The main thing is keeping the main thing, the main thing

Friday 10th: Was running around Porterstown when I spotted an old team mate and current dog walking buddy :) - Done a few miles with him and headed home.

I can remember being home and thinking how incredible I felt for this stage in training - not as tired as normal and after Wednesdays session - the thoughts of doing a Sat session didn't phase me (normally leave an additional day recovery).

My wife was due to get her booster shot at 6.30pm - and she rang me to say that he had additional boosters due to No Shows - he lives on my road - so he dropped by on the way home to give me my booster - My 1st thought was - what impact will this have on my running!

I was due to go out on Sat night and had a family thing on Sunday along with wanting to watch EuroCross. So it was going to be tricky as the only day I had for the long run I had planned was Sat.

6m / 8.30 pace

Saturday 11th: I woke up feeling fairly good - but waited til 2.30 to head out, to make sure I had more time with nutrition and to make sure I was ok after the booster. All felt ok - the plan was for 5/4/3/2/1 at MP - and to get 20miles in.

My warmup miles were in the 7.30's - so I was convinced a good day was on the cards.

I started the MP miles from Whites gate - going down Chesterfield. The 1st thing I noted was how bl00dy warm it was - I was sweating early doors - (1 mile!)

After a couple of miles at MP - the effort was too high so I said I'd do some kind of fartlek - after about 20mins at MP - 3+ miles (6.15/6.21/6.21) - I had to stop and run easy - At this point - I should have went home. But didn't - because plans are plans!

I done about 5 mins at 7 min miles and then tried again - 6.13/6.24 and then stopped again and ran a half mile steady before going again for another mile (6.27). At this stage I was nearly 8-9 miles in and said I'd run the rest steady/easy.

The next few miles were horrible - the booster really kick in (in a bad way) - I had no phone with me so couldn't ring home to get a lift. I remember thinking how sore my feet felt from the pounding and my legs were really paining me at this stage.

A guy passed me at Garda HQ and I used him as a target - this got me 2 miles at 7.07/7.19 and then I took 2 miles easy enough to Laurel Lodge were the wheels cam totally off.

I had 16 miles done at an average of 7.02 pace - this was only a 'highlight' as the run was peppered with stops - I had done 6 miles at pace (or faster) in the run- so all was not lost.

The walk/run/slog from Laurel Lodge to Home was a 2 mile run - I think only 1 mile is on Strava as I was in a bad way - walking - stopping - jogging - stopping - walking.

Finally made it home - spent 30 mins in a shower to try to get warm, puked in the shower, went to bed for 2 hours. Ended up not going out as Wifey was also in a bad way.

But ended the evening with an amazing pizza and a couple of glasses of wine as the body came around nicely.

Not my finest moment overall.

On the plus side - I've had my booster.

17m total.

Sunday 12th: Legs were fairly tired and sore - so didn't run - watched all of Euro cross on the TV as the pre-planned family event was pushed out by a couple of hours (in hindsight I could have ran on Sunday). What a great Euro Cross it was.

Some thoughts (oversharing AMK setting up 3 pages of debate :) ):

(1) Some bad behavior creeping back in due to Strava led internal pressure - I must watch that or take another Strava break.

(2) not every long run has to be a huge long run with stuff. - Its ok to run easy during long parts of your long run.

(3) I have 10 weeks left to seville - plenty of time to get 20 milers in.

(4) And most importantly - I'm running Seville to get motivated to run over the Winter - I dont need to PB - I dont need to do the most insane training ever - I just need to be careful - I need to trust my plan (JD / CRU Plan / Steve Way) - I cant 2nd guess it.

I have something in my head that a run such as (using this as an example of my current thoughts) 2WU/4x1m Tempo / 8m Easy/ 4x1m Tempo/2CD is an 'Easy Workout' - when it is anything but.

Back on the positive horse this coming weeks.

yeah - one of the plans I have is a 2.40 plan from Cru (theres another one developed by James Cottle that I also have). Its heavily leveraged from JD and I'm pulling sessions from that as well.

