a cooler morning than yesterday and a good run with P down through Tolka Valley and back up Chesterfield to home via NCR.
Knees not great. Heart rate perfect so still productive and back at V02 Max 50. A good run with a few stops.

9.36 miles @ 9:40 with HR 140

Tuesday - long way home on the bike as a lovely evening so 6.1 miles cycling. I'm doing this more and more, sometimes I track it and sometimes I don't. Nice to do.

Went out for a easy run with P, he did 4 miles but I left it at 3. Peaking according to me watch, oooooooooooooooooo.
3.16 @ 9:28, HR 137

Wednesday - I can cancelled pilates as we had decided to do the Raheny open mile this evening. I even wrote up a report on this last week but it has vanished on me. Anyway it was a great experience and a well organised event. I had wanted to run by feel and not be a slave to the watch. Was worried about the start, that was a bit mental. Guy tipped his hat and off we went. D's course preview beforehand was superb and great for focus. I ensured not to check the watch. Finished in 6:49. P did an incredible 5:58, unreal. I had a great run to the line with super support from D and motivation due to footsteps behind me.

Weird coughing afterwards due to the shock. Great advise beforehand to not start close to the top as it was the busiest of the open mile series due to the National road relays on Sunday.

I have to say I enjoyed the experience and sorry we didn't do more of them but will go back.

Great flapjacks afterwards. Home at 10pm for dinner of champions, beans on toast.

Warm-up miles with D*, P* and H*.
Cooldown with D, P and S*

*D = Murph
*P - My Paul
*S = Skyblue
*H = HelenAnne.
4.8 miles for the day.

Thursday - Myself and P went up the seafront, up St Lawrences and back via Griffith for 6 miles @ 9:38, HR 133. I was tired today but always good to run. Legs ok, a bit tired. I could feel my hamstrings on the uphill. Still peaking, yet back to 50. You can't win. Emergency stop in the pub again.

Friday - rest day.

Saturday - I lined with FBOT as the 22 minute pacer for the morning. I was pissing about on my warm-up deciding what to do and said f**k it and just decided last minute to go between 22 & 23 pace and see how I went. It was a windy morning as storm Hannah had blown through overnight. Watch pacer issues at the start with M & C having a chat about paces and eventually ended up with C giving M his watch and off he went. The first mile felt comfortable but I knew myself it was too slow. The start wasn't as manic as I thought it was be as we were practically at the front. I kept right behind or beside M for the first mile. At the halfway point I started to slip back and feel the effort. My back was starting to ache, it had been at me on the warm-up which was why I wasn't sure what to do. The drag by the dog park left me with a bigger gap to bridge. I couldn't catch M again. I stayed postiive and hoped with the wind on my back on the Avenue that I was still doing well enough to beat my MSB time of 22:17. I gave it a good push once the watch beeped at 3 miles and overtook two men before the finish. It wasn't to be as official result 22:37 which I was disappointed with but then I was 1st in age category and finished in 56th place and were the 5th female out of a field of 388 parkrunners. That's great for St Anne's. A lot may have been taking it easy ahead of the road relays but so what. I gave it a go. Will try again next month. Today was the first weigh-in in months I wasn't overweight. Eating for the rest of the weekend shocking of course.

Lap Distance Time Pace  HR
1 1.00 mi 09:25 9:25 /mi 133 bpm
2 0.14 mi 01:09 8:03 /mi 148 bpm
3 1.00 mi 07:27 7:27 /mi 165 bpm
4 1.00 mi 07:25 7:25 /mi 175 bpm
5 1.00 mi 07:11 7:11 /mi 178 bpm
6 0.08 mi 30s 5:38 /mi 183 bpm
7 1.00 mi 09:09 9:09 /mi 161 bpm
8 0.28 mi 02:41 9:36 /mi 147 bpm
Cake afterwards that we had organised to celebrate Laura's 100th parkrun.

5.5 miles for the morning.

Warm-up with Anna and P, cooldown with Ferris B.

