Yuck and yum

It's been a mixed bag the last few days. Some uplifting moments interspersed with some real discomfort both in running and my personal life.

Thursday brought a tough 8 miler on already tired legs. It probably should have been done at 9:30 pace but as I was running with someone else it ended up being 8-8:30 instead. Yay ego!  Anyway it was uncomfortable but good threshold training so I'll take it!

I took Friday off as I planned to do Naas Parkrun on Saturday morning. Arrived in plenty of time to warm up and was giving the girls there a hand assembling the tables when who arrives as a volunteer only the ex. Awkward!
So began my longest ever warmup for a 5k. Mentally I didn't really have my head in the game after that but finished in a respectable 23:50.  A good effort for a Saturday morning.

The emotional toll caught up with me a bit and I had to take a nap once I got home. Luckily the rest of the day and evening were taken up with a bbq at my friend T's house. It's a bit of a trek there so we stayed over. T has a teen boy close in age to my kiddos and there was another girl there too so they got on like a house on fire after the initial awkwardness. They raved about the night and their newfound friends on the drive home and nothing makes me happier than seeing my kids animated and positive like that. Does my heart good!

After the night of indulgence and little sleep I was sure today's 11 miler was going to be a disaster. Well that just goes to show you can't always tell with these things.

I enjoyed every mile of my run. I had allowed myself to do it as slow as I wanted but ended up nailing my 9:30 average pace with a massive negative split. I felt like I could have comfortably done 5-6 more today without it being a big issue. More of this please!

A lovely rest day

Tuesday was a day off running and as the weather was gorgeous I decided bring the teens out or they would stay inside and gradually turn grey.
We headed off to Emo Court near Portlaoise which was lovely.  We shared a massive slice of chocolate fudge cake from the impressive selection in the coffee shop and then headed off for over an hour of walking in penance.  It was a gorgeous day to be outside in the sun.
After this we drove the short distance to the Rock of Dunamaise.  This ruined castle on a hill was the perfect spot for our picnic and I was left to read my kindle on the blanket while the teens rambled around climbing in an out of windows and generally using their imagination.  All good stuff and a joy to see.  It was one of those lovely moments when all seems well in the world!

I woke up feeling bleugh today for no particularly good reason.  We did a pyramid session at the track which I completed all of so that's four Wednesdays in a row now.  Don't know if I'm getting any faster though.
I suppose a race will tell that? Unfortunately the track is closed for the next few weeks for resurfacing so we will be doing our session at a local football pitch.  Oh well!

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.

So where was I??

Oh yes! I was injured, or pre-injured rather.  That rest seemed to work quite well and I got back to running again last week. I was probably well enough to run by Monday but I had an exam that day and was wiped. (Passed.  Phew!  I get to put AVS after my name on LinkedIn. Something about which nobody cares except me!) and then belatedly brought my daughter to Dublin for the night to celebrate finishing both of our sets of exams. Tuesday I was predictably still wrecked after a busy few days so got back to it properly at the track on Wednesday.

It was the hottest night I've been there so far and I'm proud to say I did the whole set session of 4x400 warm-up/10x90seconds/4x400 cool-down.  For most people it's 10x400 but the whistle always goes before I get all the way round so that's me done at about 330m. I could probably get all the way round maybe three times (and then get sick after) but it's not worth it if I want to do the full 10. When I started in November I was getting to maybe 250-280m and could only do 6 so I'll take it. Hopefully with consistency I'll get all the way round for the full set of 10. And on that night I will buy myself a lone beer in celebration!

Thursday was dinner out with the athletics club girls at a local restaurant that does two courses and a glass of wine for 20 euro. Stuck with that and went home hoarse from talking and sore in the belly from laughing so a good night was had. What a great bunch they are!  I've fallen on my feet there. Oh and I snuck in 5 flat miles by the canal after work before I headed out. Uneventful but a bit on the warm side.

I was lucky enough to spend the weekend in Achill as the guest of a friend and her grandparents. Again, I must say I have absolutely lucked out with the people I have met recently. Everyone has been so positive and generous with their time and seem to want to be out in the fresh air as much as I do. Very good influences all!

Anyway we squeezed in about as much activity as it's possible to while still getting some sleep.
Saturday started with a 5 mile run on the beach.  I followed this up with a cycle from Achill to Mulranny and back with my number 1 son. This was garnished with a side of 3 hours of hiking from Keem beach up to the Shepherds Hut?/Lookout? and along the sea cliffs to the megalithic tombs. This took 3 hours as we took a boggy route back that required quite a bit of zig-zagging.

Oh and we also cycled to the pub and back (only a mile mind!)

Sunday was more of the same only we had to head back early afternoon so we only managed a run to Keem from Keel and a 1.5 hour cycle around the island. Lazy wagons we were.

And then on Monday I ran 8 easy miles and my legs fell off. The end.
Well almost!

A niggle and some enforced rest

So it was all going a bit too smoothly obviously!
After my easy miles Tuesday I hit the track on Wednesday for a hot, sweaty pyramid interval session. I'm glad to say I completed the whole thing which is not always the case. Felt good after it too... No issues.
I should have run easy Thursday and warmed up properly but due to leaving my wallet at work and not realising this until I should have been doing my warm up myrtls I ended up arriving just as the group was about to set off. My calf felt uncomfortable from a mile in and we were running much faster than i was comfortable at. Did I complain or slow down?  Nooo!  I just let my ego take over and kept on running.
On Friday my calf was painful at rest but by yesterday it was only uncomfortable if I tried to run. I had been registered for a local charity 10k "The Run for Ollie" and didn't want to miss it as it's a lovely day.
So I walked it and it was absolutely the right decision.

I feel much better today and will try some easy miles on Tuesday (I'm all over the country by car over the next couple of days so Tuesday may be the first chance I get!)

Maybe the enforced rest will do me good before marathon training starts on June 24th!!

Study and a rest

I awoke yesterday with the full intention of doing some form of recovery run at some point.  It was apparent by the time I walked down the hall to the kitchen that my body disagreed.  Maybe I had overcooked last week with all that mileage? (Relatively speaking....it's high for me!) What to do?  

I've been getting better recently at discerning when I need to listen to my body and rest, and when I'm just being a lazy old sow and get out the door.  My hip flexors were sore, especially on the right, my glutes ached and most worryingly I had no interest in running despite it being quite a nice day.  Also my stomach was upset and didn't want me to stray too far from my apartment.  So I didn't!

I foam rolled and tidied, and foam rolled and ate, and foam rolled and studied for an exam.  Then I ate some more.  Then I cooked for my daughter so she had something delicious waiting for her when she came back from doing exams.  Then I ate again!  I ate a ridiculous amount actually so that needs to stop.  Mostly salad and veggies with hummus (and quite a few spoons of peanut butter.  And a granola bar)  Maybe it's my body getting used to the higher mileage but it's the other direction I need to be heading on the scales so I need to cop on.  I easily have the highest BMI in my running club which is not something I'm about to go off the deep end about but I do know that the fastest way for me to improve my speed would be to lose a couple of stone.  With my history with food I'm unwilling to start counting calories or cutting out food groups but I do have to stop taking the mickey completely too!  Anyway back to work tomorrow so that kind of takes care of itself there as I can only eat what I bring with me.

Anyway I felt much better today and did a lovely easy 7 miler with not too many hills for a change.  Felt brilliant after it (but hungry again FFS!!)

Still miss this place :(

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.