Backing off

Christmas week:

Mon – 2km up, 10km treadmill threshold run 31:58 (3:12's), 1km down. All up 13.0kms

Tue – Tuam AC easy run 9.2km

Wed – 2km up, 6 x 30 secs, 6 x 3 mins, 1km down. All up 10.0kms

Thu – Treadmill 10km easy run 41:37 (4:10’s)

Fri - 2km up, 6 x 1km treadmill threshold intervals, 2km down. All up 10.0kms

Sat – Treadmill 7.2km easy run 30:00 (4:10’s) then 6 x 30 secs. All up 7.9kms

Sun – Rest

Weekly Total 60.1kms

A nice easy week leading into the Field of Athenry 10km. A speed session on the treadmill on Wednesday where I ran the 3 min efforts at 3 mins/km pace at an incline of 2%. Then took it fairly handy for the rest of the week including a day off on Christmas Day (too much food and drink consumed as per the nom….).

Suddenly it's Christmas....

I really need to vary things a bit….

Mon – Treadmill 10km recovery run 37:30 (3:45’s)

Tue am – 2km up, 10km treadmill threshold run 32:00 (3:12's), 1km down. All up 13.0kms

Tue pm – Tuam AC easy run 7.2km

Wed – Treadmill 7.3km easy run 30:00 (4:07’s)

Thu am – 2km up, 10km treadmill threshold run 31:59 (3:12's), 1km down. All up 13.0kms

Thu pm - Mayo AC easy run 7.6km

Fri - Claregalway 9.5km easy run 39:20 (4:08’s)

Sat – 2km up, 8 x 1km treadmill threshold intervals, 1km down. All up 11.0kms

Sun – Treadmill 10km recovery run 38:30 (3:53’s)

Weekly Total 88.6kms

Consistent mileage and pace getting better. Groin still not right but manageable, I’ve come to the conclusion that the problem is my abductors which are like steel rods and then I’m getting referred pain in the groin. So plenty of foam rolling which definitely helps. I pushed the threshold reps on Saturday working up to upper zone – starting at 19.0km per hour and then working up to 19.7km per hour by the end of the session.

The heavy Christmas socialising has started. Not complaining as I like a pint or two....

Ditto

More of the same:

Mon – Claregalway 9.5km recovery run 36:08 (3:53’s)

Tue am – 2km up, 10km treadmill threshold run 32:27 (3:15's), 1km down. All up 13.0kms

Tue pm – Tuam AC easy run 8.3km

Wed – Treadmill 10km recovery run 37:39 (3:46’s)

Thu – Mayo AC easy run 9.4km

Fri - 2km up, 10km treadmill threshold run 32:07 (3:13's), 1km down. All up 13.0kms

Sat – Claregalway 9.5km easy run 40:04 (4:13’s)

Sun – 2km up, 10 x 1km treadmill threshold intervals, 1km down. All up 13.0kms

Weekly Total 85.7kms

Same total as last week and a very similar week in general. Though there are some improvements in pace for the threshold runs – getting close to 32 mins now for 10km on the treadmill keeping the heart rate lower threshold zone.

Threshold week

More threshold running:

Mon - 10km treadmill recovery run 37:08 (3:43’s)

Tue am – 10km treadmill recovery run 36:42 (3:40’s)

Tue pm – Tuam AC easy run 7.2km

Wed – 2km up, 10km treadmill threshold run 32:26 (3:15's), 1km down. All up 13.0kms

Thu – Claregalway 9.5km easy run 40:04 (4:13’s)

Fri - 2km up, 10km treadmill threshold run 32:17 (3:14's), 1km down. All up 13.0kms

Sat – 10km treadmill recovery run 37:20 (3:44’s)

Sun – 2km up, 10 x 1km treadmill threshold intervals, 1km down. All up 13.0kms

Weekly Total 85.7kms

A slight change of tact with the threshold runs – working a lot more lower zone as the groin is still troublesome so I’m just trying to protect that as much as possible. No more races planned until Dec 26^th so plenty of time to make some progress.

Ballinderreen 10km

More racing:

Mon - 10km treadmill recovery run 38:43 (3:49’s)

Tue am – 2km up, 10km treadmill threshold run 32:42 (3:16’s), 1km down. All up 13.0kms

Tue pm – Tuam AC easy run 8.7km

Wed – Claregalway 9.5km easy run 40:46 (4:17’s)

Thu – 2km up, 6 x 30 secs, 6 x 3 mns, 2km down. All up 11.0kms

Fri - Treadmill 10.0km recovery run 36:30 (3:39’s)

Sat – Rest

Sun – Ballinderreen 10km 32:29 (3:15’s). All up 12.5kms

Weekly Total 74.7kms

Good conditions at the Ballinderreen 10km (my PB course). I ran a good hard controlled effort and won the race in 32:29 (over 45 seconds quicker than Hollymount the previous week). Pleased with that and I can hopefully improve on that at the Fields 10km on Dec 26^th.

