Getting there

The week of the treadmill runs....another threshold. Pushed it for 10km (32:50) and then pulled back a bit and ended up running 13.7kms in 45:07 (3:18's). The last 9 minutes were getting tough - so I took the easy option and lowered the incline and pulled back the speed.

That's about what I was doing in the build up to the half last year so I think I'm getting back to where I was. That's 8 threshold runs completed now in the last 3 weeks and I guess I have to keep building them up until I get back to an hour.

88.4kms for the week.

Busy day

Busy with work and squeezed in another treadmill run in the evening. Pushed it a bit today but still well into the recovery zone. Time 35:57 for 10km (3:36's).

A few beers in the evening.

Yawn

The treadmill runs continue. 10km recovery in 37:09 (3:43's).

Getting it up there

2km up, 10km threshold, 1.6km down. All up 13.6kms on the treadmill.

Getting tougher to get into that threshold zone - a sure sign the fitness is coming back. 33:09 for the 10km.

Out

Outside recovery run 11.1kms in 42:53 (3:52's).

40 mins

A longer treadmill threshold run today. A total of 12kms in 39:47 (3:19's). I felt pretty good up until about 35 mins and then I was hanging on at the end. Heart rate getting up there also - a good bit higher than normal.

All up 16kms.

Back into training

Treadmill 10km recovery run of 37:11 (3:43's). Legs not too bad after the race but pace a bit down on normal so that shows I was perhaps a bit tired.

I had a look at my HR data from the race yesterday. Could do better. I didn't even get into my tempo zone. That's not good.

Tuam 8km

A good crowd for this and pretty good conditions. After a 3.1km warm-up it was time to line up for the start. The horn sounded and Gary Thornton took the lead, with another guy in quick pursuit leaving me back in third.

That soon changed and midway through the first km I had moved up into second with Gary disappearing up the road. That's pretty much how it remained. I felt great for the first 4 kms and I was running sub 3:10 pace feeling like I could hold that for the full 8km. Then we took a few left hand turns and started running into quite a stiff breeze and I decided to slip into a pair of lead boots.

A very tough run home. Especially the long section on the main road. I finished in 25:53 after being 12:30 at 4km so a big positive split. The effort level was consistent but the breeze had me beat today. Still a good result finishing second to Gary who ran 24:34.

A 3.2km warm-down to give me 14.3kms for the day. That time is probably a fair reflection of where I'm at right now. More time needed in that threshold zone to get the strength and speed back up to where it was.

That's 75.3kms for the week. I love racing and really enjoyed that today. I think I need to race a bit more this year.

Well done to Shaun Murphy for winning the Masters. I didn't give him a hope against Robertson in the final and he won easily defeating the Aussie 10-2.

No zone today

Gentle 20 minute run on the treadmill (quite late in the evening). Only 4.4 kms and felt very slow. Tuam AC 8km run tomorrow.

Beer intake suffering due to work

Outside for a change for my usual 11.1km recovery loop in 42:26 (3:49's). Not much else happening - no darts this evening as a busy day of testing tomorrow. Just watching the snooker as you do.

Sub 33

Short of time bit squeezed in a 10km threshold in 32:56 (3:18's). Again a bit quicker and the first sub 33 threshold 10km for a while.

Only 12kms today in total with a short warm-up and down.

Treadmill 1, Bad weather 0

Treadmill recovery 10km in 36:25 (3:39's). Again getting quicker in that recovery zone.

Quicker pace at same effort level

Threshold 10km on the treadmill in 33:10 (3:19's). A bit quicker than last week so getting a bit fitter. Still a long way to go. All up 13kms.

Keep it going

Outside recovery run 11.1kms in 42:14 (3:48's).

Oh no he doesn't.....

Another 10km threshold run in 33:30, All up 13kms with the up/down.

That's 90.9km for the week. Four threshold runs done. I reckon it will be 6 weeks at least before I get back to where I was at the end of November....

Pizza and then the annual pantomime with the kids in the afternoon. Good fun.

Apologies

Treadmill 10km recovery run in 36:51 (3:41's).

Apologies about the infrequent blog updates - no coincidence that me getting busy at work is impacting my spare time!

Masters snooker starts today. Marco Fu hits a 147 to get things underway!

