Another DNS!

I should have known when my number didn't arrive in the post as promised that I should just give up on the Aware 10k in the Phoenix Park. Stubbornly I e-mailed the organisers on Friday and was assured I could turn up at the start line and collect a new number. So far so good! Right?

Saturday morning came too quickly and I reluctantly dragged myself out of my warm bed. I'm not one for lie in's but even a toe out of the covers confirmed it was a cold one. I pulled the curtains to see the surrounding countryside liberally dusted in white. Not snow but a hard frost. "At least it's dry and bright and still." I thought, trying to look on the bright side. Perfect morning for a race once I'm warmed up.

An hour later I was wrapped up and ready to go. Or would be once I got the windscreen defrosted. An impatient phone call from a friend J I was giving a lift to got me moving while trying to see out of one portion of my frozen windscreen. "Oh well! It's always a few degrees warmer in Dublin." I thought. Hmmm.

We arrived in Dublin relatively quickly and it wasn't until I went to park the car and it skidded a couple of feet that I realised how frosty it was on Chesterfield Avenue, the main thoroughfare of the park and the road a lot of the race was going to be on. I looked at J and got very worried for the first time that this race wasn't going to go ahead. My confidence wasn't helped by trying to get out of the car on the slippery roads.

Long story short, the race did go ahead but not with me in it. After a number of delays of the start to allow the course to defrost and warnings that the conditions were "very, very, very, very dangerous" (there may even have been another very) I knew this wasn't going to be a PB day for me. Considering that I'm mortally terrified of falling on ice I decided early on I wasn't going to run and encouraged anyone who would listen to do the same. We had already made the donation to charity. Why risk life and limb?

As we were there and dressed a run of some sort was in order so I let the much faster J drag me around on the grass of the Phonix Park for a bit of a cross country jaunt. It was heavy going and my hardish effort is a bit of a jog for him so it was a relief for both of us to get back on the now much safer paths later on for a faster final couple of miles. At least the morning wasn't a total write-off from a training point of view!

The recovery and the (non)plan

I have found the recovery from this marathon a lot more difficult than the last. Perhaps it's that I was able to give everything on the day and that's why I felt so bad after. Or maybe it was drinking shots on an empty stomach and being unable to eat anything but beige food for the next week? Lesson learned (you know I don't mean this!)

Either way I felt like dirt up until early this week and didn't even consider going out for a run. I had done a marathon shuffle around the block a couple of days after the race but that was it. Wednesday I decided with a bit of encouragement to return to the track. Not for a full session but for the company while running around the track very slowly 20 times. Beforehand I was sooo nervous. I honestly wasn't sure if I'd be able to run! Maybe I'd forgotten how to?
Luckily some friends were already there when I arrived so I had a little chat, explained what I was going to be doing and bit the bullet! Of course it was fine and I had a big grin on my face most of the time. So happy to be back!
The rest of the week was a bit up and down. I went out and did 8 miles on Thursday but felt like all the energy drained out of me 3 miles in and I immediately reverted to marathon shuffle. Friday I had planned to take off but it was such a nice day I jogged down to the bank and back, a grand total of two miles.

Saturday was a bit of a drama!
Hiking in Wicklow had been planned for but with the weather being so changeable we decided to take a safe option and meet in Dun Laoighaire and walk from there to the top of Killiney and back. If I had been heading for Wicklow I'd have brought a backpack with lunch, water and many many layers. I thought I was being sensible travelling light with my waterproof and a change of socks. Unfortunately we picked exactly the time when it was bucketing with rain to be in the most exposed areas and got completely drenched to the skin. We sheltered in a coffee house to dry off a bit but when the rain failed to ease off we had no choice but to head out into the pouring rain again. It's so hard to get warm again once your clothes are wet!

The rain did begin to ease on the way back and we were rewarded with this glorious sight.

Double rainbow!!!

I was ridiculously happy about this but then I'm easily pleased.