Sunday - hungover watching and tracking the London marathon. Cycle then to Raheny to support the National road relays. Fair play to anyone racing. I supported everyone and from all corners of Ireland.

Afterwards exhausted and hungry myself, Anna and P set off for our run. We did a lap of the park with Anna and then continued on until we had done 6 and that was more than enough for me. Cycle home to dinner and more Easter eggs.

34.4 miles for the week.

Murph_D

aquinn wrote: »

Roared to get the runner stay ahead of me and push him the final few metres, that was great. Final @ 5:35 pace, woo hoo!!! Brilliant. Poor guy was a bit shook but delighted as it was a new PB for him.

You weren't too happy when I did that to you in Swords last year. How the worm has turned.

aquinn

April 29-May 5

A step-back week, unintentionally of course, with 20.8 miles for the week.

Monday - The longer way home as I managed to lose my front bike light so did a loop back to find it. Alas no luck. Sad to lose this vital life saving equipment since most cyclists are invisible to motorists. 7.3 miles.

Tuesday - None club as it was my Birthday. Myself and a colleague went for a lunchtime run. I had hoped to run in but too tired. A nice run and required after a Birthday breakfast. 4.5 miles @ 9:36, HR 141.

Wednesday - Run into work as the bike was here. A fabulous morning. Running late again so did 3.51 @9:18, HR 140.

Thursday - I wasn't in a great mood all day. I think it was reading the papers and the desperate trial that had just started. Went out for a run and it really helped, therapeutic as they say. Lovely evening, except for the swarms of those flies. 5.02 miles @ 9:47, HR 143. Followed by a quick shower and out again for a facial. Fabulous.

Friday - Rest day but not really as it took 5 hours to drive to Donegal. FIVE hours!

Saturday - Staying up in Rathmullan for a Wedding so of course we headed off to Letterkenny parkrun. Google had actually given us the option of Buncrana on the ferry the night before which would have been deadly. The ferry doesn't start for another month though. Letterkenny is done around the hospital. You start on the flat and then have a fairly big climb, continue on and then another climb. A nice stretch then downhill and around Letterkenny park. You do this 3 times. We were taking it easy but my HR shot up on those hills. Not a PB course for sure but great support and abuse banter from the locals. Warm-up and CD gave me 4.31 miles for the morning @ 8:54, HR 149. For the final 100m P started to rev it up so I responded, arms wide and ensured I crossed the line first. Only fair like since he got an amazing sub 20 earlier this week. 73rd parkrun in a time of 26:58.

Sunday - P had notions of running the 10km in Letterkenny. No chance. We headed up to Fanad lighthouse in the afternoon and then before dinner went for a local easy run around Rathmullan. Really nice evening and a great run. Legs still work after a day in heels and dancing anyway which is nice. 3.51 miles @9:18, HR 139.

Sunny Dayz

Was visiting Letterkenny parkrun aswell on Saturday, have done it a few times as it's the nearest one to the inlaws. The climb from the bottom of the town park up to the back of the hospital seriously drains the legs! But yet I keep going back to it. Finished a fair bit behind you, I had the old parkrun apricot top on if you spotted it. Well done on doing it when ye had a wedding, Rathmullan is some spot! We did that 10k the following day, you'll be glad you didn't do it the day after a wedding - that would have been some punishment!

aquinn

Sunny Dayz wrote: »

Was visiting Letterkenny parkrun aswell on Saturday, have done it a few times as it's the nearest one to the inlaws. The climb from the bottom of the town park up to the back of the hospital seriously drains the legs! But yet I keep going back to it. Finished a fair bit behind you, I had the old parkrun apricot top on if you spotted it. Well done on doing it when ye had a wedding, Rathmullan is some spot! We did that 10k the following day, you'll be glad you didn't do it the day after a wedding - that would have been some punishment!

Ah no way. Yes I do remember you. We had our new Contra tops on but they were hidden under the wind breakers. We went back to the hall for lovely cake and then headed off.

Glad we missed the 10km so. We had done the hill as part of our warm-up so another 3 times was tough on the day of a Wedding too.

aquinn

May 6 - 12

Monday - Travelling back from Donegal.