130

Another 10km threshold run today in 33:40 (3:22's). Slower today but felt really tired....

I had to turn out for the darts team as they were short of numbers. I won both my pairs and singles which was a miracle considering I've hardly picked up a dart in the last month. The highlight was a 130 checkout to win my singles finishing on the bull (20-60-50). The highest checkout of the league this season!

Pairs

Myself and Fintan - cold again but lovely for running once you got going. All up 14.8kms in 56:22 (3:49's).

I talked about threshold testing and Fintan couldn't talk...which is nice...

Pattern

Same run as Monday - this time threshold 10km in 33:23 (3:20's). A bit quicker but heart rate a bit higher.

I plan to run 3 or 4 of these a week for a couple of weeks and then start to up the volume (and get back outside on the road).

Chilly

Outside run of 11.1kms in 41:54 (3:46's). Cold but went well and legs didn't feel too bad.

Threshold return

My first threshold run since late November. Being a softy I eased myself back in on the treadmill.

Typical routine. A 2km warm-up, then 10kms at threshold (starting at 1.5% gradient and then lowering to 1% after around 6 or 7 minutes). Then 2km to finish with.

The threshold segment was completed in 33:30 (3:21's). They don't get any easier - but the thing I noticed was that I got in my zone a lot quicker today (around 5 mins). Normally it takes a lot longer so another sign I've gone backwards. But it's a start...

The Flying Scotsman

Outdoors today to finish off the week. A total of 14.8kms in 56:22 (3:49's). My pace has slowed to get into my recovery zone and that's a clear indication that my general fitness has gone backwards. Back into it starting tomorrow...

Watched the darts final in the evening. A great game and really pleased that my tip Gary Anderson won his first world crown. Super viewing.

A couple of three

A short treadmill run of 8kms. Was planning longer but felt very tired. Time 30:26 (3:48's).

No dry January for me this year. A few beers here and there just to keep the joints lubricated.

Last few days of being lazy

Treadmill recovery run of 10kms in 36:28 (3:39's). Legs felt good and didn't feel the race in them at all. Perhaps I didn't push myself enough!

Here are a photos from the slog yesterday (thanks Jane). The first one is just before 2km I'd say. the second photo is at the finish at the Spanish Arch. The third one is the podium. Keith a low 1:50 800m runner and Jamie a 15:04 5,000m runner so not too shabby! I like my race number (think darts).

Resolution Run 5km

Nasty conditions for this run. Wet and very windy. Did a bit of a warm-up and lined up at the start. Lots of young guns to chase so was looking forward to a decent hit-out. The race was soon underway and I found myself in the lead group of 4 running directly into the wind.

I didn't really know the course but that initial starting 800m was very tough. Then we took a left hand turn and then we had the benefit of the wind. I put in a bit of a surge to mix things up but that didn't do too much damage with the group still staying together.

Through 2km and we were running along by the canal. Wasn't feeling great here but wasn't losing any ground and then a few right turns round by the cathedral and the car park. Keith was doing most of the running by this stage and I was hanging on with Jamie also looking good. Perhaps the group was down to 3 by this stage and I know if it came down to a sprint finish I'd be in trouble!

Then the long climb up Shop St and a right turn at Eyre Square. Still not much between us all and I think I made another move around this point but as we passed 4km and took a right hand turn towards the docks. After rounding this corner I was hardly moving. A very tough head-wind and despite a big effort, being over 6ft tall and with wide shoulders I had the aerodynamics of a bus.

Keith took up the running again with Jamie in pursuit with me now in 3rd. Some traffic to deal with and we were single file down a narrow strip of road with cars queueing in traffic. A left hand turn and Keith kicked for home. Jamie went also and I was doing my best impression of a sail in third. Having resigned to finish third I rounded the last corner and detected that Jamie was slowing a bit. I put in one final sprint but Jamie responded straight away so I backed off again and wound down the last 100m to finish 3rd in 15:53. Keith took the win in 15:45 with Jamie in second in 15:49.

Great to have a race instead of a time trial and those times weren't bad going in what must have been close to gale force winds. Well done to Keith and Jamie. That gives me the kick up the behind to get back training now!

All up 10.5kms with warm-up and down.