Fear is the key

juke

I want to run a marathon before I’m 50 :eek:

I have a few years yet, but, just in case, I’m starting now.

I also have very clear ideas on a time I'd like to do it in - but not being a runner, only time will tell what's even vaguely achievable.

This log is all about accountability. The fear of not hitting my goal time time may just drive me on.

My target is to run a half marathon this year and DCM next year. I have a huge amount of work and running to do if I have any hope of achieving either of those. 21k this year is a lot for me, when the most I’ve probably ever done is 10.

I have had lower back problems (slipped disc, sciatica) in the past. That said I’m now strong and reasonably fit. I lift weights three times a week. Gym work will continue for the foreseeable, but I guess will naturally have to taper off as the miles start to build.

My non-plan right now is to run Sunday (and Thursday, work permitting), just slowly building up the miles and hope that speed will come. I am susceptible to getting bogged down in comparing time/numbers, so I’m trying to just enjoy getting out and running off effort. I will probably do a park run in a few weeks and then get help on a real plan.

Week 13-19 Feb
Monday – Leg day
Wednesday – Push day
Saturday – Pull day
Sunday – 7k, Marlay Park.
It was very busy, nearly got spliced by a wayward car door opening in the car park. Got one or two few funny looks and once I got home I realised I’d worked a bit too hard on my colour scheme - my face was the same colour as my top, this :pac:

juke

Feb 20-23
Tired this week. Not too unusual, work is very busy, I often don’t sleep well. Like most people.

I arrived at gym for leg day on Monday to hear it’s de-load week. First time I was genuinely relieved to hear those words.

Ahead of my initial non-schedule, I met with Coachy-to-be, who painted a positive, but daunting picture of what’s ahead for me.

Plan:

Run, lots. Don’t overthink. Get comfortable running 30k a week by June. Gym work can continue for now, but will have to taper off (except core work).

• Parkrun in a month, check my time and then assess.

• Emphasis now is time on my feet, endurance work - which is more or less the complete opposite to what I’ve been doing for the last 4 years, which has been more similar in effort to training for a 100k sprint. This wasn’t something I’d considered, but when he started to explain all about muscle fibres and stuff, I nodded sagely - it seemed like the appropriate thing to do

• Otherwise, all as usual, sleep more if I can and eat well. Get my head around eating more carbs. as the miles climb – probably not from chocolate, though.

So far this week:

Mon: Leg day, 65% effort, body felt as bad on Tuesday as if it had been 100% effort

Wed: Somewhat guilty bath and early to bed instead of the gym, felt exhausted

Thur: Run, plan was 5k, legs felt heavy from the start, my lower back ached, at about 3k I had to slow to a walk for about 100m, only managed 3.6k before giving up. So flippin’ angry at myself. Wondering if my plan to run 30k by June is a pipedream, let alone 21k in September, because maybe I’m just weak-willed, lazy.

On the drive home my throat felt a bit sore.

Beginning of a lightbulb moment – adding a few dizzy spells and headaches in last few days, and being exhausted despite sleeping, and being more starving than usual … headcold/cough coming on

Training weights, I’m always told to listen to my body, so I feel relieved. I should have picked up on the symptoms sooner. I think the rule is ‘Feed a cold, starve a fever’.

I plan to eat, loads :cool:

Singer

Hey Juke,

So... what are you doing to get to run a marathon? You've mentioned having a coach before, are you working to a plan to eventually complete a marathon? I'd drop the gym work sooner than later, and run more, if completing a marathon is the real goal. Slowly building miles is a good plan alright, but you gotta get it done.

Is there a chance you're running too fast? Most of your running should be very comfortable.

juke

Singer wrote: »

Hey Juke,

So... what are you doing to get to run a marathon? You've mentioned having a coach before, are you working to a plan to eventually complete a marathon? I'd drop the gym work sooner than later, and run more, if completing a marathon is the real goal. Slowly building miles is a good plan alright, but you gotta get it done.

Thanks for reading. I need to be challenged on my very loose plan.

You are of course right, I need to cut back the gym. I know that (but am resisting, as it's early days). Maybe I want to do too much - I have a certain double bodyweight squat aspiration that I think is very close, and I'm not giving that up just yet.

I don't have a history of running, maybe 15k a week for 3-4 months last summer. Otherwise very sporadic. I need to build a base. I hope to grow to love it. I look forward to the gym, it's my de-stresser. I don't look forward to running in the same way - yet. But I hope to. Until I grow to love it more, I would see cutting back on the gym as a punishment, somehow.

