0 - 0

Same run as yesterday. 10km in 33:06. 14kms in total. That's 3 threshold runs on the spin so new territory for me.

Out in the evening for a game of darts with the old man. I won 13-11 and played well. Then we watched the end of the football. Yawn.

7 - 1

Back to the treadmill. Same old same old. Time 33:14 for 10km. Plus another 4km up/down.

Watched the Brazil v Germany game in the evening. Nice to see a few goals!

Experiment

A nice day outside so decided to try a threshold run outdoors to see how the pace compared to my hamster wheel runs. A 2.7km warm-up and then ran the Claregalway 10km course. Started well and within my threshold zone after a few minutes. Then after 3km I faded a little and was running at the bottom of my zone. Pace was slowing and I crawled home the last few kms to give me 34:49 for the 10km.

So about 10 seconds per km slower than the treadmill. Perhaps today wasn't the best day to do this as I'm probably not fully recovered from the race on Saturday. And there is the temptation to back off when running on the road which you can't do on the treadmill unless you slow down the speed. I'd say the real difference would be around 6 to 7 seconds per km slower on the road. Will try this again at a future date to see.

I finished up with a 2.6km warm-down. All up 15.3kms for the day.

Snooker in the evening. Hammered the old man and played okay in patches. Kept missing silly balls though for the big breaks so no 50's today...

In the 80's

Recovery run to blow out the cobwebs. All up 14.8kms in 57:50 (3:54's). Not feeling particularly great - can't think why...

Meal out with the family in the evening.

All up 87.7kms for the week. Back on track now for some proper training.

Headford 8km

Out to Headford with the old man and whilst he was doing a pub crawl in town, I was getting ready for the race. A lovely evening with a bit of a breeze and a good crowd for the 10th anniversary of the event.

I took it out hard from the start up through the town and by the time we made the first left turn I was way out front on my own. Then a nice flat section along the main road and I continued to run strongly maintaining 3:10/km pace. Just before 4km there is another left turn and that's where the course gets a bit tougher. I was a bit disappointed with my splits for the next few kms and I backed off a bit but then started to work harder for the last couple of kms. The 7th km has a very nasty hill as you climb up to the water tower but once you get on the main high street it's a nice run home. I crossed the line in 25:55 for the win.

All up 12.5kms for the day. A good hit-out in preparation for the Streets of Galway where I'll be going all out for sub 25:30.

Joined my Dad in the pub and we decided to stay in Headford for the night whilst showing off the new trophy. All in all a very enjoyable evening!

30

Easy 30 minutes today as racing tomorrow in Headford. Total 7.6kms (3:57's). On the treadmill again as the weather was very wet...

Out in the evening for a game of darts and a few pints. I was leading my Dad 11-10 and we had to surrender the dartboard. A shame as we were both playing well and I think it would have gone the distance...

Slow running...

Short on time so squeezed a recovery run in on the treadmill. Started slow and gradually upped the pace for the first 4km, but ended up running the last 6km in sub 3:40/km pace whilst in my recovery zone. All up 10.0kms in 38 minutes on the knocker.

Sad news

No surprise today what my run was. A 10km threshold run in 33:14. Deliberately held back a little running mid to high zone. All up 14 clicks with the bits either side.

Very shocked to hear the news of Robbie Mathews. A very talented athlete who I lined up against only last year in the national 10,000m. Sincere condolences to his family and friends.

Sub 33 just

2km up, 10km threshold 32:59, 2km warm-down. All up 14kms. Really hot today and was running right at the top of the threshold zone. A tough run but felt good at the end. More of the same tomorrow.

Out in the evening for a few beers and a game of darts. I won 10-7 but the standard was pretty ordinary.

Refreshed

A warm day and ran the Thursday route solo to give me 14.8kms in 57:15 (3:52's). Felt pretty good and the legs certainly felt fresh.

I have my coach coming over from England in a couple of weeks time to host a lactate threshold testing day. That should be fun and I dare say we'll be having a beer or 2 afterwards...

Another 60km week

Another day of no running. Lots of travel back to Galway and that was about it. Didn't even bump into any famous people at the airport...

That's 60.8kms for the week. The fun has ended and time to knuckle back down into a few decent weeks of training.

Belgian Wedding

Got up and had a wobble around the village. A total of 8kms in around 36 minutes feeling very ordinary. A lovely part of the world mind, very clean, and lovely scenery. Back to the B&B to get changed, before a quick visit to the pub, then onto the church, then the reception. I managed to pace myself a bit better today and stayed on the beers nearer the 5% mark.

Here's a photo of me playing a rather strange game of billiards. I didn't have a clue about the rules...

More travel

Off to Belgium today for a wedding. I was hoping to squeeze a run in but we got stuck in traffic in Brussels which put pay to that. Instead it was a family meal and getting familiar with the Belgian Beers. Started on Duvel (abv 8.5%) and finished up on the Trappistes (abv 9.25%). That stuff is rocket fuel and I was in a world of hurt the next day...

Oh yeah, bumped into this guy at Dublin Airport (one of my fave players). Had a quick chat and got my photo taken. He was travelling to Oz for the Australian Open:

Bad then good

Early morning run with Fintan and Owen. I was struggling big time - no energy which I put down to a lack of carbs. Glad to finish in 1:01:03 for the 14.8kms (4:07's).