Tuesday - P was away with work so I went to the club on my own. I hadn't been in weeks so needed to get there. Full of fear and trepidation of course.

Stayed late in work so I would have a shorter run down and reduce mileage yet still managed 3.1 miles with loops of the grass as a warm-up and strides.


Club 4*800 (90) followed by 4*400 (60)
Delighted with that now. Stayed within a group. Thought I had lost them on the last 400 but had a great finish. V pleased. A good evening with a bit of wind. Hadn't been in weeks so didn't expect that to go well at all. Toe pains from dancing were ok. Got a stitch on the 800's but it eased again.
The track was busy so some of the distance looks short.

Lap Distance Time Pace  HR
1 0.50 mi 03:32 7:00 /mi 151 bpm
3 0.49 mi 03:29 7:03 /mi 176 bpm
5 0.49 mi 03:29 7:00 /mi 175 bpm
7 0.48 mi 03:26 7:01 /mi 176 bpm
9 0.24 mi 01:38 6:41 /mi 172 bpm
11 0.24 mi 01:38 6:38 /mi 173 bpm
13 0.24 mi 01:41 6:52 /mi 174 bpm
15 0.24 mi 01:34 6:28 /mi 175 bpm

A great group and makes a difference when I can stick with them and not flog myself.

A easy plod with C back to work for the bike to cycle home. Sore quad but still pleased.

7.5 miles for the evening.

Wednesday I booked and actually went to Pilates. I keep booking classes and then cancelling. Good to go.

A mile on lunch and then 4.2 in the evening. My toe started to really hurt today as think it was badly bruised in the shoes at the weekend from dancing. So sore if the sheets touched it at night I would wake up. Starting to limp around the office but ok running.

Legs ok, tired on the uphill for the evening run 4.21 @ 10:10, HR 141.

Thursday -
Easy running out and back the canal. Lovely evening after all the rain today. Warm until the turning point and realised the wind was behind us.
Toe still very sore. I think it's badly bruised.
A real regression run though looking at those splits. Kept heart rate easy yet V02 Max still dropped and of course unproductive.
P was off doing a session so did warm-up together.
6.31 miles @10:03, HR 141.

Friday - rest

Saturday - I headed up to Poppintree for a change and I needed a local parkrun. Last time we were up here we had ran so I had all the directions perfect until the last turn where I got lost for 10 minutes. Raced then to the start line and met BG. We chatted and ran around but my HR was way too high. Windy on one side of the loop.
Far too fast considering Terenure tomorrow. Should have been v v easy. The sprint start was looking for parkrun as I got lost at the last minute driving. TF for parkrun websites and directions. A windy morning but still warm. Haven't been up in a while so good to do again.
The toe was incredibly sore overnight, it had its own pulse. Sore running but more painful walking.
Poppintree parkrun results for event #234. Your time was 00:27:27.Congratulations on completing your 74th parkrun and your 3rd at Poppintree parkrun today. You finished in 46th place and were the 16th female out of a field of 112 parkrunners and you came 1st in your age category.

Lap Distance Time Pace  HR
1 0.15 mi 01:10 7:48 /mi 124 bpm
2 1.00 mi 09:13 9:13 /mi 145 bpm
3 1.00 mi 09:07 9:07 /mi 161 bpm
4 1.00 mi 08:30 8:30 /mi 164 bpm
5 0.06 mi 33s 8:26 /mi 162 bpm
6 0.20 mi 01:56 9:33 /mi 145 bpm

Sunday - Terenure 5 mile. Desperate. 8 miles for the day. Off now to edit V's report.

30.7 miles for the week.

aquinn

In hindsight and because it is so long ago now Terenure doesn't justify a full race report.

Highlights - Annapr not only collected my t-shirt and bib but also did the driving on the day
Meeting up with V, C, C, S - so easy to follow :-). All the Sanctuary runners too.
I didn't drop out.
Very grateful to the water station and for having bottles.
Good support on the course.
A good first mile
I moved quickly on and got over it.