I run alone. I know a running veteran I can plague with questions, and I will most likely have him structure my plan as time goes on. I have 7 months to the half - and will have a proper 12 week structure before it.

My thinking is to slowly build the miles, and cut back in the gym from May/June. I (and my gym coach) will monitor my energy levels. If it's not working I'll re-think.

Yesterday's disaster and low energy levels all week are explained by my pounding headache, sneezing and blocked sinuses this morning.

Singer wrote: »

Is there a chance you're running too fast? Most of your running should be very comfortable.

Of course

I followed the DCM novices threads for 2015 and 2016. They helped plan this seed. I've recently started reading a few logs here too. I noticed running slower can be a real challenge for some - and at the moment that's me too.

Something huge to work on.

juke

Disappointing week so far, but felt pretty miserable and exhausted earlier in the week.

Fri 24- Sun Rest, Sneezing, coughing and spluttering, thumping headache

Mon 27 Gym, New training cycle; Leg day – re-introduction of squats – ALL the DOMS for days

Wed 1 Gym, Push day, just as well, legs in a heap

Thur 2 5.1k gentle (?) run – legs still a bit tender. Mindful of running too fast, I consciously tried to slow down, especially on the inclines. It felt weird. At the moment I have 2 speeds, running alone and running in a race. Much work to be done.

Sometimes I wonder if I should be let out at all, though. I’d just got to the park and it started raining. I decided to throw on a rain jacket – one with removable arms that zip on. Putting it on I got distracted by a phone call. I took the call, and hung up quickly enough, got moving, after about 50m realise I was missing a sleeve. I start to backtrack to look for it and was almost back at the car when I realise it was still attached, barely and flapping against my back. What did I think was flapping against my back until then :D

Also - a bit disconcerted about how prolific you A/R posters are in this forum. Serious amount of logs regularly updated, hours of reading!

juke

Head cold well and truly gone, feeling much more positive.

Fri 3 Rest, legs a bit tired

Sat 4 Gym, Pull day, freezing cold Leinster game that evening, no beer/hot toddies as running in the morning.

Sun 5, 9.1k (on my garmin, 9.8 per mapmyrun), ran the first 5.5k with a friend, which was nice for a change. Chatted all the way, and as she hadn’t run in a long while, she made me slow right down. Felt pretty good.

Aim this week is 14k – so well on target.
Second aim, conscript my friend to join me for the half marathon. Have a lot of work to do

juke

Mon: Gym, Leg day. Despite my constant moaning over last week’s DOM’s I didn’t manage to get sacked by my gym coach. I think it came close though.

Tue: Rest

Wed: Gym, Push day

Thu: I had packed every conceivable accessory I might need so I could change at work and run on my route home. Everything – extra layers, HR strap, running ID, hat, gloves, hair band, phone/keys pouch.

Everything, that is, except socks :mad: Let me tell you, running is pop-socks after a day in heels, it’s not something for the top of the to-do-list :pac: My soles were burning by the end of 3k, and now, 1.5 hours later, are still burning. I’m rolling them on a hard ball to try get some relief.

Had chosen to run St. Enda’s Park, 3 laps is just 4.7k. Really annoying!

Anyway, 5.1k done, 14k for the week.

Plan on increasing the distance by 10% ish weekly.

juke

Fri: Rest

Sat: Gym, Pull day – not feeling the love for chin-ups these days.

Sun: Beautiful morning, 10k, felt pretty good, ran with my friend again for the first 6k. Tried to keep it slow, but I noticed my splits picked up for the last 4k.

A month ago, I’d had the idea of doing a parkrun next Saturday – just to see where I’m at time-wise. Now, I’m already trying to talk myself out of it. I’m never at my best in the morning, I’m not anywhere near the speed I want to be, if I run too slow (which I expect I will) I’ll only get demoralised and start doubting that I can run the half.