It probably sounds like this was a miserable excursion but it really wasn't. My friend G is wonderful company and we laughed all the way around.

When we got back to our start point it was time for us to go our own ways so I got on the next Dart to Pearse Street Station to change for my destination. I was cold on this but relieved to be on the way home. Unfortunately when I got to Pearse I found out it was going to be 45 minutes for my train. Noooo! I tried to make the best of this by getting a hot sandwich and coffee to warm me up (and did I mention I hadn't eaten lunch and it was now 4:30? Eejit!) but I must have been a sight in my wet clothes shivering in the station. I'm not sure if the train was just as cold or if I'd now passed the point of being able to warm up by myself but I thought the journey would never end. When I got in my car to make the 40 minute journey home I put the heat on full blast and it took me over half of the journey before I stopped shaking.
Question: So what's the point of this whole story?
Answer: To document the ridiculous things I do so that I don't do them again. What an idiot!!

Got lashed on today too during my 8 miler so that's three soakings this week. It did add up to a fast finish so I can't complain too much.

I'm in the middle of writing my own new training plan to see me through the winter at the moment so I'll get back to that now. Something very satisfying about a new training plan with runs all ready to be ticked off!

Timing is everything

I appear to have some kind of cold with a (prepare for TMI) productive cough. Can't remember the last time I had a chest cold so perhaps I was due one.

I think if it was a couple of weeks earlier or later I'd be in a state but I don't feel like this week after racing the half is the time for making major fitness gains. I took today and yesterday off to give my system a chance to fight whatever this is. I'm not really feeling any better or worse for it so I'm going to go ahead and get my miles in this weekend but at easy pace as long as I feel ok. Sometimes you just need to sweat it out!

Tomorrow should be fun. I'm planning to run ten miles of the marathon course (miles 14 to 24 approx) If this blog isn't updated again it's because I'm still wandering Dublin with a map!

High mileage week!

Well high mileage for me anyway! I'll top out at about 55 miles this week with quite a few of those being marathon pace miles. There isn't that much speed-work on the schedule this week to temper the mileage increase so I'm going to try to do what is there exactly as prescribed. I'm trying out the treadmill at work tomorrow after everyone else has left.  This lets me dial in the session and hopefully just keep the legs turning until it's over. I'm quite looking forward to it in masochistic sort of way.

Conveniently this also fits quite nicely with the real world outside running in that I have to go to meetings in two different schools tomorrow night. Maybe you can see why I'm looking forward to a treadmill interval session now? Anyway getting the run in immediately after work is probably the only way it's going to happen and I hate missing sessions so that is the plan!

Legs feeling good. Fingers crossed, touch wood etc. that I will stay injury free.  Might book a sports massage for later in the week to fend off the evil eye/niggles.  

Time flies!

I can't believe it's been almost a week since I updated this! Lots has been happening and I think it's safe to say that I need to go to the track on a Wednesday night whether I feel like it or not as my mood is so much better after. I was doom and gloom central this day last week!

Thursday was an interesting running day. I turned up on the curragh plains and a couple of the other girls were doing "easy" runs as they had done the track session or tempos the day before. Meanwhile I had a tempo on my training plan.
I decided to use my frequently bemoaned lack of speed to my advantage and let them drag me around in their wake.  Surprisingly this actually worked really well!

We started off with a 9 minute mile but quickly dropped to 8 min/miles for the rest (bar the last one where it was requested that we slow down. Newsflash....that was not me asking!) There were definitely a few segments where I looked down and saw my 5k pace on the watch and freaked out a bit. I stopped checking it and that resolved the problem. What? Is that not how all news you don't want to know should be treated?The takeaway from it was that I was fine and I nailed my first really challenging tempo run.  Yay me!

Friday was a bit of a disaster. I was driving down to Kerry with my kiddos to meet up with friends and climb Carrauntoohil early Saturday morning.  After a refuel I hit the motorway and within about ten minutes knew I was in trouble. You are not meant to be able to actually see the fuel gauge drop. Not while you are looking at it. Not on a tiny diesel anyway! Thank god for breakdown cover is all I can say.