Lows: It was desperate
Worst time in years.
Aim/hope: My failed attempt at sub 21 recently left me with now a predicted 37:24, which is slower than Raheny this year.

From MSB time it has me at 36:51, hmmn.
Finished in 38:23, shocking.

Mile splits:
Lap Distance Time Elev  HR
1 1.00 mi 07:20 -22 ft 115 bpm
2 1.00 mi 07:50 14 ft 146 bpm
3 1.00 mi 07:49 8 ft 175 bpm
4 1.00 mi 07:39 -21 ft 176 bpm
5 1.00 mi 07:42 24 ft 178 bpm
My legs were dead after the first mile and I found it warm.

8 miles for the day and 30.7 for the week.

aquinn

Week May 13-19

Monday - I went off for a cycle along the coast and turned at Raheny. It is so nice to have a mostly designated and safe path to cycle on. Still had trouble with drivers of course. 11.8 miles for the night so the weather must have been kind.

Tuesday - None club as you know 'raced' on Sunday. Easy running on a beautiful evening with sunshine and blue skies. 6.11 miles @9:45, HR 141bpm. Toe improving.

Wednesday - Pilates on lunch I think. Ran then home in the evening. A fabulous evening. Less pace watching as I did that last night and it still dropped my V02 max so just ran. Visited my new favourite spot in Westwood to use the facilities. 4.41 miles @ 9:47, HR 144.

Thursday - Over and back to the gym on lunch to give me a mile. Finally booked and went to a Kettlebells class and of course really enjoyed it. Sweating but great. I need to this frequently as the knee still troubles me so it needs strengthening.
Myself and P then headed out in the evening and ran two laps of Albert college park. Haven't been there in months. 4.1 miles @ 9;40, HR 144.

Friday - rest. I might have cycled the longer way home so about 8 miles on the bike.

Saturday - A big adventure to the Southside and we did Marlay parkrun. I had only done in once before. A massive crowd but so well organised. So impressed as they have a group warm-up and importantly facilities near the start. We started too far back and it was very crowded. Supposed to be taking it easy but of course HR was too high. I loved running through the trees. It was a fabulous morning. 5 miles at 9:19, HR 150.

Sunday - Should have done a run but didn't. 20.8 miles for the week.

aquinn

Here we are again, well last week of course.

May 20-26

Monday - not a rest day for a change. Went out with P for an easy run. It was his pre-Bob shakeout so he left me in the final mile for strides. A bad day at the office so good to run. 3.2 miles @ 9:55, HR 139.

Tuesday - P off on his big adventure to Enfield and I had promised a colleague for weeks I would take him down to the club. We ran down after work and did many laps on the grass. Faster than my usual pace as he is v speedy. Dynamic warm-up, strides and a session of:
4*(600/400/200) off 75/60 and two minutes.

I felt like I hadn't digested lunch and was slow and unfit but delighted to see the results afterwards.

Lap Distance Time Pace  HR
1 0.37 mi 02:40 7:11 /mi 134 bpm
3 0.24 mi 01:36 6:38 /mi 165 bpm
7 0.36 mi 02:31 6:59 /mi 169 bpm
9 0.23 mi 01:38 6:54 /mi 168 bpm
13 0.36 mi 02:31 6:55 /mi 168 bpm
15 0.23 mi 01:38 6:52 /mi 168 bpm
19 0.36 mi 02:28 6:50 /mi 170 bpm
21 0.24 mi 01:33 6:22 /mi 171 bpm
Delighted with that. I timed all recoveries. Ran with people but they flew off but still some sort of company.

Colleague flew around.

Productive according to the watch which I always enjoy seeing. 60 hours recovery though, hmmn.

Anyway good to be back at the club as seriously slacking of late or too sociable. Home then to stalk and report back on #pbfest2019. Well done all.

7.2 miles for the evening.

Wednesday - A runmute to work on a fine morning. 3.1 miles @9:45, HR 142. Kept to the flat. Legs ok.

Over and back then to pilates on lunch gave me another mile. Pilates is a nice half an hour.

