Back to the grindstone

Time to get off that treadmill - from Thursday onwards:

Mon - Claregalway 9.5km recovery run 35:52 (3:47's)

Tue - 2km up, Treadmill 10km threshold 32:22 (3:14's), 1.6km down

Wed - Treadmill 10km recovery run 36:15 (3:38's)

Thu - am: 2km up, Claregalway 12km threshold 42:02 (3:30's), 2.1km down, pm: Mayo AC easy 4.7kms

Fri - Claregalway 9.5km recovery run 37:29 (3:57's)

Sat - Claregalway to Tuam 22.8kms 1:43:33 (4:32's)

Sun - 2km up, Claregalway 14.4km threshold 50:04 (3:29's), 0.9km down

Total 103.5kms for the week

A couple of outdoor threshold runs in the second half of the week. Good to be back. I felt good on the Sunday run and the watch was playing up so I suspect the pace was a bit quicker than shown. A couple more weeks like this and I'll be flying.

Claregalway 10km

Here's another week:

Mon - 2km up, 10km treadmill threshold 32:15 (3:14's), 2km down. All up 14.0kms.

Tue - Am - 10km treadmill recovery run 36:36 (3:40's), Pm - Easy 6.8kms Tuam AC

Wed - 2km up, 10km treadmill threshold 32:17 (3:14's), 2km down. All up 14.0kms.

Thu - Mayo AC cruise intervals (threshold) - all up 12.6kms

Fri - Claregalway easy 7.0kms in 31:08 (4:27's)

Sat - Claregalway 10km 1st in 32:24 (3:14's). All up 15.1kms.

Sun - Claregalway recovery run 14.8kms in 56:04 (3:47's)

Still not a great week - too much treadmill running but no other option with the kids being off school. A total of 94.3kms.

Perfect conditions for the Claregalway 10km, I took it out quick and felt great up until half-way (under 16 minutes). Then I struggled all the way home (with Jason not far behind keeping me very honest as you can see below). I'd say that time is a fair representation of where I'm at currently - hard work now required to get back under 32 minutes.

 

Holiday in Donegal - training suffered!

I have this to report:

Mon - Treadmill recovery run 10.0kms in 36:42 (3:40's)

Tue - Tuam AC easy running 12.3kms

Wed - Gortahork recovery run 13.3kms in 54:22 (4:05's)

Thu - am: Marble Hill easy beach run 4.4kms, pm: Gortahork recovery run 10.0kms in 39:34 (3:57's)

Fri -  Gortahork recovery run 11.5kms in 45:33 (3:58's)

Sat - 2km up, 10km treadmill threshold run in 32:24 (3:14's)

Sun - Claregalway recovery run 14.8kms in 56:50 (3:50's)

Total for the week 90.3kms

Another crap week so time to get back into it. We had a great time in Donegal and the weather was good. Some fantastic scenery but very hilly for running. Arrived back in Galway on Saturday and decided to do my first threshold run in 3 weeks. It was tough but I survived. The pace wasn't great so I've definitely gone backwards but that's to be expected.

Next week I'll be back proper training. There is the Claregalway 10km on Saturday evening so I'll use that to see where I'm at.

The Streets of Galway 2015

The week that was in a nutshell:

Mon - Claregalway recovery run 11.1kms in 44:05 (3:58's)

Tue - Tuam AC easy running 8.6kms

Wed - Treadmill recovery run 10.0kms in 37:42 (3:46's)

Thu - Mayo AC easy running 10.9kms

Fri - Claregalway easy running 9.5kms in 38:20 (4:02's)

Sat - Streets of Galway 8km 25:25 (3:11's). All up 14.0kms.

Sun - Rest day

Total for the week 64.1kms

It's fair to say I had a pretty easy week leading into the Streets of Galway! The legs weren't right after the half so a few easy days were certainly called for. The weather on the drive in to the city didn't look good - very wet and windy and not what you'd want. Still that didn't put people off with well over 2,000 people lining up for the start.