Hollymount 10km

A race to gauge the progress:

Mon - 2km up, 10km treadmill threshold run 32:43 (3:16’s), 1.0km down. All up 13.0kms

Tue am – Claregalway 9.5km recovery run 36:35 (3:51’s)

Tue pm – Tuam AC easy run 7.9km

Wed – 2km up, 6 x 30 secs, 6 x 2.5 mins tempo, 2km down. All up 10.0kms

Thu – Treadmill 10.0km recovery run 37:22 (3:44’s)

Fri - Treadmill 10.0km recovery run 36:50 (3:41’s) plus strides. All up 10.7kms

Sat – Treadmill 7.2km easy run 30:00 (4:10’s)

Sun – Hollymount 10km 33:15 (3:20’s). All up 16.1kms

Weekly Total 84.4kms

Very good conditions for the 10km in Hollymount (what a contrast to the prior year). I took it out fairly hard and to my surprise nobody went with me. I’d opened up a lead in the first km and then it was into the old time trial mode to which I’m well used to. The multiple laps are tough mentally but I knew the gap behind was opening up but you can never relax when you have John Byrne hunting you down. I felt pretty comfortable throughout – certainly not redline as the heart rate analysis afterwards showed. I crossed the line in 33:15 for the win so at least that’s a step in the right direction. Next step is to get back into the 32’s then maybe one more sub 32 in the auld legs. Who knows….

Still struggling overall with a few niggles. The groin is still far from right so I have to manage the intensity with that. Plus I still have a sore blister on the ball of my foot. I can tell you that once you hit 45 the body just falls apart...

Treatment week

Mon - Claregalway 9.5km recovery run 36:06 (3:48’s)

Tue am – 2km up, 8km treadmill threshold run 25:25 (3:11’s) then 5 x 400m, 1.0km down. All up 13.0kms

Tue pm – Tuam AC easy run 8.8km

Wed – rest (massage and podiatrist visit for dead skin removal!)

Thu – 2km up, 10 x 1 km treadmill threshold run, 1.0km down. All up 13.0kms

Fri - Treadmill 8.0km easy run 35:56 (4:00’s)

Sat – 2km up, 10km treadmill threshold run 32:43 (3:16’s), 2.0km down. All up 14.0kms

Sun – Claregalway 14.8km easy run 1:00:46 (4:06’s)

Weekly Total 82.1kms

Nothing too flash in there. I had a very sore blood blister on the ball of my foot so I went to the pod for some skin removal. Not pleasant but something I’d recommend for any runner as the feet feel great afterwards.

Corofin Winning Ways 8km

Trying another race to gauge progress:

Mon – 2km up, 10km Claregalway threshold run 34:49 (3:29’s), 2.1km down. All up 14.1kms

Tue – Athlone easy run 7.9km 35:47 (4:32’s)

Wed – Claregalway 14.2km recovery run 54:00 (3:48’s)

Thu – Mayo AC easy running 11.3kms

Fri - 2km up, 10km treadmill threshold run 31:54 (3:12’s), 1.0km down. All up 13.0kms

Sat – Treadmill 8.0km easy run 32:30 (4:04’s)

Sun – Corofin 8km – 27:35 – all up 12.9kms

Weekly Total 81.4kms

A tough first half to the race into a strong breeze but I managed to work away from the field and had opened up a nice gap. I tried to push the second half but had no pace and despite the win it was a very disappointing run. I thought I'd break 27 with ease but I was nowhere near it. So not really the confidence booster that I was after!