Thursday - A short and easy run over to the gym for Kettlebells. A different instructor again so more upper body and less squating but a good class. Knee grateful anyway. A run back to give me a mile on lunch.

Out in the evening then for the balance of the miles. P off socialising so I went out for 5 easy miles. It was a warm night and with very dark clouds but it didn't lash on me. Actually ended up finishing in sunshine. Went by Croke park and a desperate sound of the Spice Girls warming up. The poor residents.

Still clinging on to Productive. 5 miles @10:04, HR 142. Hamstrings could feel pilates and lunch class.

Friday - out with a friend for dinner. I would highly recommend Grano in Stoneybatter for those who like Italian food. Worth checking out.

Saturday - Pacer Saturday at St Anne's. I was amazing as the 29 minute pacer and came in at 28:53. Amazing! 5.1 miles for the morning.

Sunday - up early to get the long run done as entertaining later in the day. A windy morning and so off we went up NCR and into the Phoenix park. My toe, remember that woe? Was killing me for the first two miles. I unlaced my runners and it eased off. Back then was tight and then at one point my knee was hurting. Poor P. Nice to go back down the canal and have the wind behind us. That was better. 10.1 miles for the morning @ 9:32, HR 143 so very controlled.

Entertaining went very well. Great to do.

Highest mileage in weeks as had missed the long run for a few weeks. 36.2 miles for the week.

shotgunmcos

I'm fascinated by the Garmin fitness status too. Took great satisfaction when it showed 'Peaking' a week out from the marathon! V02 has dropped 3 points since..

aquinn

shotgunmcos wrote: »

I'm fascinated by the Garmin fitness status too. Took great satisfaction when it showed 'Peaking' a week out from the marathon! V02 has dropped 3 points since..

Oh me too and the heartbreak when I go to Unproductive, which happens frequently. Awful disheartening. No idea how to fully control it as a lot of the time I try to stick in easy zone and then sometimes it prefers aerobic.

Love seeing productive though, with it a week now and still thrilled. I was peaking before Charleville half last year too. Also after the warm-up on Tuesday at the club though, hmmn.

I am currently V02 max 50 but then I am only back at the club so hopefully that'll continue to rise now. Superior

aquinn

Mucho catching up. Two weeks out.

May 27-Jun 2

Monday - rest day. It normally is.

Tuesday - Waited in work for P and headed down to the club. Trying to get back into it and build up confidence and fitness.

Two miles to the club and many laps of the grass and I have it noted that sometimes running just doesn't feel natural. A good start.

Whoever I was running laps on the grass with I was doing it much faster than easy pace for sure.

After a good session last week I hoped to achieve the same.

Sadly this was not to be.

Hamstring tightness session. 3*400 off 45/30/15 and two minutes.
Too warm again. Wrong leggings and should only be used for yoga as dug into me. I thought it was 4*400 and had decided after 2 to do 3 as a calf pain turned into a tight hamstring. Delighted to be told at the finish we were done and not have another set as paces were suffering. Hamstring is still tight which has never happened before.

Lap Distance Time Pace HR
1 0.24 mi 01:37 6:32 /mi 121 bpm
3 0.24 mi 01:35 6:21 /mi 166 bpm
5 0.24 mi 01:38 6:37 /mi 176 bpm
7 0.24 mi 01:40 6:49 /mi 181 bpm
9 0.24 mi 01:40 6:54 /mi 163 bpm
11 0.23 mi 01:41 7:04 /mi 169 bpm
13 0.23 mi 01:43 7:17 /mi 173 bpm
15 0.24 mi 01:46 7:21 /mi 176 bpm
17 0.24 mi 01:47 7:24 /mi 161 bpm
19 0.24 mi 01:45 7:17 /mi 169 bpm
21 0.24 mi 01:42 7:04 /mi 173 bpm
23 0.23 mi 01:44 7:17 /mi 178 bpm
A regression session. Also gave us only 30 seconds and not 45 for the last set.

I was timer. So weird all the runners with the fancy watches and they use them like watches and don't do sessions on them. The strangest :-)

Hamstring tight on the cool-down back to the office wit Singer, Crockmac and P. Cycled home.