Sometimes I just need a slap

juke

Mon: Gym, Leg day – tough going

Wed: Gym, Push day – used to be my least favourite day. Bench press would be my weakest lift, but these days my programme includes doing bench press followed by floor press, which bizarrely I’m enjoying. Maybe that’s more linked to the fact that leg day includes Bulgarian split squats. When you are vertically challenged, these are a killer. I think they are just in my programme so my coach can laugh when I fall over, again

Thu: Girls night out, reasonably sensible, in bed by midnight

Fri: Post drinks guilt got me out for a few easy k’s, wet and windy, 3.5 k

Sat: Parkrun debut. Official time 32.51.
I passed a JM10 just before the line. I’m not proud to have beaten him by 1 second – he was kinda skipping towards the end

The good – what a fantastic event, volunteers are amazing on what was a fairly miserable morning. Well organised, so many abilities. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

The bad – until now, I’ve not really had a real look at my times. My time is far slower that I would have hoped. Slower than my last 5k race – albeit that was 1.5 years ago. My garmin decided not to record my run (I’ve got to assume user error), which is annoying, as I would like to have looked at my splits. Ah well.

I have a huge amount of work to do. I knew that already, but this is a bit sobering. Maybe that’s a good thing. I will be increasing my run days to three a week shortly. These weeks have only really been about getting used to running and building the miles. I guess the next months will be all about that and increasing my times (I hope).

The Muppet

Good luck with the goals, the hardest part of running a marathon is building a base and then getting into the right condition to do it , its all about time on you feet , getting the miles in week in week out and thats just to get through one.

juke

The Muppet wrote: »

Good luck with the goals, the hardest part of running a marathon is building a base and then getting into the right condition to do it , its all about time on you feet , getting the miles in week in week out and thats just to get through one.

Thanks. I know it takes hard work, resilience, dedication. More than anything, miles are what I need.

I'm in awe of some of the mileage run by the loggers here.

The Muppet

juke wrote: »

Thanks. I know it takes hard work, resilience, dedication. More than anything, miles are what I need.

I'm in awe of some of the mileage run by the loggers here.

Ah we're all in awe of some of the milages and paces logged here , they are a great knoweledgable bunch and will assist with advice to help on your journey, logging your progress here will be of huge benefit to you .

ene

I will be following your log with great interest! I have the same long term goal- the marathon next year! Have a look at my log but think your more consistent!

juke

ene wrote: »

I will be following your log with great interest! I have the same long term goal- the marathon next year! Have a look at my log but think your more consistent!

Excellent I had read your log. For some reason, I had it in my head you were targeting a full marathon this year. It will be great to see how we progress.

For me, talking (and logging) about my goals are a huge step in keeping me honest.

You are doing great at the parkruns!

juke

Busy busy at work this week. I'm drained.

Sunday: Gym, pull day. Chins again, better effort but not improving in quantity. So, to help that, he who is my all-knowing coach says I’ve got to started weighted chins ….. oh man, roll on next weekend :eek:

Monday: Gym, legs. Tough session.

Tuesday: Rest

Wednesday: Gym, push day, legs still achy since Monday.

Thursday: Dentist. I didn’t go for a run, I came home and ate chocolate.

Friday: 6.2k. This was tough – not sure why. I picked a hilly-ish route, maybe I pushed too hard, maybe I'm a bit dehydrated (see below), might have been my runners today or I’m just tired. Pins and needles in my toes and lower back pain by the end. Happy I got out, calves are tight now, so I’ve good intentions to stretch and foam roll.

Wedding tomorrow. I’m trying to pain my toe nails – really struggling, as my abs just under my rib cage keep cramping when I bend down

Trying to decide if a wedding ‘down the country’ but less than an hour away, is a valid excuse to avoid inaugural weighted chins in the morning.

Also, wondering if a possible hangover Sunday is a valid reason to skip my long run. I appreciate musing this on a running forum will not garner much support :rolleyes: Hopefully guilt and knowing that I’ll feel better afterwards will get me out.

juke

The guilt didn't work

Bad week running wise.

Saturday: I didn’t manage gym in the morning, so a big fail there. Wedding, someone I met through Boards.ie. We were in the company of a few other Boardsies. Bed at 6am. They must have been the bad influence, they must have! It was fantastic, but…

Sunday: Oh God :eek:

Monday: Gym, merciless leg day.

Tuesday – work late.

Wednesday: Gym, push day, tough, why anyone would voluntarily do tricep work is beyond me.

Thursday: leg tune up with sports therapist – knots in my calves/hamstrings tight – but otherwise all ok.

Friday – work late.

Saturday: Plan 1 – gym followed by Leinster game. Not even coffee could get me going early enough, so I wouldn’t have had time to get there and do a proper session.
So, plan 2 – 5k.
Actual – 7+k. Felt ok, hilly route, which certainly tests me.