My Dad is over at the moment so we went out for a game of darts in the evening. I won 15-13. Happy with that as I haven't played in an age.

10km threshold #2

Same run as yesterday. This time I ran the 10km in 33:10. Bloody hell these sessions are tough at the moment with the weather being warm. No chance of me getting up past 10km at the moment - just don't have the mojo...all up 14.0kms.

10km threshold #1

2km up, 10km threshold, 2km down. Sweating buckets and completed the 10km in 33:03.

Progressive recovery

Back on the treadmill. Started off with a slow couple of kms and by the time I hit 2km I was running at 15.0kms/hour pace. Then each minute I upped the pace by 0.1kms/hour. I didn't get into my recovery zone (HR 131) until I was up to 16.7kms/hour (3:36/km pace). Then the rest of the run at the pace (just over 10 minutes). All up 10.0kms in 38:10. The rest from running must have done me good.

Ouch

Travel with a hangover. Got home around 5pm and went straight out for a meal with the family. No running again.

That's 66.5kms for the week...

Headingley

Met with some of the old Uni gang at the cricket. First beer at 11am and kept drinking right through until 2am doing my best Peter Barlow impersonation. No running as you'd expect so the 147 day running streak came to an end. Nice to catch up with some guys I haven't seen in almost 20 years. Where does the time go?

10km threshold

Pushed it today - was feeling good and the heart rate was slow to rise and I managed to run the entire 10km without having to lower the pace to keep inside the correct heart rate zone. I was right at the top of the zone for the final few kms and managed to run the 10km in 32:45. Not bad for a training run. All up 14.0kms with the up and down.

Travel to Dublin in the evening for my flight to the UK in the morning.

England out

Early morning run with Fintan. The pace was a little slower than the norm and knocked out the 14.8kms in 1:00:56 (4:07's). Nice run mind and perfect conditions. Knee behaving really well the last couple of days (kiss of death).

I went into town in the evening to watch England play (read not play). Total bobbins. Hopefully Italy slip up tomorrow and put us out of our misery.

Spain out

Threshold run. 2km up, 10km threshold in 34:06, 2km down. Took it easy at the lower end of my training zone as it was bloody hot. Even with the fan on full blast I will still sweating buckets. I'll get one more of these runs in on Friday and that will be that.

Watched Spain get knocked out of the world cup whilst having a few beers. Need to click out of holiday mode...

Back home

Day of travel back to Galway. Lovely weather on arrival - same heat as in Portugal. I did a 9.5km recovery run (topless) in 36:26 (3:50's) so not too shabby.

Last Day

Final day of the holiday. Another repeat session - it didn't seem there was any wind today and I ran to the lighthouse about 2 minutes quicker than before (28:54). Then the threshold run on the return leg. Actually there was a bit of a breeze which you don't notice when it's on your back. Still a decent run back in exactly 4 minutes quicker than the outward leg (24:54). Overall 53:48 for 14.2kms (3:47's). The return leg was around 40 seconds slower than yesterday - but in my book it was a better run today as 3:30's into a breeze when it's close to 30 degrees is good going.

A spot of food poisoning in the evening which resulted in me driving the porcelain bus. Not pleasant. I'm blaming the shellfish and definitely not the beer....

7.1

Encouraged by the run yesterday I decided I'd do the same again. This time it was a slightly different route through town to the lighthouse but pushed it all the way home on the return leg. Round numbers out in 31 minutes, home in 24 minutes. So another 7.1km in the threshold zone. All up 14.2kms in 55:42.

The watch recorded a new 5km watch PB as part of the return leg (16:45). That's 3:21 per km so ticking over nicely. Average heart rate was 145 for the final 7.1kms and I think I need to start doing more of the threshold running on the road when  I get back to Ireland.

That's 93.3kms for the week. Damage limitation whilst on holiday to counter the additional intake of food and beer. At least I managed a bit of threshold running the last few days. Hopefully fitness has at least been maintained.

And the run streak continues. I think that's 142 days now. I can't see that continuing next weekend as it's a university reunion in Headingley for the cricket. There are some big hitters in attendance so watch out the Otley Road...

6km threshold

I decided I needed to try a bit harder with the holiday training so I did the lighthouse run, and pushed the return leg for just under 6km. I felt pretty good. Okay it was all downhill with wind on the back but I did at least get in the threshold zone for the guts of the 6km. Then an easy last 5 minutes back to the apartments. All up 14.4kms in 56:50.

Had a good drink in the evening watching the England game. I thought we played really well and deserved something out of the game. I've no problem losing if we at least play well. I still think they can qualify and it has been a really enjoyable World Cup so far.

Toasty

Same run as yesterday. I left it a but later to try and run in slightly cooler conditions but it was still bubbling hot. Another 14.4kms in a slower 1:00:52 (ave HR 126). Clearly I wasn't pushing it enough.

No chance of threshold running here. I'd last 5 mins max. Enjoy the easy stuff.

I watched Holland shellack Spain. Drinking beers that came in 200ml bottles. Like drinking out of a thimble. Lots of shuttle runs to the fridge...