My 100 wins

Road Races	Dist KM	Date	Time	Ave KM
Monivea 5km	5.0	13/06/2010	00:16:28	00:03:18
Headford 8km	8.0	10/07/2010	00:26:08	00:03:16
Oughterard 10km	10.0	22/08/2010	00:33:24	00:03:20
Galway Half Marathon	21.1	29/08/2010	01:11:54	00:03:25
Galway Bay Half Marathon	21.1	02/10/2010	01:13:39	00:03:30
Corofin 8km	8.0	14/11/2010	00:26:17	00:03:17
Carnmore 6km (Turkey Trot)	6.0	12/12/2010	00:19:52	00:03:19
Resolution Run 5km	5.0	01/01/2011	00:15:51	00:03:10
Clarinbridge 10km	10.0	23/01/2011	00:32:44	00:03:16
Castledaly 10km	10.0	29/01/2011	00:32:48	00:03:17
Kilconieron 5m	8.0	13/02/2011	00:25:46	00:03:12
Maree 8km	8.0	13/02/2011	00:26:03	00:03:15
Athenry 5km (5km series)	5.0	03/05/2011	00:16:10	00:03:14
Tuam 5km (5km series)	5.0	10/05/2011	00:15:45	00:03:09
Craughwell 5km (5km series)	5.0	17/05/2011	00:15:45	00:03:09
Carramore 10km	10.0	21/05/2011	00:32:46	00:03:17
Claregalway 5km (5km series)	5.0	24/05/2011	00:15:48	00:03:10
Spiddal 8km	8.0	29/05/2011	00:27:06	00:03:23
Dangan 5km (5km series)	5.0	31/05/2011	00:15:58	00:03:12
Loughrea 5km (5km series)	5.0	08/06/2011	00:15:55	00:03:11
Annaghdown 10km	10.0	21/06/2011	00:32:41	00:03:16
Swinford 8km	8.0	31/07/2011	00:25:41	00:03:13
Claregalway 10km	10.0	13/08/2011	00:32:58	00:03:18
Oranmore 5km	5.0	24/08/2011	00:15:41	00:03:08
Claremorris 5m	8.0	27/08/2011	00:26:04	00:03:14
Coastal Charity Challenge	21.1	04/09/2011	01:13:30	00:03:29
Hollymount 10km	10.0	13/11/2011	00:32:47	00:03:17
Resolution Run 5km	5.0	01/01/2012	00:16:34	00:03:19
Maree 8km	8.0	12/02/2012	00:26:22	00:03:18
Connemara Half Marathon	21.1	01/04/2012	01:14:30	00:03:32
Colemanstown 10km	10.0	07/04/2012	00:32:22	00:03:14
Claregalway 5km (5km series)	5.0	08/05/2012	00:15:45	00:03:09
Balla 8km	8.0	19/05/2012	00:26:01	00:03:15
Craughwell 5km (5km series)	5.0	22/05/2012	00:15:56	00:03:11
Monivea 5km	5.0	10/06/2012	00:16:23	00:03:17
Annaghdown 10km	10.0	21/06/2012	00:32:38	00:03:16
Claremorris 5m	8.0	26/08/2012	00:26:06	00:03:15
Ballina 4m	6.4	14/10/2012	00:21:52	00:03:24
Carnmore 5km (Turkey Trot)	5.0	03/12/2012	00:16:01	00:03:12
Maree 8km	8.0	10/02/2013	00:26:19	00:03:17
Kinvara 10km	10.0	02/03/2013	00:32:57	00:03:18
Colemanstown 10km	10.0	30/03/2013	00:33:39	00:03:22
Connemara Half Marathon	21.1	07/04/2013	01:19:29	00:03:46
Labane 10km	10.0	20/04/2013	00:33:21	00:03:20
Monivea 5km	5.0	08/06/2013	00:16:13	00:03:15
Annaghdown 10km	10.0	21/06/2013	00:32:49	00:03:17
NUIG 8km	8.0	12/10/2013	00:26:30	00:03:19
Corofin 8km	8.0	03/11/2013	00:26:11	00:03:16
Abbeyknockmoy 4m	6.4	17/11/2013	00:21:10	00:03:17