I had another one of my shocking starts (not paying attention) but soon got into my running with a quick first km (3:01). The second km is a bit tougher as you climb up to Eyre Square and at this point I was in 4th position with the top 3 disappearing up the road in front of me. Running around the Cathedral I was joined by 2 other runners - one from Finn Valley (Gerard Gallagher) and a fellow GCH athlete (Mike O'Connor). A good second km also (3:10) and then it seemed to get a bit tougher - maybe the wind was a factor?

Our group stuck together until around 4km where we took a right hand turn up to Devon Park. A tough climb and that left me and Gerard to fight it out for 4th position. My plan was to hang on until we got down on the prom and then I'd look to push for home with a quick final 2km.

The pace had slowed and I was pretty much running 3:15's for kms 3 to 6 but upon hitting the prom the pace lifted with the benefit of a strong breeze on the back. Still running side-by-side with Gerard and I tried a few token surges which were quickly covered off. Upon reaching the 7km mark (3:06) I then tried to lift the pace but I was on the limit and there was nothing in the legs. By 7.5km I was toast and I had to sit-back and watch Gerard work a gap of a few metres. That last stretch seemed to last forever and I kicked for the line to finish in 25:25 (a 3:03 last km) to end up in 5th place.

A PB of 11 seconds but to be honest that was soft as I've run quicker than that at the 8km mark of a 10km race. But I'll take it! I'd say there is more there on fresher legs and maybe in better conditions - next year! That said I really enjoyed that and it was great fun to be racing properly and pushing yourself to the limit. I checked the heart rate data and that's the highest I've put my heart rate in any race before - maxing out at 159.

I received fantastic support on the course and I'd just like to thank everyone who gave me a cheer - it certainly makes a difference! Here's a photo of me looking a little worse for wear before the race!

The week of the National Half Marathon

Well it wasn't the week I was after but you only get out what you put in!

Here goes:

Mon - Claregalway recovery run 9.5kms in 36:48 (3:52's)

Tue - 2.5km up - 20 x 30 secs at 10km pace, 2.2km down. All up 8.0kms.

Wed - Treadmill recovery run 10.0kms in 35:53 (3:35's)

Thu - Easy 8.3kms with Mayo AC

Fri - Easy treadmill run 6.8kms in 30:00 (4:25')

Sat - Rest

Sun - National Half Marathon 12th overall and 1st in Age Cat 1:10:45

I knew I'd gone off the boil a little the last couple of weeks - too busy with work and Dad was over so there were a fair few visits to the pub for some darts and fun. Plus the Galway races on the Friday - not ideal preparation! I lined up for the race and felt good - conditions were calm and there was a good crowd. Settled into my running and felt great the first couple of kms. Then we turned off the quay and a short-sharp hill really knocked me and I seemed to struggle a bit thereafter. That was pretty much the pattern of the race - a good couple of kms and then struggling for a while. Very patchy and I just couldn't settle into a rhythm. The course wasn't great but I was still going well at 10km (32:50) and I was running solo by this stage. There was a horrible straight section as we worked towards the Phoenix Park and I just couldn't get going - this continued as I entered the Park and I was struggling to run 3:30's on a narrow path. Then we took a left turn and I managed to lift the pace for a good couple of kms. With 2 miles to go I knew I still had a chance to break 1hr 10 but it just wasn't happening and it was back to struggle street. Very strange as there was no middle ground - some good, some crap. I crossed the line in 1:10:45 which was still a good run but I know I can do so much better than that. In speaking with others it seemed that most people struggled and not many were pleased with their times. Maybe the humidity was a factor? Plus a tough course? Who knows but I must say I won't be rushing back if I was chasing a time. Still another National title and I only missed my PB by 15 seconds so when you look at it like that it wasn't all bad.

Me outside a pub. Pretty much sums it up:

Only 64.7kms for the week. I'll take it easy next week and see if I can pull something out of the bag for the much loved Streets of Galway 8km.

Lots of fun Sunday lunchtime onwards as me and the old man hit the pubs of Dublin. I was certainly hitting my straps on the drinking front....