Lighthouse

I ran from Sagres to the lighthouse and back which I think is the most south westerly point in Europe. All into the wind and uphill on the way out, but a nice run home even though I was dehydrated by this stage. All up 14.4kms in 59:28 (4:08's). Much better than yesterday and just managed to keep the HR in the recovery zone (ave 131).

A few beers and watched the Brazil game before falling asleep during the second half...

Gone to seed

Tried a run here. Managed 10.8km but was blowing all the way. Time 53:00 so just under 5 minute kms. A bit of a reality check. No treadmill here, no track, just lots of sun and Super Bock. The easy running might be a blessing...

Portugal

Managed to squeeze in a recovery run in the morning. All up 11.1kms in 42:08 with average heart rate at 133. Well under 4 minutes per km as is the norm these days.

Off to Portugal in the afternoon with the wifey sans kids. Should be 7 days of fun!

Buckets

Back into the threshold running. 10km in 33:30. Didn't feel great but had a good sweat. All up 14 clicks with the up/down.

Damp

A recovery run. Halfway round and got proper soaked - the rain was Sydney style. All up 15.4km in under the hour. Pace was around 3:50/km.

That's 86.7km for the week. Any week that contains a PB is a good week in my book!

Monivea 5km

Fond memories of this race being my first ever win in 2010. Today was my 5th running of the event and I was looking forward to a good hit-out to see how the legs were.

Around 3kms warm-up and then lined up for the start. The course had been modified slightly this year - it was mostly the same route as before but in reverse. They'd also cut-out the loop around the green at the start by adding in another section in the woods.

We started and I hit the lead. I thought I'd give the first km a rattle, hopefully make a break and then keep it nice and steady to the finish. Well that wasn't to be. Through the first km and another guy was still with me. As we hit the forest trail I moved over and let him take up the running. It wasn't someone I recognised so I decided to shadow him and wait for the last section on the road.

The trail is nice and flat but you have to watch your footing and there are a fair few twists and turns. Through the next couple of kms and I could sense that the other guy was working harder than me. That said, I wasn't feeling great myself but I stuck to my plan to attack on the road section.

We hit the road and I stretched out the legs. I felt tired but managed to open up a little gap but it was one of those breaks where you never felt comfortable that you'd done enough. At 4km I was perhaps only 5 seconds in front and I knew the last km was going to be a tough one with a few uphill drags. It sure was a killer run home but I'd saved a little and by the time I could see the finish line I'd done enough and I crossed the line for the win in 15:48.

It turns out the guy in second was over from America and he trains with the Atlanta track club. Just goes to show you never know who's going to pop up at these races. Not the easy win I though it would be and looking back I seemed to be hurting more today than on Tuesday. Happy with the time - my best time here previously was 16:06 so nice to comfortably beat that today. Average heart rate today was 155 with a peak of 162 so I was certainly working out there.

A couple of kms warm-down to give me 10kms for the day. Very enjoyable all round and well done to Tony and all the organisers for a great event.

Forgetful

Just an easy run today in preparation for the Monivea 5km tomorrow. A 9.5km local loop in just under 40 minutes (can't remember the exact time). I'd say around 4:10/km pace.

The World Cup of Darts started today. A World Cup that England have a good chance of winning (they've won it the last 2 years).

A couple of beers in the evening.

Nice

Early morning run with Fintan and Owen. All up 15.0kms on a lovely morning for running. That's 3:58/km pace so a tad quicker than yesterday.

The legs still don't feel great. The plan is to race again on the weekend so no threshold running this week...

Deterioration

I ran with Fintan to shake out the legs. I actually felt pretty good until the last couple of kms where the tiredness started to creep in. All up 14.8kms in 59:11 (4:00's).

Snooker in the evening. It was the opposite to brilliant. The running has clicked but the snooker has turned awful...to make matters worse the legs got worse as the day progressed. That race must have taken a fair bit out of me.

Tuam 5km

Arrived with plenty of time to spare. After picking up my number I ran a few kms warm-up with John who was looking for his first sub 16. Conditions were windy - but it looked like we get the worst of it out of the way at the start of the race with the benefit of the wind coming home. So not too bad.

All the guys were there - and the usual banter at the start line. The horn suddenly sounded and I got a terrible start. That probably wasn't a bad thing though as it gave me a bit of time to settle into my running. There was a group of half a dozen or so at the front, and none of us were prepared to take it on running directly into the wind. At the km marker I checked my watch (3:13) and I wasn't happy with the split so I made a split second decision to drop the hammer. I took off like a scolded cat running flat-out with the benefit of some downhill sections and I immediately broke away. I ran hard up to 2km with a split of 2:49 and then there was the realisation that I still had another 3kms to go...

The third km was good ground but all gradually uphill. It felt tough going and I guess I'd paid for the huge burst in the previous km. At 3km (split 3:13) and feeling a little better I started to lift the pace again as the road flattened out. As we approached the main road there is a very nasty 200m climb up to the 4th km (3:10). From there on it's a lovely run home - downhill or flat. I really attacked the last 500m and crossed the line for the win in 15:23 with a 2:57 last km. New PB!

