Injured

This week was a non-starter:

Mon - Rest

Tue - Treadmill easy run 6.0kms 30:42 (5:07’s)

Wed - Treadmill easy 7 x 1km gradually upping the pace

Thu - Treadmill easy run 10.0kms 39:15 (3:56’s)

Fri - Treadmill easy run 10.0kms 46:17 (4:38’s)

Sat – Derry easy run 12.4kms 52:10 (4:12’s)

Sun - Treadmill easy run 10.0kms 41:22 (4:08’s)

Weekly total 55.4kms

Basically I’m injured so very slow running. Nowhere near my heart rate training zones and very frustrating. To be expected after the long relay leg the previous week. If things don’t improve it’s MRI time… 

Round Norfolk Relay

Well this was always going to be a tricky week. I’d committed to running in the Round Norfolk Relay and I was down for an 18 mile leg….

Mon – 2km up, 10 x 1km threshold treadmill, 1.2km down. All up 13.2kms

Tue – Claregalway 9.5km recovery run 36:26 (3:50’s)

Wed – 2km up, 10km treadmill threshold run 31:45 (3:11’s), 1.5km down. All up 13.5kms

Thu - Claregalway 9.5km easy run 41:28 (4:22’s)

Fri – Rest

Sat – Round Norfolk Relay 29.0kms recovery/threshold run 1:46:45 (3:41’s)

Sun – Rest

Weekly Total 79.5kms

The primary concern was the groin. A few threshold runs at the start of the week and it was clear I was going backwards. I had physio Tuesday (nothing they could do) and then a visit to the GP Wednesday (scan required if problem doesn’t settle).

The second concern was the distance. My longest recent run was a half marathon so I’d have to find the extra 5 miles on the day…

I started my run around 10pm and it was quite warm around 17 degrees and also humid. I settled into what felt like 3:30/km pace but it was actually 3:40/km. The groin was sore and I could feel it from the get go. By 10 miles I was struggling; by 14 miles I’d had enough and then it was a long slog home. Overall it was a disappointing run and I was in bits by the end. The groin was very sore and I went home in the early hours of the morning for a few beers and then bed.

No running Sunday – walking was an effort. But a lot of fun was had in the pub watching Spurs win.

I love doing this relay event but just not on good form this year. I'll be back next year to put things right - hopefully in a slightly shorter leg. On a positive I still recorded the fastest stage time of the day. Another trophy for the collection!

Charlestown 10km

A nice easy start to the week:

Mon - Rest

Tue - Rest

Wed - Rest

Thu - Claregalway 9.5km easy run 39:52 (4:12's)

Fri – Treadmill 10.0km easy run 38:28 (3:51’s)

Sat – Charlestown 10km – 32:28 (3:15’s) – all up 14.2kms

Sun - Treadmill 15.0km recovery run 57:45 (3:51’s)

Total for the week 48.7km

I decided to take 3 days complete rest from running to see if that helped the groin. Nothing changed really and after my biggest break from running in yonks I was itching to turn the legs over. I felt okay Thursday and Friday but the intensity wasn’t great…

I took the decision to race at the last minute and it turned into a good day. There was nobody pushing me and my only incentive was to go for the course record (32:32). The conditions were okay – but certainly a breeze to deal with. At halfway I was 16:12 so I had no excuses not to go for it. I ran a good section once hitting the main road for the run home and I thought I’d run 32 low. But the last km seemed to last an age and in the end it was touch and go to break the record by only 4 seconds. Happy with that and I won the race by over 4 minutes.

Groin not happy as a result and I managed a recovery run the next day but certainly in some discomfort…

Galway Lust for Life 5km

Another week completed at a price:

Mon – 10.0km treadmill recovery run 37:11 (3:43's)

Tue – 2km up, 10km treadmill threshold run 31:45 (3:11’s), 1.5km down. All up 13.5kms

Wed – Claregalway 9.5km easy run 37:37 (3:58's)

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

Thu pm – Mayo AC easy 5.4km run

Fri – Claregalway 9.5km easy run 39:16 (4:08's)

Sat am – Galway Lust for Life 5km – 16:48 (3:22’s) – All up 7.7kms

Sat pm – Treadmill 7.3km easy run 30:10 (4:08’s)

Sun – 2km up, 12km Claregalway threshold run 40:40 (3:23;s), 2km down. All up 16.0kms

Total for the week 91.9kms

My groin had been troubling me and the running wasn’t helping. I had some physio on Wednesday and whilst I had some very sore spots, there was nothing obvious wrong with me. Hernia like symptoms but no lumps….

I did the 5km at the racecourse on Saturday morning. Pretty ordinary conditions and I treated it as a threshold run winning fairly comfortably in 16:48. I got to meet Bressie and overall it was good fun.

A decent outside threshold run on Sunday to finish off the week. That certainly didn’t do the groin any favours…

Our 5k male winner! #vhialusstforlife pic.twitter.com/La03IvAg8X

— Fit Magazine (@Fit_Mag) September 3, 2016