Leinster game – all good, we won but I don’t know if it was my (new) socks and boots combined with the short run or what, but my feet are in bits, soles are burning, arches feel like they are blistered. I could barely walk back to the car. Plan tomorrow is 10+k. I’ll see how my feet feel in the morning.

juke

juke wrote: »

.... but my feet are in bits, soles are burning, arches feel like they are blistered. I could barely walk back to the car. Plan tomorrow is 10+k. I’ll see how my feet feel in the morning.

I have big deep blisters just where the front of my heel meet the outside arch. The same spot on both feet It's hard to walk and my feet feel swollen. So I spent today putting aloe vera/arnica etc on them.

Really not sure what's caused them, but the new soft cosy socks are in the bin. Possibly the hilly short run didn't help either. I don't think my running socks/runners are an issue.

I will adjust training this week depending on how they feel and what gym-coachy will allow.

juke

Mon: Feet still a bit tender, Gym – upper body, push.

Tue: Feet feel better and I invested in some bodyglide. Feeling brave, went for a run, 5.5k. Ran the first 1k on grass – struggled, legs feel heavy. Felt more in the zone once I went back onto the path.

Note to self, perhaps a little less looking at where my feet are landing when I run off the path and little more looking out for low hanging tree branches. Even for a miniature person, some branches can be right at eye level
Left hip very achy post run.

Wed: Gym, legs. Hip still achey, but got through it all ok, without even having to go backwards down the stairs leaving the gym.

Thu: Rest

Fri: 7.5k. Like the last Friday evening I ran, I found this tough, especially on my lower back – it was all a bit start, stop, stretch, start again. I know I pushed too hard on k2 (6.09min), which was daft given my near 33min 5k. I struggled with silly things, like my toes were way too hot, my phone belt felt too heavy. Really, I’m just being a bit of a lightweight and need to htfu.

Roundup: That makes 20k for the week, with 3 runs – which was slightly above the plan, and all carefully structured around gym work.

Observations:

Holy crap, the laundry :eek:
And the hair washing :eek:
And my feet do not like fancy padded or double layered running socks. Nope, Pennies cheap thin running socks with their motivational ‘Run Like’…‘The Wind’ on the inside is their sock of choice :cool:

juke

Sat 8: Gym – upper body, Pull.
Weighted chins finally make their entrance to my life :rolleyes: Oh man, it did not go to plan, Gym-coachy’s plan, that is. I’ll break the bad news to him on Monday. That said I managed 4 singles, barely, with +5K. Did a few unweighted after – they felt so easy.

Left hip very stiff, loads of foam-rolling. Lovely afternoon nap

Sun 9: Run 9k, walk 1k. Friend joined me for the 2nd half, but I slowed to a walk while I waited for her. Pleasant morning.

Not 100% sure who suggested this in last year's novices thread (think Firedance), but I tried lying on my back with my legs up against a tree trunk. I know I hadn't done a particularly long run, but it was epic

juke

Mon 10 – Gym, Mini test – squat & bench

Tue 11 – plan was 5k odd, reality, I had as usual packed my trusty bag, so I could change at work, with everything possible packed. Even socks were there. But no sports bra. And I’m not masochist enough to run even 5k without one. So, I grumpily used the time to do a supermarket ‘run’ instead and discovered Lidl seem to have stopped selling my favourite chocolate AND my second favourite chocolate. Really, not a good day.

Wed 12 - Gym, everything horrible - weighted chin-ups, Bulgarian split squats, triceps ....

Thu 13 – wrecked from work, home and veg’ed.

Good Fri 14 - 10k, first time running this distance alone. Felt pretty good in all, took it slow and steady. Had the park pretty much to myself, which surprised me for 6-7 in the evening. Left hip very sore again since. I’ll keep doing the stretches I was given, hopefully it is not going to be a regular issue.

20k for the week, again, which was the plan. Didn’t get 3 runs in though. Don’t know if that’s bad.

Thinking about doing the Terenure 5M in a month – just to get some more race experience.

S.L.F.

Weighted chin ups - you must be fairly strong to do them, fair play I wouldn't even embarrass myself by attempting them in the gym.

You should go for the Terenure 5 mile. You're doing 10 km in training now so you're fit enough for it. Why not add another mile or two to your 10 km training in the coming weeks so you're really comfortable endurance wise.

juke

S.L.F. wrote: »

Weighted chin ups - you must be fairly strong to do them, fair play I wouldn't even embarrass myself by attempting them in the gym.

You should go for the Terenure 5 mile. You're doing 10 km in training now so you're fit enough for it. Why not add another mile or two to your 10 km training in the coming weeks so you're really comfortable endurance wise.