Some great times out there tonight - congrats must go to John and Owen who both broke 16 for the first time and I knew many people ran their quickest times of the series so well done if you clocked a new PB. I'm delighted with my own performance but I know there is still more to come. It may be time to get on the track to see if I can get close to the magical 15 minute barrier...

Here are a couple of photos  - one just after the start and one of me approaching the finish:

All up 12.5kms with warm-down. A couple of beers to celebrate when I got home as you never know when a PB could be your last!

Not knowing

Easy run today - just my short local loop of 9.5kms in 39:44 (4:11's). Well short of my recovery zone averaging around 125 heart rate. Nice to take it really easy for a change.

Thoughts turn to the race tomorrow. No idea what time I'll run - I'd say I'm in PB shape but the lack of speedwork worries me a little for the shorter distance of 5km. Should be a good crowd with some decent guys at the pointy end which is what you want.

Curry #2

Another recovery run. I felt great today and it felt like I was running at a quicker pace than yesterday but that wasn't the case. A total of 12.6kms in 49:05 (3:54's). Average heart rate 132.

Followed by a few beers and a home made curry. I could eat curry every day...

A total of 91.8kms. Not my greatest week - struggled with the 2 threshold runs and didn't hit my target for the km reps. The plan is to race the 5km on Tuesday so I guess that will show exactly where I'm at...

Curry #1

Recovery run today - I used the Thursday route and gradually cranked up the pace. A total of 14.8kms in 56:16 (3:48's). Average heart rate 131 so just in my recovery zone (131 to 142).

It wasn't so long ago I'd be happy doing that run in 65 minutes. It's incredible how much my cruising pace has improved the last couple of months.

A few beers in the evening and a home made curry.

3 x 1km

Early morning massage to free up the knee. A very painful 45 minutes that I won't get back. But in all fairness the leg felt great after.

A big afternoon session - 3 x 1km off 5 (five!) minutes! Again I couldn't make track so it was to be an all out affair on the treadmill. A did a dynamic warm-up which had me running the last 2kms of my 4km warm-up at well under 3:30/km pace. That's to get the heart rate primed and ready for action.

I set the treadmill to 20.0km/hr on a 2% incline and that's where the fun started. The first one was okay but after just one minute it was very hard going. The heart rate peaked at 156. The second one was very patchy - great one minute, awful the next, and the last minute seemed to last an eternity. Heavy breathing at the end and the legs were like jelly - max heart rate 158. The third one I was close to stopping - too many negative thoughts but somehow kept it going and I think I touched 160 on very drunk legs. So better than last week but still not into my interval zone of 162+. So another fail!

Spoke to the coach and I'm still not strong enough for this session. So I have to increase the length of my threshold runs by another 10 to 15 minutes. Insert lots of swear words!

All up 10.0kms for the day.

Out in the evening for a meal with the wife and kids. Fish and chips and a pint of Guinness. That was easily the best part of the day.

Record numbers

Five of us this morning for the 6:35am start. Myself, Fintan, Owen, Jason and Sean. Perfect conditions and a good clip - all up 14.9kms in 1:01:12 (4:06's). Job done.

More darts to watch in the evening - no Premier League, this time the Dubai Masters. James Wade played really well but lost 10-9 to MVG. Good to see Wadey back and in good form.

More struggling

Hot again, and perhaps tired. Through 10km in around 34 minutes and stopped at 12km in 41:15 (3:26's). Well over a minute slower than the same run last week. Umm.

Snooker in the evening. I played okay - a few breaks, and I was on a maximum for 10 balls (40 break) before running out of position. Next time.

Struggle St

First threshold run of the week. I didn't feel great from the off - heart rate was running high - that could be due to tiredness, or the heat as it's suddenly cranked up a few degrees. Anyway, it was a struggle and I stopped at 10km in 33:43 (3:22's). All up 14.0kms with the warm-up/down.

Course

I just managed to squeeze a quick run in - 9.5kms in 36:03 (3:48's). All well within my recovery zone.

The rest of the day was spent on a CPR course. A very useful experience and I recommend this course to anyone - the staff at Croi House were excellent.

Peaking

A recovery run - 11.1kms in 41:45 (3:46's). I was ticking over very nicely so it seems that 3 threshold runs and a speed session in 5 days hadn't taken too much out of me...

That's 95.9kms for the week. Really happy with how things are going at the moment. I'm definitely breaking new ground when it comes to my fitness, and I'm looking forward to testing myself in a race soon.

Nice also to get the new venture up and running!

Mayfly 10km

I was eating breakfast and looking to see what time this race was on thinking it was tomorrow. Wrong - it was today! So a quick change of plan. Talk about poor planning - not a good idea to race the day after a speed session, and perhaps one too many beers last night...

A 45 minute drive to Oughterard for the race. A lovely town on the way out to Connemara. The usual registration and a couple of kms warm-up, and it was time to line up for the start. A nice cutting of a green ribbon just before we were underway to help raise awareness for suicide prevention, and then we were all off and racing.

The plan was to take it fairly handy and try and stay in my threshold zone. The first km was friendly enough, some ups and downs but nothing too taxing. The second km had a big climb, and then a nice downhill. Lots of climbing through kms 3 and 4 and by this time the course was very exposed to the wind. By 4km I had opened up a nice lead, and then the course became much more friendly with a long downhill section.