So we spent the night in a hotel and needless to say didn't manage to get the car repaired on time to join the climb.  We did however make it to the evening refreshments though so all was not lost.
I did get to do a 1.5 hour hike with the kids while we waited for the others to get back so that sufficed instead of a run on Saturday.

Sunday morning was difficult due to an amazing self-filling wineglass the night before. Must make sure to never get one of those.
A long walk on Banna beach blew the cobwebs away and was followed by some seafood chowder and my very first raw oyster! The verdict? Not too bad actually.

I hummed and hawed over my longish run all day and pretty much had an excuse made up for myself but then I couldn't think of anything else I wanted to do either so I just got out and did it!. It was a slow burner this one. The legs felt fairly crappy for the first couple of miles and I was having problems hitting 10 minute miles. It was fairly hilly but that's no excuse! And then I just started feeling better. I finished really strongly and felt a kind of power in my legs I haven't felt in quite some time. Due to my total lack of navigation skills this run ended up being 9.5 miles instead of the intended 8, but who's counting? (Me)

I rested on Monday and went for a pretty good 6 miler yesterday and then today I had track. I didn't bring my watch but I felt like I was in a different gear this week. Maybe it's just the day that was in it? Maybe I've just strung together some strong training sessions and it's a coincidence and doesn't mean anything? Perhaps though I have finally gotten off this damn plateau I've been on? A girl can dream can't she?

Truckin' along

An uneventful 5 miler yesterday followed by 3 unscheduled miles with my son got the week off to a good start.  Week three of my plan is supposed to be a slight step-back week with the longest run being an 8 miler on Sunday. This suits me as I'm climbing Carrauntoohil this Saturday weather permitting and the legs will appreciate the lighter mileage.  I'm not sure if hiking gives any marathon specific benefits but it probably better than a weekend on the couch?  Or maybe not.  We will see I presume.

I got my bike back from the ex today so that's good.  If nothing else it will be another way to avoid strength training!  Although I did do about ten squats yesterday and some lunges.  Needless to say my thighs are aching today.

Hot hot hot!

There appears to be a notable lack of races in my calendar for the moment and I feel like I'm missing that a bit at the moment.  Still, there is a lot of training going on!

I was back at the track again on Wednesday for 800's this time.  Only girl doing this workout so proud of myself for sticking with it.  The coach did make me stay back on the 4th one and only do 400 for that as I wasn't getting a full recovery.  Apart from that I completed the session.  So that's three track workouts in a row.  Yay!

Thursday I did 8 rainy miles.  It actually wasn't a bad evening at all once you were already wet.

Friday I met up with my lovely friend N in Galway for a long awaited night on the town.  We had a blast and were proper social butterflies (well we thought so anyway!) For this reason the only exercise done on Saturday was a walk to Sheridans Bar in Knocknacarra for a late breakfast (they serve until 1pm) and much rehashing of our night over sparkling waters.

Sunday I had a long drive to pick up my baby boy in Achill.  So good to have him home!
By the time I got back it was nice and warm and I realised I had forgotten my headphones.  I headed off anyway for a very uncomfortable 10 miles but it's done and they can't all be nice I suppose!

I followed that up with another fairly crappy 5.5 miles in the heat today.  My legs were tired and my lungs were hating the pace.  Probably should have slowed it down a bit due to the heat but never mind. I'm going to run by myself Thursday to keep my pace comfortable after track Wednesday.

Rest day tomorrow and perhaps a picnic somewhere nice.

A lovely Irish morning

Last night I slept well and was greeted with blue skies when I awoke at 7 (early bird...nothing I can do about it.) I was itching to get out for my promised 10 miler and was contemplating sunscreen, visors v's shades, my warm weather gear.  By 8:30 when I was due to leave to meet the running club it was overcast, blustery and ominously dark.   By the time I arrived at the parking spot, chatted and waited for any latecomers it was properly raining and chilly....what was I letting myself in for.  Also there were only 7 minute milers and under so I resigned myself to a long lonely run.  