6.2 miles for the evening.

Wednesday - LauraAC has suffered from many a hamstring tightness so she told me to take care and ease it out with exercises. I walked over to the gym on lunch for a Pilates class and then a little jog back. All ok, no tightness or twinges.

After work then as no more running for the day I did a cycle up the coast to Raheny and back inland. Lovely to not have to battle the sea breeze up the coast. Just short of 12 miles for the evening. 11.85 in 1h 8.

Thursday - more stretching and minding the leg. I gently ran over and back to the gym and did a Kettlebell class. I though the stretching and strength work would help the leg. It did.

Evening run then with P. I only stayed with him for two miles and headed home. Very humid. Breeze to our backs on the way out to Alfie Byrne and battled it then home. Legs tired. Knee feels tight and restricted.
Unproductive to top it all off and dropped to V02 49. Huh. Sigh.
Oh, hip and hamstring ok.

4.12 @ 9:33, HR 140 bpm.

Friday - rest.

Saturday - A big group were heading to Darndale from St Anne's as it was off with Summer concerts. We had been out the night before for a few sociable drinks supporting the economy.

No warm-up at all. I had a plan of sticking with P's pace. Didn't tell P this of course and just lashed off. Thankfully he came with me and I ended up with a course PB. Chased a Raheny woman who has finished ahead of me now a few times but good to chase. I nearly had her at the pond on the third lap but she accelerated and I couldn't keep up. Happy with the final sprint. Dry retching so I tried. I saw the first mile and thought we would be running around 8:10 pace. Second mile was tough but really felt it on the third, especially with the hill. P tried to distract me with a heron flying overhead.

Lap Distance Time Pace HR
1 1.00 mi 07:40 7:40 /mi 148 bpm
2 1.00 mi 07:35 7:35 /mi 172 bpm
3 1.00 mi 07:23 7:23 /mi 178 bpm
4 0.14 mi 49s 5:49 /mi 183 bpm

Great going with my hangover and Kettlebell aches and woes. Happy with that. P stayed alongside to keep effort steady. A big Raheny crowd supported the event.

Sunday - LR increase from 10-12 miles and really felt it. 12 miles is long! Long run with P. Legs tired today and many aches and moans but got there.
High HR from the start. Left side most of the woes. Windy morning and very warm. A few last minute route changes to avoid the various events. Glad that's done. 12.14 @9:32, HR 151bpm.
Thought we would head through the park but Bloom was on. Then headed for Sandymount but it was very windy. Changed to up the Coast, around St Anne's and home inland. All park paths open even with all the concert disturbance. Used facilities and got more water up there too which was required.

27.6 miles for the week.

June 3-9

Monday - the Bank holiday and late afternoon we got the bikes out for a home service and headed up the coast to and around to Malahide. It was a windy day so carefully picked the route. 23.05 miles. Twingy arse/tight hip that finally eased. Huge cycle, new saddle.
Didn't miss all the rain but wind not desperate. I've done that route a few times but first time to change direction. Cake and hot chocolate in DF Malahide after some twat opened a car door on me and scared the sh*t out of me. Bloody stupid and no apology. I'm fine, except for the resentment.

Tuesday - A shocking day weather wise. Very wet but was v brave and hung around work to go to the club. My colleague had signed up so we waited for P and then headed down.

Warm-up and strides with dynamic warm-up 2.9 miles @ 9:12, HR 144.

Session: 4 * 800 (75) followed by 400 (60).

Stuck with Kate and Donal so that's an achievement. Operated knee at me of late. Feels tight like it needs to crack but won't. Led out the last set and was most conformable at that. Manky, wet evening so extra delighted for heading down.

Lap Distance Time Pace HR
1 0.48 mi 03:26 7:09 /mi 153 bpm
3 0.24 mi 01:40 6:52 /mi 166 bpm
5 0.48 mi 03:30 7:14 /mi 174 bpm
7 0.24 mi 01:39 6:43 /mi 169 bpm
9 0.48 mi 03:31 7:19 /mi 174 bpm
11 0.24 mi 01:42 6:54 /mi 169 bpm
13 0.48 mi 03:31 7:17 /mi 175 bpm
15 0.24 mi 01:37 6:37 /mi 172 bpm

800's are tough but v pleased with that.