At 5km we switched direction and the wind was now on the back. The last 5kms were predominantly flat and I was feeling great. I was averaging well under 3:20/km sitting bang in the middle of my threshold zone. I picked up the pace a bit for the last couple of kms but the heart rate still didn't touch 150.

I crossed the line in 33:43 for the win and I couldn't believe my time for the second half of the race (16:20) - especially with the feeling that I had another couple of gears. Happy days.

A couple of kms warm-down, then a burger and a hot dog from the excellent post race BBQ. Then I had to dash to get back to the family! All up 14.0kms for the day.

Here are the splits:

3:15 / 3:28 / 3:41 / 3:42 / 3:17 (17:23) / 3:16 / 3:17 / 3:21 / 3:13 / 3:13 (16:20)

Total 33:43

The only downer is my dodgy left knee but I've learnt to put up with that the last year. Well done to the organisers - another great event on a challenging course! Everyone I spoke to seemed to have fun!

4 x 1km off 3 mins

Well it was time to try and get the heart rate to rocket with some quick km reps. After a 3.2km warm-up I set the treadmill to 2:55/km pace for the first effort. I felt pretty good for the first one, but the heart rate was nowhere near where it should have been (target 162+).

The recovery felt like forever and I cranked up the pace for the second one to 2:53/km pace. Still felt good, although the last 30 seconds was a little tougher - but still the peak HR was way short at around 155.

More of the same - pace now up to 2:51/km for the 3rd. I was definitely blowing a bit harder this time, and I think I got up to around 157/158 - but a fail as far as the session was concerned.

The last one I went up to 2:49/km pace. Again harder still and the HR this time went to 158/159. But still not pushing myself like it was intended.

Lesson learnt - this type of session needs to be done on the track. Or if you do stick to the treadmill then get the incline up. So a bit of a fizzer. I've got some speed though so need to get out there for a race. I may have a look on the calendar to see what's around on Sunday...

All up 11.0kms with the 3.8km warm-down. Then more warming down with a few beers.

Barney

Today it was myself, Fintan, Owen and Sean for the early start. It was cold and damp and a few people - I won't mention any names - had double layered! All up 15.0kms in 1:02:06 (4:08's). Not quick enough to get into the recovery zone but it was nice to take it easy for a change.

A few beers in the evening watching the final of the Premier League darts. My tip Anderson lost 8-7 to Van Gerwen in the semis and was a little unlucky. Barney finally beat the Power to set up and all Dutch final. Thank god Barney went on to win - that MVG is getting on my chimes lately so nice to see him put back into his box.

Good/bad

12km threshold today in 39:58 (3:20's). Much easier today an went through 10km in around 33:15 and I don't think the HR went above 150 all run. Still getting fitter!

Snooker in the evening and pretty ordinary. Getting worse!

10 then 5

10km threshold in 33:35. Wasn't feeling great today - hanging on at the end. More good runs than bad lately so I guess you have to take the rough with the smooth. All up 14kms with up/down.

I watched the 5km race in Claregalway. Good to see Owen take the win in 16:25 on a tough course. Conditions turned out perfect after lots of horrible weather. I'm looking to have a hit-out in Tuam in 2 weeks time so looking forward to that!

A week with a twist

A recovery run to start the week. Nice to have Fintan for company and we ran the Thursday route. A total of 14.8kms in 58:05 (3:55's). A little surprised it was that quick so a good sign.

The change to the Claregalway 5km course turned out to be a red herring. I still plan to go out and have a look as it's only a few hundred metres from my doorstep.

The twist is that I plan to do a speed session this week. And it will be at a killer intensity. The session is 4 x 1km off 3 minutes and I basically run them at my maximum pace which I'm guessing will be somewhere around 2:55 per km. Sounds like fun.

Another gallop

Another treadmill threshold run. A total of 12kms in 40:17 (3:21/km). Again I felt pretty good which was a bit worrying as I'd had one too many sherberts the night before. Through 5km in 16:29 and 10km in 33:26. All of these sessions in quite hot conditions and with my heavy clogs on...

All up 16.0kms with the other bits.

That's 100.7kms for the week. A decent weekly total and average pace around the 3:45/km mark. I feel I need to pick a target 10km race now and go all out for the sub 32. If anyone has any suggestions for a race that fits the bill then let me know - quick/flat/good field. And yes I'm prepared to travel!

The initial response to the new business has been very encouraging. So thanks to everyone who has supported me. Some appointments already in the calendar and looking forward to putting a few people through their paces!

Not sure what the plan is for next week. I've heard a rumour that the course for the Claregalway 5km on Tuesday has been changed to effectively remove the nasty hill at the start. Is that wishful thinking or has it been confirmed? I might be tempted to have a hit-out if that's the case!

New Venture

A repeat of the Thursday run. Very windy out there and seemed to be copping it from all angles. Time 58:16 for the 14.8kms (3:56/km).