To be honest I was on my own but I had a good run and it was certainly faster than if I had set out alone. Although I had already decided there wasn't any point in trying to keep up with the others I had decided to try to keep the others in sight as much as possible as I didn't want to be completely on my own and I wasn't sure of the last part of the loop.  I usually do the 8 miler on that loop so the route out past 6 miles I wasn't 100% certain of.  

Once we set off the rain stopped for the moment which was a relief as this part is on grass.....no fun to have wet shoes that early in the game!  It takes me a while to get going so I found the first couple of miles difficult but by 4 miles I was settled and in the zone.  This was good as it then proceeded to lash rain for the next couple of miles.   At this point I was hot so I was getting strange looks from drivers as I grinned like a crazy person into the wind and rain.  What can I say?  I love a rain shower once I'm warmed up! 

I was really pushing it on the hills between 6 and 8, struggling to keep the last of the faster group in view. Luckily I seemed to always just get them back in sight as they were about to round a corner so that kept me moving knowing I was on the right track.  

I got back in 1:30 approx giving me about an 8:30-8:40min/mile pace which I was really happy with considering the wind and how hilly the route is.  I don't fancy doing all my long runs at that pace but nice to know I can manage it without being absolutely wrecked.  When I got back one of the other girls asked me how far I had gone.  I told her 10 miles and she couldn't believe it.  Only the guys and eejit here continued on in the bad weather and did the full 10!  The other two girls had turned off at 6 miles to do 8 instead. Oh well! 

Afterwards I was glad I didn't know as I think it would have made it harder if I knew there was an easy way out.  Need to work on my mental toughness next obviously.  And also not also being last so I know what's going on would probably help too.  

A good weeks running

I'm definitely feeling back in the swing of things here.  While last week was good in that I was consistently running I was also taking multiple naps per day (when schedule allowed) and was generally wiped by days end.  This week I've had energy to burn, which is great as I feel like that sort of gives me the green light to up my mileage a bit.  Doesn't it?

Also I've felt this week has had more quality miles as well as just quantity.

• Monday: Tempo run.  8 miles with 5 at threshold pace.  Was hoping that would be about 8:15 but ended up being neared to 8:30.  I thought straight uphill and into a headwind would be fine.  What? Anyway I worked my ass off for every single one of those miles so I don't care what the garmin says. This was followed by a steak dinner with my visiting parents and then a 2.5 mile walk to get rid of the meat sweats.
• Tuesday: Rest. Or two walks (am and pm) plus some strength work.  It was sunny....definitely a two walk day.
• Wednesday: Pyramid interval session at the track.  Fun!  No really....I think I'm starting to like the track. 
• Thursday: 6 miles with the club.  9 minute miles so faster than I would like for a recovery run but comfortable enough.  Will make up for it with extra slow long run miles. 

Pretty good so far!  

The plan is something short tomorrow 5-7 depending on weather and then long Saturday.  Hoping for 12 miles.  I have visitors this weekend so taking Sunday as a rest day which is good as I'm over-scheduled as hell the following weekend....but in a good way.  Time with new friends, time with my kids and a road race with the club.  Eek!

Wednesday whine

It's not that I particularly hate Wednesdays.  It's more that I hate the thought of going to the track.
Note that I'm quite specific about this.  I don't actually hate doing track work.  I just hate thinking about it. But I went anyway.

Ran down to the track (conveniently located about half a mile from my apartment) Did another mile warm up and then 5x800m at an average of 7.10min/mile and it felt fairly manageable (in hindsight that is.)  Another 400m cool down and then ran home.

And now I'm high as a kite and can't wait for next week.  When I won't want to go again.  Will have to come back here and read this to remind myself.