Must take another read of SMoores log.

Monday: I'm working US hours this week - so can get out in daylight hours.

Lovely 7m down to the canal, back into the park and home. Nice.

7m/8.10 pace

Tuesday: A few laps in Porterstown listening to the interviews from Eurocross on Runnerbeans.

7.2m / 8.15

Wednesday: Tempted to do a session - but was online til 2am last night and also have a creak in my neck so didn't want to push it. Also due down week soon anyway.

Decided to see how disciplined I could be with a longer easier run (an MLR) - lovely route down the canal to Phibsboro, War Memorial Gardens, Back into the PP and home. The pace was the pace - happy that it stayed around 7.30's for the majority without too much forcing it.

Wore my new pair of NB TC's - My other 2 pair have over 300+ miles on both.

15.4m / 7.30 pace - a disciplined performance :)

Monday: A few miles down to the PP and back up to a small park beside Castleknock Train Station - 6x20sec strides and then home the long way.

7.3miles.

Tuesday: Session day - Planned session was 3x15min progressive - actual session was 5x1m at 10k pace.

This may sound weird to some but I was lacking a little confidence going into this as I hadn't done long Tempo reps since prior to Jinglebells. The booster impacted long run, a down week, working US hours all providing very valid excuses as to not have effective training at 'real' tempo' pace.

So I changed the session from 3x15 mins (plan was to run them at 6:20 / 6:10 / 6.00) to 5x1m at a slightly faster pace (10k pace). I had a plan B that if I was suffering after 3 reps - I'd do either a MP run or some 3 mins Reps.

In hindsight - I needn't have worried and would have been more than capable for the original session.

I ran 5m Easy to CK gate (ave 7.40 which was nice) - then started into the 5 reps (4 around the 2m loop / last one down to the Zoo).

My target was 5.50 pace but knew that anything under 6 would be acceptable as well - based on effort.

Session went as follows;

5.53 pace (1 min rec) / 5.51 (1 min rec) / 5.49 (2min rec)/ 5.51 (2min rec) / 5.49 (Note - there was a headwind on the North Road, so no real benefit going downhill :) )

Was delighted with that and it gave me a good confidence boost - normally with 10k paced reps I'd give 2-3 mins recovery - so happy with how it went.

I felt fantastic after the mile reps - my 'cool down' from the Zoo to home is 5 miles - all uphill - all my paces were under 7.30/mile and got a bit carried away at one stage with a 6.40 mile.

Happy with how I felt - fitness is definitely there, I just need the head to believe it (which it does now)

15miles (ave 7.09)

Friday 31st: Met some running buddies in Howth for a run around the block. I considered not going and doing a session, but when do I get the opportunity for such a scenic run with good friends!

1st part up through the houses is a tough one and you really get the heart going! I wore the trail shoes, thankfully, as parts were really wet and mucky.

The uphill after the lighthouse was another toughie and really tired the legs even more.

Overall a great run - really enjoyed the company.

8miles.

Sat Jan 1st: Had a fresh head this morning as I was well behaved on NYE - Board Games with 2 19 yr olds and 2 21 yr olds are so much fun - seriously.

Although my daughter does make a mean Pornstar Martini.

Ran down to the PP to watch some of the Tom Brennan 5k - legs were a bit tired after the Howth run yesterday.

7m / 8.10 pace

Sunday 2nd Jan: Session:

Planned session was 2WU / 2x2m Tempo / 10 Easy/ 2x2 Tempo / 2 Easy - but the windy morning changed it a bit.

I had planned to meet some lads for the 10m Easy bit at 9am - so was up at 7. Coffee and toast - a few leg swings etc - took care of the stomach :) and drove to the PP.

2.3m WU with strides and I could tell the gusts would be troubling. Decided to run the tempos as 4x1m as opposed to 2x2. Even at this is was tough - I was conscious that I had another 16 miles after the tempos - so didn't want to leave myself too cooked.

4x1m Tempos were: 6.04/6.02/6.03/6.15 and I made it back to CK gate to meet the 2 lads.