And the exciting news is my new venture. I am now offering VO2 testing in Galway at my home studio. Here's a link to my Facebook page so please like and share and help spread the word:

https://www.facebook.com/fitnessanalytics

Initially I will be able to provide a treadmill based VO2 test. I will be adding a lactate threshold test at a later date. I'm not sure where this will take me but down the line I would also like to offer the same sports tests on a cycle. As you can see from my blog I have taken to the sports testing and the data it provides in a big way. My revised training and recent race performances have been encouraging and this resulted in a new 10km PB of 32:20 just last month. It works and I'm living proof!

Please direct any enquiries through my FB page or alternatively you can email at:

fitnessanalytics@outlook.com

So that's why I've been doing lots of treadmill running lately as Santa brought me a new treadmill for Christmas!

Repeat of Tuesday

A bit short on time so just the 10km threshold on the treadmill. It was a hot day and I was dreading it a bit but once I got going I felt great. I went through 5km in 16:36 and only slowed a little the second half to reach 10km in 33:27. All well within the correct HR zone. A total of 14kms with the up/down. That's 3 thresholds done this week and I dare say I'll squeeze another one in over the weekend (no plans to race).

A few beers will be had now and then some exciting news for the weekend. Watch this space...

The Flying Scotsman

Early morning run with Fintan and Owen. The pace gradually cranked up and we were running sub 4's by the end. All up 14.8kms in 59:04 (3:59's).

Good to see Fintan back after struggling with injury the past couple of months. He'll soon be cranking out the sessions and maybe a return to racing for the Streets?

A couple of beers in the evening watching the darts. The semi-final line-ups have now been decided for next week. I still fancy Anderson to win it...

Threshold Snooker

14km threshold run on the treadmill in 40:40 (3:23/km). I felt really good today - helped by taking the top off and having the windows open to let some air in. Air conditioning would be nice...

Snooker in the evening. I played okay - highest break 42.

Here we go again

I eased back into the threshold runs today - 10km on the treadmill in 33:57 and 14kms all up.

Several people have been commenting that I look lean at the moment. The scales don't really confirm that - I've certainly lost a bit since Christmas. It must be the old muscle weighs more than fat thing.

Out in the evening to watch the 5km in Maree. Great to see one of these races from the spectators perspective. With over 600 people competing, and the same faces around you each week, everyone is pushing themselves hard to try and earn bragging rights and new PB's. It's amazing how much you can lower your time over the course of the 6 weeks and the whole of this series is to be commended. I'm tempted to pop up for one of these races soon!

Bedfords

Outside loop of 11.1kms in the recovery HR zone. Time 44:20 (4:00/km). The legs felt okay but I knew I'd ran a race yesterday.

Here's a funny video that was shot on the weekend in Highgate at the 10,000m night of PB's. Dave Bedford was pretty handy in his day - an ex 10,000m world record holder!

Tuam Community Games 8km

A windy one. A couple of kms warm-up on arrival and then lined up for the one lap loop of left turns. I had Gary Higgins for company and was looking forward to pushing myself to see if there were any further improvements in my running.

We took off and the start was into the wind. The pace was good and I  reached the first km marker in 3:09. Then the first of the left hand turns and with each turn, the wind became less of a hindrance. By 2km I was starting to pull away from Gary and I was feeling pretty good. The course was nice and flat, and I had the lead car to follow. I was maintaining the pace through to 4km, but I was starting to lose a bit of focus in the run up to the 5th km marker. My split seemed very slow and I used that as an excuse to slow down and then backed off for the run home.

We had a brief half mile stretch along the main N17 road through Tuam where we were on the path and I took that really easy. Then another left turn for the last straight-ish mile to the finish. The last km was nice and friendly, albeit into the wind, and I picked it up a little crossing the line in 26:11 for the win.

Here are the splits:

3:09 / 3:13 / 3:12 / 3:10 / 3:25 (16:09) / 3:04 / 3:39 / 3:19

Total 26:11

 In speaking to a few guys after the race it seemed apparent that the 5th km marker was probably around 15 seconds long (look at the splits for kms 5 and 6 and I backed off after 5!). So I was probably nearer 15:54 at 5km but even so I wasn't quite feeling right today to really nail it.

A 3km warm-down with Gary where we both get soaking wet due to heavy rain, Then inside for hot drinks and the presentation. All in all I enjoyed the event, but I feel disappointed for the organisers who put on such a good race for it to be so poorly attended. I guess there is always the risk of that happening these days with all the new races that keep popping up and so many alternatives to pick from. Anyway, credit where it's due - they did a great job.

That's 13.0kms for the day and a measly 69.1kms for the week. Back into the old threshold runs next week.

Walk to the shops

Another run that served little or no training benefit. Half an hour and 7kms later I had gotten a good sampling of the conditions we will probably encounter tomorrow. Yes it was very windy and a touch on the damp side.

A few too many beers in the evening but it's a late start tomorrow (2:30pm) so all should be fine. Sat through some of the Eurovision finals tonight and that's enough to drive anyone to drink. Utter garbage.

Mini Threshold

A 20 minute threshold run today (20:15 to be exact - covering 6kms @ 3:23/km pace). That's it now until the race on Sunday. Looking forward to racing in Tuam and here's hoping we get a break in these wet and windy conditions.

All up 10.0kms with the 2 up and 2 down.