I'm fairly strong for my size, but I struggle to make upper body gains - my bench is by far my worst lift, I'm struggling to get to bodyweight. And none of this strength helps with speed either :rolleyes:

Plan is to sneak the miles up by the end of the month, but I'll be sticking to 3 running days I think.

Today: Gym, new programme and deadlifts are back. That makes me happy, enough that I can ignore the bruised shins and calloused hands

Tough session, lots of volume, mainly legs. Left hip a bit stiff since yesterday, loads of stretching/foam-rolling.

juke

Sun 16 – 9.5k run. Nearly talked myself out of this in the first place – due my family and his for dinner – heaps and heaps to do. But I went out anyway. After I did the first 5.5k and was passing my car in the car-park, I nearly stopped too. That alone tells me how far I’ve come in just a few weeks.

Good few older gentlemen (aged 65+ I’d say – cos, you know, I’m of the ‘old’ not ‘older’ variety) out for slow jogs. All faster than me :pac: It was a bit windy/rainy. The last 500m was into a headwind, I so welcomed the cool breeze/wet.

Typing this Sunday evening after a food filled family afternoon. Post deadlift/squat/and maybe running DOMS setting is, hip isn’t too bad, legs feel heavy and stiff – but in a good way. I feel so optimistic. I’m not looking at overall km or split times times (I know that would be a disaster for me) but my heartrate for inclines is falling (was peaking 170, now 160).

I know from powerlifting that it can seem like you are making no progress on increasing weight at all, when suddenly… I just feel, you know, maybe I can do this and not disgrace myself.

I am still very slow, but time on my feet will surely help with that. Instead of dreading the next run, I am wondering what would happen if I tried gym followed by a run on the SAME day.

Feck, is it a disease? :eek:

juke

Mon 17 - Gym, Push day.

Tue 18 - Run, 6k. Went ok.

New runners arrived. Asics GT3000 4 - I got a pair in Base2Race last year and love how they feel, pricey though at, I think, E140. Saw them on Amazon for E60 although they are a ghastly neon pink/green/black (not that the existing salmon pink & mint green is much better :rolleyes:).

The laces are too short to do the runner's loop thingy. I can't quite understand why the laces on what are, in effect, identical shoes, are different lengths. And at 5.5k, there was the beginning of a blister on my left heel :mad:

Wed 19 - Gym, legs, box-squats, weighted step-ups, back extensions, calf stretches.

Thu 20 - Rest, tired today, calves in particular showing beginning signs of DOMS.

Fri 21 - Run, 7k. Went a lot better than expected.

Training in the gym, my mind never is in tune with my body, and I can never gauge my energy levels in advance - often my best day is when my head says I'm most tired/weak and vice versa. I was tired, calves felt tight, convinced by body wasn't up to even 3-4k, but I set out with that minimum target in mind.

Happily that disconnect between my body and my mind remains constant :pac: Bit of a left hip niggle after 5k, but only usual stiffness since.

22.5k for the week.

juke

Sat 22 - Gym. Push: bench, incline dumbbell press, close grip bench, tricep push down. Tired today, not the best session in the world.

Sun 23 - Run, 12k, near as dammit. Slow, I was tired, 2 bad night's sleep haven't helped. It's probably the most I have ever run. I really felt it on my feet in the end. Watched a bit of London marathon. What am I doing

Mon 24 - Gym, Pull: deadlifts, one-arm row, close-grip lat. pull downs, hammer curls.

Whilst my power-lifting is secondary to the goal of doing a marathon right now, I still love it. I have decided to try target a competition in July. Both coaches have said yes - which amazed me. Timing isn't great, but it could be worse.

I'll really have to monitor my energy levels, and make time for proper recovery after heavy sessions. I'll have to dial back running in the 1-2 weeks before the comp. and I'll be useless for a week after. But if I get the base work in now, I'll have 8 weeks to concentrate just on the half after the comp.

There is a greater risk of injury, of course.

My OH is not at all impressed.

And I might have to actually take a good look at the weighing scales and lose the 3-4k I have put on since my last comp :eek::pac:

juke

Tue 25 - Run, 5.3 k, a bit of a hard slog but job done.

Wed 26 - Gym, Legs, box-squats, weighted back extension, leg extension, calf stretches.

Thu 27 - Wimped out. Got home, tired, knew a run would make me feel better, but the house was empty - a rarest of occurrences, so I chilled instead. Feel only mildly guilty.

