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...