Carnmore 5km (Turkey Trot)	5.0	08/12/2013	00:16:06	00:03:13
Maree 8km	8.0	09/02/2014	00:26:46	00:03:21
Gort 8km	8.0	16/02/2014	00:26:04	00:03:16
Kinvara 10km	10.0	01/03/2014	00:32:50	00:03:17
Abbey 10km	10.0	16/03/2014	00:34:10	00:03:25
Kilmovee 10km	10.0	19/04/2014	00:32:20	00:03:14
Labane 10km	10.0	21/04/2014	00:33:49	00:03:23
Tuam 8km	8.0	11/05/2014	00:26:11	00:03:16
Mayfly 10km	10.0	24/05/2014	00:33:43	00:03:22
Tuam 5km (5km series)	5.0	03/06/2014	00:15:23	00:03:05
Monivea 5km	5.0	07/06/2014	00:15:48	00:03:10
Headford 8km	8.0	05/07/2014	00:25:55	00:03:14
Claregalway 10km	10.0	23/08/2014	00:32:57	00:03:18
Oranmore 5km	5.0	27/08/2014	00:16:09	00:03:14
Breaffy 10km	10.0	12/10/2014	00:31:59	00:03:12
Carnmore 5km (Turkey Trot)	5.0	07/12/2014	00:15:52	00:03:10
Ballinderreen 10km	10.0	14/12/2014	00:31:42	00:03:10
Gort 8km	8.0	15/02/2015	00:26:19	00:03:17
Kilconieron 5m	8.0	22/02/2015	00:27:22	00:03:24
Kilmovee 10km	10.0	04/04/2015	00:32:17	00:03:14
Killimordaly 5km	5.0	12/04/2015	00:16:21	00:03:16
Labane 10km	10.0	20/04/2015	00:33:22	00:03:20
Run for Boylo 10km	10.0	26/04/2015	00:31:53	00:03:11
Belclare 10km	10.0	03/05/2015	00:32:46	00:03:17
Mayfly 10km	10.0	24/05/2015	00:32:56	00:03:18
Annaghdown 10km	10.0	21/06/2015	00:31:58	00:03:12
Irishtown 8km	8.0	28/06/2015	00:27:29	00:03:26
Headford 8km	8.0	04/07/2015	00:26:27	00:03:18
Beagh 10km	10.0	12/07/2015	00:33:13	00:03:19
Balla 10km	10.0	25/07/2015	00:33:42	00:03:22
Claregalway 10km	10.0	22/08/2015	00:32:24	00:03:14
Oranmore 5km	5.0	16/09/2015	00:15:51	00:03:10
Breaffy 10km	10.0	11/10/2015	00:32:43	00:03:16
Tuam 8km (Bert Gillard)	8.0	18/10/2015	00:25:22	00:03:10
Hollymount 10km	10.0	15/11/2015	00:33:11	00:03:19
Carnmore 5km (Turkey Trot)	5.0	06/12/2015	00:15:38	00:03:08
Clarinbridge 10km	10.0	03/01/2016	00:33:20	00:03:20
Ballinderreen 10km	10.0	24/01/2016	00:32:27	00:03:15
Maree 8km	8.0	07/02/2016	00:27:30	00:03:26
Streets of Castlebar 5km	5.0	14/03/2016	00:15:57	00:03:11
Craughwell 10m	16.1	20/03/2016	00:52:56	00:03:17
Ballinrobe 10km	10.0	16/04/2016	00:32:06	00:03:13
Labane 10km	10.0	17/04/2016	00:33:17	00:03:20
Athenry 5km (5km series)	5.0	31/05/2016	00:15:32	00:03:06
Castlehackett 8km	8.0	12/06/2016	00:27:54	00:03:29
Annaghdown 10km	10.0	19/06/2016	00:32:44	00:03:16
Claregalway 10km	10.0	20/08/2016	00:32:59	00:03:18
Galway Lust for Life 5km	5.0	03/09/2016	00:16:48	00:03:22
Charlestown 10km	10.0	10/09/2016	00:32:28	00:03:15
Tuam 8km (Bert Gillard)	8.0	16/10/2016	00:27:40	00:03:28
Moylough 10km	10.0	16/10/2016	00:35:31	00:03:33
Total	870.4			00:03:19