No darts

Treadmill recovery run. A total of 10.0kms in 38 minutes (3:48's). Legs feel great and I'm putting a lot of that down to the protein drinks. I should have been on these years ago...

I keep missing the Premier League darts. I've recorded it this week so will have to revisit it over the weekend.

8 x 800's

Weather still ordinary so ran some quicker reps on the treadmill. I settled on some 800's in 2:24 (3:00/km pace) off a rolling 3.5 minutes (66 seconds recovery). Felt pretty good throughout and nice to get the legs moving with some proper speedwork. Each rep the heart rate was climbing and I think I was up to 157 by the end of the last rep - so well above my normal threshold zone. All up 10.4kms with the 2km warm-up and down.

Snooker in the evening. A good standard it wasn't so the least said about it the better.

Easy week continues

I was planning to go to track but the weather was a tad windy so I took the easy option and ran a repeat of the loop from yesterday. All up 9.5kms in 37:16 (3:55's).

The Jester from Leicester

Start of an easier week. A recovery run to get the ball rolling. A total of 9.5kms in 35:34 (3:45's). That's very quick for one of these runs - it didn't feel that quick so I'm guessing that's a good sign.

Well fair play to Selby. I didn't think he could do it but he somehow found a way to get the Rocket misfiring. Every time he came to the table he was underneath the bottom cushion. Great to see a new name on the trophy and I certainly don't begrudge him the win. World champion, the new world number one and also a new triple crown winner. Well done the Jester!

4 of 4

Final threshold run for the week. Didn't feel as good as Friday but not too bad. All up 12.0kms in 41:00 (3:25's). A total of 16.0kms with the other bits.

Time for some stats. A total of 105.4kms for the week at an average pace of 3:46/km - that's not too shabby. Of that, 50.6kms ran at threshold pace (sub 3:30/km). And that's my 100th running day on the trot. That's probably a record for me!

In summary I'm very happy with how things are progressing. I'm hoping I've gone up a level since my 10km PB so will be looking for a race next weekend to put that to the test.

In the snooker Ronnie is 10-7 up against Selby. I've a feeling this could go all the way. Ronnie is getting a bit bogged down in tactical exchanges and needs to go on the attack tomorrow. That's how I see it anyhow!

Too slow

A recovery run. Pushed the pace from the off but could never get the heart rate up to where it should have been. I was moving nicely and the legs felt great, but unfortunately not in the right zone. All up 12.6kms in 47:35 (3:47's). Average heart rate 131. That's a sign I'm starting to get fit. Yes, up until now I've been unfit! Certainly in the last couple of days there are some signs that I'm progressing nicely. Here's hoping anyway...

I watched the conclusion of the Selby / Robertson semi. A match of very high quality and Selby ran out winning 17-15. The standard in the last session was superb. Brilliant safety play, incredible long potting, and when either player got in, they were scoring heavily. I can't remember any easy balls being missed. So a Selby / O'Sullivan final. I'd love a close match but it could be one way traffic...

3 of 4

Threshold run. A total of 13.1kms in 45:05 (3:26's). For the first time I actually felt okay today - a lot, lot, easier than Wednesday. Still a tough run but I didn't have that "I need to lie down" feeling at the end. The coach said it would take a few weeks before things start to feel a little easier so I'm hoping that today is a turning point.

I watched the snooker whilst on the treadmill. I say watched it - with no glasses it's very blurry but I could still make out that Ronnie was at the table. A lot.

A few beers to be consumed this evening. It is a long weekend after all. No racing planned - more training and then maybe have a look at the race calendar the following weekend.

Behave

Early morning run with Owen. Another cracking morning and perfect conditions for running. All up 15.0kms for me in the hour so that's 4 minute clicks on the knocker.

Knee behaving nicely at the moment. I can still feel it every time I run but the pain isn't too bad and is certainly not getting any worse.

O'Sullivan firmly in command of his match leading 6-2 after the first session. Selby 5-3 up against Robertson.

2 of 4

Another threshold session. Felt the opposite of good right from the off and the heart rate was much higher than Monday. Pace was slower as a result and boy was I glad when the 45 minutes was up (total 12.6kms in 44:52 = 3:34/km). All up 16.6kms with the usual 2 up 2 down.

Snooker in the evening. I was ordinary but still managed to fluff a couple of chances for a 50 break. Robertson on the other hand was superb clocking up his 100th century on the way to a 13-11 win over trump. As far as I'm concerned he's the only player who could stop Ronnie but I still can't see it happening. So the semi-final line-up is Selby vs Robertson and O'Sullivan vs Hawkins.

Easy for Ronnie

A recovery run around Claregalway. A total of 11.1kms in 43:39 (3:56's). I wouldn't say that felt comfortable but I managed to get into the right heart rate zone (albeit at the bottom end).

Snooker hotting up. Ronnie shellacked Murphy 13-3 and didn't even look interested. Robertson and Trump shaping up into a close one.

1 of 4

A you know what run. A total of 13.0kms in 44:36 (3:26/km). I had to remove the shirt mid-run which isn't easy when you're clipping along on the treadmill. I must do a before and after weigh in as the sweat loss is incredible. A solid session and the plan is to get 4 of these in this week...