10 miles were at a decent clip - the 2 boys are sub 2.50 guys (1 just getting back from injury) - but they kept the pace honest - the parts into the breeze were terrible - couldn't hear ourselves talk at times. I made it back to CK gate knowing that my legs were in no fit state to run tempos.

I changed it to a straight MP run - I tried to run at slightly faster than MP - but I guess you can say it was probably faster than MP effort. The important thing was that I ran at a harder effort than the 10 miles - and it is quite difficult to get the legs moving at a faster pace when they've become accustomed to a set pace for 75 mins.

The 3 miles were 6.25/6.29/6.38 - the last one into that fcuking wind.

2 miles back to the car and felt in great nick actually - the hammy twinged a bit on the cool down but didn't cramp.

21.2 miles (7.20 ave pace) - 2 hr 35mins time on feet.

More numbers:

71 miles for the week.

Finished December with 250 miles.

Finished 2021 with 2743 miles (4414km).

3x20 milers done - 7 weeks to go.

Monday 3rd: 6 miles around the locality - I was out on Sun evening and was a very bold boy (the 'boldest' I've been over the holidays) - but felt great today.

I recall after 4 miles making a decision to either turn for home (2 miles) or run an additional bit (4 miles) - I probably should have ran the additional as I felt great and knew I'd be 'tireder' on Tuesday.

That said - I made the decision based on the big session looming on Wednesday - no point getting fatigued on easy runs.

6m / 8.20 pace.

Tuesday 4th: 4m warm up / 6x30 secs strides / CD.

Done what it said on the tin - was tired today - the strides were progressive.

6.5m total.

Wednesday 5th: Session: 2E/8m MP/1E/2x2mTempo / 2E (See Swashbucklers log for explanations :) )

I got nutrition/Hydration bang on - decent 2 breakfasts (double porridge 7am / 2 boiled eggs 10am / Pasta & chicken 1pm).

For the session I decided to wear the AlphaFlys - really to test them out and see where they'd fit and if I'd consider them my Marathon shoe.

Set off at 4.30pm on a 2m WU before getting into the MP stuff. My MP should be around 6.30's - so that was my guideline.

After about 2m of MP I was considering changing the AF's as I was passing my house. Didn't like them - they felt terrible - I wasn't confident cornering in them, they felt very unstable.

But I kept them on and kept going - recalling my 1st time wearing the original 4%'s - I hated them too but now they are possibly my all time favourite shoe.

The 1st mile or so at MP was difficult - but I knew once I settled and found the rhythm that it would be grand - and thats what happened.

The 1st 4 miles brought me to Laurel Lodge - - I was a bit worried about the later part of the session given the quicker paces - but was starting to warm to the shoes.

The mile to the park was dodging people and traffic and then I knew the next 3 miles were on a downhill, so I let the pace creep up a bit. Felt great on finishing and felt I didn't need the 1m recovery prior to the tempos. But still took it.

(6.34 / 6.19/6.19/6.14/6.28/6.14/6.17/6.18) - a solid 8 miles.

1 mile easy was a 7.42 and then onto the tempo on the usual 2m loop.

The tempo went fantastic - I felt very strong on them (5.57/6.07) & (6.01/6.03) - for the 2nd one I looped away from the 2m loop and kept going straight up Chesterfield and finished up on Whites road.

At this stage I checked my watch and was gobsmacked to see 15.25m at 6.34 pace - I immediately saved that as its something I'll look back on prior to the race as a confidence builder.

1.75 miles home - felt grand on the jog home.

17 miles total - not bad for a cold Wednesday night with a headlamp in the PP. (& a pair of noisy AF's that act as a beacon to sound my arrival - Jaysus those yokes would wake the dead)

Regarding the shoes - I now have a decision to make on the marathon - I know the Next % will work - but I really did feel great in the AF's once I got used to them. Maybe I'll do a session in the AF's soon just to get a comparison.

It reads like you go straight into in - in fairness - I felt like I could go right into it.