Back with P and B to work for the bike.

7.1 miles for the evening. Did I mention how wet and manky it was?

Wednesday - Pilates on lunch. Usual instructor away so KB instructor took the class. More abs and ass than pilates. the tightness in my quads for some of the exercises!

Evening Run with P. New route so followed. Managed to hurt a toenail at last night's session. Mostly ok running. Eased out painful spot with foam roller on back before heading out and no hamstring or hip issues.
The rain has finally stopped so a good evening. Bit windy and cooler. Two toilet stops so lunch didn't agree. Grateful to those publicans. Kept heart rate and pace low yet Garmin disagrees as unproductive and again dropped to 49.

5.1 @9:58, HR 132. Unnaturally low for me.

Thursday - Physio on lunch for hamstring/hip/niggly arse. Tight QL muscle so he eased that out. Ouch!

Evening Run with P. I was in charge of the route tonight. Started in sunshine and wind. Then rain and on to rain and sunshine! Took us up Drumcondra to the canal and ran out towards Ashtown.
6.25 @ 9:49, HR 138.

Friday evening cycle. That damaged wedding toe still hurts! Nice night for a cycle as no mental wind. Same as last week. 11.85 miles in 1:09 this time.

Saturday - St Anne's parkrun celebrating P's 50th parkrun. All tat provided. The feather boa didn't hamper his tempo anyway. I thought I would get P to pace me but decided to try a session off the watch. I went with 5*3 @ 7:20, off 90.
I started too far back and had only done half a mile warm-up. I wasn't going to hip lap at all but decided to give it a go. A very busy route and windy, except for the amazing avenue.

The easiest of the 3 minutes was the last one.

Lap Distance Time Pace HR
1 0.70 mi 06:25 9:08 /mi 128 bpm
2 0.40 mi 03:00 7:30 /mi 125 bpm
3 0.18 mi 01:30 8:02 /mi 129 bpm
4 0.41 mi 03:00 7:12 /mi 166 bpm
5 0.19 mi 01:30 7:51 /mi 173 bpm
6 0.40 mi 03:00 7:23 /mi 179 bpm
7 0.17 mi 01:30 8:42 /mi 182 bpm
8 0.40 mi 03:00 7:28 /mi 181 bpm
9 0.17 mi 01:30 8:24 /mi 182 bpm
10 0.43 mi 03:00 6:57 /mi 182 bpm
11 0.14 mi 01:01 6:51 /mi 179 bpm
12 1.00 mi 09:58 9:58 /mi 155 bpm
13 0.04 mi 23s 9:02 /mi 155 bpm
I had forgotten how annoying the watch is for these things as hadn't attempted one in so long. Got through it anyway. 23:26 and 78th parkrun.

Sunday - Another 12 miles but better this week. I was less moany anyway. It was very warm though so had lots of stops. We went into the park and around Furze to the trails and back the canal. Stopped off in Ashtown to get more water which was guzzled. 12.04 miles @ 9:37, HR 152 bpm. Another V02 max drop but unsurprising. HR was in threshold for nearly 26 minutes.

35.2 miles for the week.

So week ahead and thoughts.

We are doing the Arthur's way 5km on Saturday evening, if free please join us. All proceeds to Beaumount hospital. €10 entry or €20 for the Family.

I would like to do well obviously in this race. Thought I would do so last year and again couldn't break 23 minutes.

So, club Tuesday. 5 Wed, 6 Thursday, rest Friday and then what do I aim for on Saturday? I don't think I can break 22 yet. Would like to but don't think I can. It is a route along the canal, up the bridge and down into Lyons Estate, back the canal. Another humpback bridge and into the GAA club to the gantry. It also starts on grass. Thoughts please. Thanks.

Also club yes or no tomorrow?