It's all about the pace

A couple of belters in here:

Mon - 2.0km up, 12km threshold run 40:00 (3:20’s), 2.0km down. All up 16.0km

Tue am – Claregalway 9.5km recovery run 35:22 (3:43's)

Tue pm - Tuam AC easy run 7.2km

Wed - 2.0km up, 12km threshold run 39:58 (3:20’s), 2.0km down. All up 16.0km

Thu am – Claregalway 9.5km easy run 37:55 (3:59's)

Thu pm - Mayo AC easy run 7.9km

Fri - Treadmill 10.0km recovery run 37:08 (3:43's)

Sat - Rest

Sun – New York Central Park 18.2km easy run 1:11:33 (3:56's)

Total for week 94.3km

Well the 2 outdoor threshold runs were as good as I’ve done. A nice hard effort and ticking along feeling good at 3:20 pace. The Thursday one in particular was great – into a headwind the first 6km and then turned and was averaging around 3:18 pace for the last 6km.

I traveled to New York on Saturday so no run. I ventured out to Central Park on Sunday just to blow the cobwebs off and felt like Dustin Hoffman in Marathon Man. A great place for running – cool conditions, not much breeze and plenty to look at. It reminded me a lot of the Bay Run in Sydney – but maybe better.

A good finish to the week

It felt like I’d run a marathon after the XC:

Mon - Treadmill 10.0km recovery run 37:00 (3:42's)

Tue am – Treadmill 10.km recovery run 36:50 (3:41's)

Tue pm - Tuam AC easy run 10.3km

Wed - Treadmill 10.0km recovery run 36:20 (3:36's)

Thu am – 1.6km up, 10km treadmill threshold run 31:27 (3:09’s), 1.6km down. All up 13.2km

Thu pm - Mayo AC easy run 6.0km

Fri - Claregalway 9.5km easy run 39:01 (4:06's)

Sat - 4.4km up, 10km treadmill threshold run 31:15 (3:08’s), 1.0km down. All up 15.4km

Sun – Treadmill 8.1km recovery run 30:00 (3:42's)

Total for week 92.5km

The legs were in bits for the first half of the week. So I didn’t get a session in until Thursday but that went well as did the run on Saturday. That’s great progress – a real tough effort (the XC) and then the pace for the threshold runs suddenly gets a lot quicker.

Tuam National Inter-Counties XC

The build up to the country:

Mon - Treadmill 10.0km recovery run 36:27 (3:39's)

Tue am – 1.6km up, 10km treadmill threshold run 31:43 (3:10's), 1.0km down. All up 12.6km

Tue pm - Tuam AC easy run 11.5km

Wed - Claregalway 9.5km easy run 38:55 (4:06's)

Thu – 2.5km up, 4 x 30 secs, 8 x 2 mins off 60 secs, 2.5km down. All up 11.3km

Fri - Claregalway 11.1km recovery run 41:41 (3:45's)

Sat - Rest

Sun – National Inter-Counties 10km XC 14^th in 39:20. All up 13.3kms

Total for week 79.3km

The conditions for the country were very sticky. A tough twisty 2km loop with one killer hill. All ground very soft except one section of about 400m where I felt I could actually run. The rest reminded me of my swimming – huge effort but going nowhere. Back to the race – a very poor turnout but a strong team from Galway so a good chance of some bling. The race started and I settled into my running. I didn’t start slow – I think everyone else started too quick. The first lap I was picking off a few runners and my immediate thought was that I wasn’t going to be in the scorers for Galway. After a lap or so I’d picked up several places and my focus was on catching a few Donegal runners up ahead.

My pace throughout was very consistent – within a few seconds each lap. The hill at the start of the lap was a real grind but once up the top and round the corner you had the section I mentioned where I could run a bit. Not much happening apart from plenty of support on the course which was much appreciated. I picked off one Donegal shirt but there was another one I had my eye on. But I didn’t catch him until the last lap. By this time I just wanted it to be over. I managed a strong section and broke away from the Donegal runner and in second half of the lap I started closing in on Mike O’Connor. Another big effort and I went past him as we rounded the last corner for the run to the finish. I just managed to hold him off as you can see from the photo below.

I finished 14^th overall and was 4^th Galway scorer in a time of 39:20. Not my greatest work but it was a huge effort and I was close to a vomit at the finish. Galway won the team gold medal so a huge achievement for the county. My first ever senior medal! A few beers after and home in time to see Spurs beat Man City. All in all a great day.

Maree 8km

Another week, another race:

Mon - Treadmill 10.0km recovery run 35:56 (3:36's)

Tue am - 2km up, 10km treadmill threshold run 31:42 (3:10's), 2.0km down. All up 14.0km

Tue pm - Tuam AC easy run 8.1km

Wed - Claregalway 9.5km recovery run 35:48 (3:46's)

Thu am - 2km up, 4 x 30 secs, 5 x 3 mins off 90 secs, 2km down. All up 9.8km

Thu pm - Mayo AC easy run 3.2km

Fri - Claregalway 14.8km recovery run 54:24 (3:41's)

Sat - Treadmill 10.0km easy run 40:14 (4:17's)

Sun – Maree 8km – 1^st in 27:38 (3:27’s). All up 16.0km

Total for week 93.8km

A good week in the build up to the Maree 8km. A threshold run and a speed session both on the treadmill. The 5 x 3 mins were a real killer and the HR went way north on the last couple of efforts. Hanging on at the end of those I can tell you (2% incline at 2:55/km pace).

The Maree 8km was a tough one. Conditions were very cold, wet and breezy and after a quick first km I settled into a steady comfortable effort. No company and I gradually worked away from the chasing field. The first 4km was all into the wind and then it was time to switch-back and run towards all the runners who were coming in the opposite direction. That was fine but I was on the LHS of the road running through lots of puddles and it was nice to finally take a right turn around by the water for some clean road. Through 5km and then a few tough climbs followed and I cruised the last 3km taking the win in 27:38. I think this picture pretty much sums things up (Thanks to John O'Connor):

I enjoyed it in a strange sort of way and good to save myself for the XC next weekend in Tuam where I've been selected on the Galway Team (they must be desperate!). Also good to see the mighty Spurs flying high in the league!