That meant 17.3k for the week.

Fri 28 - Leinster rugby game @ RDS, entertaining, first time I've been to a game where play is stopped because the power went.

Sat 29 - Gym, Bench, repeat of last week, it just went a bit better.

Sun 30 - Run, just shy of 11k.

juke

Mon 1 - Gym, pull: deadlifts, one arm row, close grip lat. pull down, bicep curls.

Tue 2 - Hair day, vain attempt to hide the signs of aging.

Wed 3 - Gym, legs: box squats, step-ups, weird negative glute raise thingy's that pull like bejaysus on the hamstrings, calf stretches (in the leg press).

Thu 4 - Run, 7k, felt pretty good. Got out before the expected calf DOMS from yesterday - so tomorrow could be interesting :rolleyes:

I've been thinking about doing the Terenure 5 mile. I had a good look at my splits today (which are all over the place, more to me going faster on the mild descents, slower on the inclines). I'm still so very slow, but I ran 1.5 minutes faster than the same route 2 weeks ago, so that's an improvement. My average split was 7.08 per k and, apart from the last k which is all uphill, I felt grand.

So, I'm thinking, if I fall in behind the 55 min. pacer, I might just be able to keep up. Maybe?

S.L.F.

juke wrote: »

Mon 1 - Gym, pull: deadlifts, one arm row, close grip lat. pull down, bicep curls.

Tue 2 - Hair day, vain attempt to hide the signs of aging.

Wed 3 - Gym, legs: box squats, step-ups, weird negative glute raise thingy's that pull like bejaysus on the hamstrings, calf stretches (in the leg press).

Thu 4 - Run, 7k, felt pretty good. Got out before the expected calf DOMS from yesterday - so tomorrow could be interesting :rolleyes:

I've been thinking about doing the Terenure 5 mile. I had a good look at my splits today (which are all over the place, more to me going faster on the mild descents, slower on the inclines). I'm still so very slow, but I ran 1.5 minutes faster than the same route 2 weeks ago, so that's an improvement. My average split was 7.08 per k and, apart from the last k which is all uphill, I felt grand.

So, I'm thinking, if I fall in behind the 55 min. pacer, I might just be able to keep up. Maybe?

Do the Terenure 5 miler, all the cool kids are doing it.
Its only 20 quid but be prepared for a bit of boredom, they do two loops which although are not identical, they are pretty close.
I imagine being with the pacer group might take that element out of it
since there'll be a bit of chat.

S.L.F.

juke wrote: »

Whilst my power-lifting is secondary to the goal of doing a marathon right now, I still love it. I have decided to try target a competition in July. Both coaches have said yes - which amazed me. Timing isn't great, but it could be worse.

I'll really have to monitor my energy levels, and make time for proper recovery after heavy sessions. I'll have to dial back running in the 1-2 weeks before the comp. and I'll be useless for a week after. But if I get the base work in now, I'll have 8 weeks to concentrate just on the half after the comp.

There is a greater risk of injury, of course.

My OH is not at all impressed.

And I might have to actually take a good look at the weighing scales and lose the 3-4k I have put on since my last comp :eek::pac:

Wheres the competition Limerick?

juke

S.L.F. wrote: »

Do the Terenure 5 miler, all the cool kids are doing it.
Its only 20 quid but be prepared for a bit of boredom, they do two loops which although are not identical, they are pretty close.
I imagine being with the pacer group might take that element out of it
since there'll be a bit of chat.

The cool kids will be miles ahead of me! I entered a good while ago...just second guessing myself really. As for chat - it won't be from me, my energy will be spent on breathing.

Comp. is in Drogheda (AIPO). Haven't lifted with them before.

Fri 5 - 4.2k. Found it very warm. Picked a hilly route, had to stop once to give someone directions - she really couldn't have chosen anyone worse, I struggle with the difference between left and right .

2 insect bites on my face :mad:

22+k for the week.

juke

Sat 6 - Gym, push, same as last week, no better than last week. Discovered how wise it is to bench in the squat rack (for the safety bars), even if it annoys others .

Sun 7 - 12.3k. Beautiful day, just stunning. Body is a bit stiff this evening. I'm putting it down to the tribulations of microwave shopping. Who knew there would be so much fecking choice :eek: Also, even worse, who knew I'd have so many reasons to veto the cheapest ones.

Think I'll start counting weekly insect bites, as well as k's. 1 bite on my shoulder today.