New targets

Continuing to build things:

Mon – 2km up, 10 x 1km treadmill threshold reps, 1.0km down. All up 13.0kms

Tue am - Treadmill recovery run 10.0km 37:55 (3:48’s)

Tue pm – Tuam AC easy running 7.0kms

Wed – 2km up, 10km treadmill threshold 31:44 (3:10’s), 1.0km down. All up 13.0kms

Thu am - Treadmill easy run 7.0km 30:00 (4:17’s)

Thu pm – Mayo AC easy running 6.5kms

Fri - 2km up, 10 x 1km treadmill threshold reps, 1.0km down. All up 13.0kms

Sat – Claregalway 9.5km recovery run (3:49’s)

Sun – Claregalway 14.8km recovery run 57:19 (3:52’s)

Weekly Total 93.8kms

Groin gradually improving but it's a slow process. Apart from that I'm working on my snooker. A few practise sessions down the club doing line-ups and a couple of centuries hit. My goal is to hit a ton in open play (playing someone in a proper game) by the end of 2017.

Turning the corner

Another week and slowly making progress:

Mon – Treadmill recovery run 10.0km 36:31 (3:39’s)

Tue am - 2km up, 10km treadmill threshold 31:29 (3:09’s), 1.0km down. All up 13.0kms

Tue pm – Tuam AC easy running 3.8km

Wed – Claregalway 9.5km easy run 39:44 (4:11’s)

Thu am - 2km up, 10km treadmill threshold 31:26 (3:09’s), 1.0km down. All up 13.0kms

Thu pm – Mayo AC easy running 1.3kms

Fri - Claregalway 9.5km easy run 38:14 (4:01’s)

Sat – 2km up, 10km treadmill threshold 31:24 (3:08’s), 1.0km down. All up 13.0kms

Sun – Claregalway 14.7km easy run 1:01:32 (4:11’s)

Weekly Total 87.8kms

Some half decent treadmill runs but they flatter you – nothing like what I’d be doing on the road. The groin still isn’t great and I’m not up to much on my in-between session days. Still I’m hanging in there and I’m sure things will click soon.

Win #100

Another landmark but boy am I on struggle street:

Mon – 2km up, 10km treadmill threshold 31:56 (3:12’s), 1.0km down. All up 13.0kms

Tue am - Treadmill recovery run 10.0km 36:45 (3:41’s)

Tue pm – Tuam AC easy running 3.8kms

Wed – 2km up, 10km treadmill threshold 31:40 (3:10’s), 1.0km down. All up 13.0kms

Thu am – Treadmill easy run 10.0km 39:53 (3:59’s)

Thu pm – Mayo AC easy running 3.7kms

Fri - 2km up, 6 x 30 secs, 4 x 3 mins, 3.2km down. All up 10.0kms

Sat – Treadmill easy run 7.0km 30:00 (4:17’s)

Sun am – Bert Gillard 8km 27:40 (3:28’s)

Sun pm – Moylough 10km 35:31 (3:33’s) – all up 21.kms for the day

Weekly Total 92.0kms

I ran the 8km in Tuam at 10am and I wasn’t pushed so I took it fairly easy and won by a decent margin. I then jumped straight into the car and drove to Moylough which was about 15 minutes away. Just time to register and I lined up for my second race of the day. Again nobody to challenge me which was good as I wasn’t up to much. The race was tough for the first 5km but I managed to push the second half a little more to chalk up the second win of the day.

That second race was my 100^th win since moving to Ireland (based on races where official results were released). I’ll put up the full list when I get a chance but that’s not a bad record in just 6 years!

Still not running well though – I’ll keep plugging away and see if I can get back into form by the end of the year…

Jog on

Back to the drawing board to work on getting some fitness back:

  

Mon – Treadmill recovery run 10.0km 37:36 (3:46’s)

Tue - 2km up, 10 x 1km treadmill reps building up to threshold, 1.0km down. All up 13.0kms

Wed – Claregalway 9.5km easy run 38:14 (4:01’s)

Thu am - 2km up, 10km treadmill threshold 32:46 (3:16’s), 1.0km down. All up 13.0kms

Thu pm – Mayo AC easy running 3.0kms

Fri - Treadmill recovery run 10.0km 36:46 (3:41’s)

Sat – 2km up, 10km treadmill threshold 32:22 (3:14’s), 1.0km down. All up 13.0kms

Sun – Claregalway 14.8km easy run 38:14 (4:03’s)

Weekly Total 86.3kms

Nothing special to report in there – just trying to work up through the gears a little without aggravating the groin.

Galway Bay 10km

The plan this week was to up the intensity a little:

Mon – Treadmill easy run 8.0km 32:25 (4:03’s)

Tue - Treadmill recovery run 10.0km 37:52 (3:47’s)

Wed – 2km up, 10 x 1km treadmill reps working up the pace, 1.0km down. All up 13.0kms

Thu am - Claregalway 9.5km easy run 37:39 (3:58’s)

Thu pm – Mayo AC easy running 3.7kms

Fri - Claregalway 9.5km easy run 39:55 (4:12’s)

Sat – Galway Bay 10km 34:36 (3:28’s). All up 12.1kms

Sun – Rest

Weekly Total 70.0kms

Groin still sore but improving slowly. I did a half session on Wednesday and then just easy runs before the race on Saturday.

It was a decent field and in the first km I tried to go with the leaders. Through the first km in 3:08 and I was off the back in 4^th spot. From then on the top 3 disappeared up the road and I was left in no-mans land. The pace kept dropping and by 5km I was struggling and the second half was a bit of a slog. Thankfully nobody caught me and I crossed the line in 34:36 for 4^th spot. The top 3 were all 31 low which was great going.

Out later that evening with the Tank Driver who was over from England. Lots of beers later we ended up in the Roisin Dubh watching the Frank and Walters. On Sunday everything was sore and it was a rest day (followed by another visit to the pub)....