Watched the last session of the Robertson/Allen game. Robertson completely dismantled Allen and is in simply brilliant form running out a 13-7 winner. The only blip was Robertson missing 2 chances for his hundredth hundred of the season. One was a black off the spot which he jawed! And in the very next frame he missed a red along the cushion whilst in the 90's. It's only a matter of time though if he continues to play like this.

Tons

I was considering another threshold run but felt exhausted so time to listen to the body......recovery run instead. A lovely sunny day and felt pretty good once I got going. A total of 12.6kms in 49:10 (3:54's).

Not a bad week but feeling very tired the second half so that was a little disappointing. A total of 100.3kms and probably averaging well under 4 minute clicks so good quality. And 93 running days on the trot. One more week required!

Watched more snooker (I'm addicted). Robertson v Allen. The Aussie is playing really well this season and has now accumulated an incredible 99 century breaks for the season thanks to his tally of 6 so far in the Worlds. To put that into context the previous record was 61 in a year. Only 1 more required and it's nicely poised with Robertson 9-7 up with one session left to play. It should be a great final few frames...

Take off!

Recovery run. Felt tired from the start not helped by the breezy conditions. Was hoping to lock into sub 4 pace with the benefit of the wind for the first half of the run but that never happened. In a strange way I felt better running into the wind for the run home. All up 14.6kms in 59:34 (4:05's).

I watched all of the final session of the Rocket in the snooker. Simply brilliant stuff. He closed out the match after levelling at 11-11 with 2 centuries. The first one was sublime. One of the best tons I've seen. Fair play to Joe Perry who pushed Ronnie all the way but when it came down to it, Ronnie went into genius mode and everyone was left mesmerised.

A bit of housekeeping - I forgot to give last week's tally in all the excitement of my PB. Well it was 89.7kms, And here are the splits from Labane:

3:10 / 3:14 / 3:19 / 3:13 / 3:34 (16:30) / 3:32 / 3:29 / 3:19 / 3:26 / 3:33 (17:19). Total 33:49

Darts final

Another threshold run. 10kms in 33:40 on the treadmill with no rolling start which probably costs you 10 seconds. All up 14kms with warm-up/down. These sessions aren't getting any easier...

Darts final in the evening. We lost 5-3. I lost my singles game 3-2 (best of 5) after missing one dart at double tops for the win. In the pairs we won and I took out 72 in the deciding leg to make it 4-3 overall but we ended up losing the next game to go down 5-3. A good evening but a late one not getting home until 2am...

Ronnie still in trouble after 2 sessions trailing 9-7...

Sub 1 hour

Just me and Owen today for the early morning run. We started slow but gradually wound the pace up and by the end we were comfortably running sub 4's. All up 14.8kms in 59:23 (4:01's) and that's the first time ever to go under the hour for this run on a Thursday morning. A glorious day and all done and dusted shortly after 7:30am...

Ronnie looks to be in a but of bother in the snooker trailing 5-3 to Joe Perry after their first session...

Thresholding

Treadmill. Felt good for the first 30 minutes, then the heart rate started to really climb. Had to constantly check the speed to keep within the zone and by the time 45 minutes was up I was running at just below 4 minute clicks (which was very welcome I can add). All up 13kms in 45:37 (3:31's). Probably a sign that I haven't fully recovered from the weekend.

Man these sessions are tough. I was absolutely spent at the end and had to wait a good 10 minutes before doing my warm-down. Shorts and top both soaked and a nasty rash with all the sweaty rubbing in the tender regions. Perhaps too much information...

All up 17.0kms with warm-up and down.

Snooker in the evening. It was a frustrating night and all the watching at the Crucible hadn't rubbed off on my own game. The last frame was a good one though - 5 reds, 5 blacks, miss (break of 40); 6 reds, 6 blacks, miss (break of 48). Frame over in 2 visits...

Protein

A recovery run. I felt great today and was hardly breathing clipping along at a healthy pace. All up 11.1kms in 43:30 (3:55's). The weather was a good bit cooler today so I think that helped.

I've started taking protein the last couple of weeks. It has definitely made a difference - the legs seem to recover better and feel a lot fresher the next day. I'm taking the whey protein which I mix with milk for a nice milkshake. The chocolate flavour is a little on the sweet side but I have a bit of a sweet tooth so all good. Highly recommended.

Labane 10km

Dry and windy conditions today. We'd have the wind on the back for the first 4km, then it would be a tough run for the remainder of the loop. A warm-up of 2.2kms with a few of the lads, and it was time to line up at the start. There was some decent guys around - and John was targeting sub 34 minutes so I wasn't going to have it all my own way.

The race started and I took the lead. I felt great to start with being pushed along by the wind and by the time I hit the first km marker I had opened up a decent lead. From then on I just ran on feel - trying to lock into the threshold pace that I've been accustomed to lately. I was slowing slightly each km marker, but still felt good - that was until we took a 90 degree left turn at around 4km where the wind and hills started to slow things down.

For the next 4 kms it was tough going. I was running 15 seconds per km slower and feeling a good bit worse for it. Constant ups and downs and very little shelter from the breeze. Luckily there was nobody pressing me but it's one of those situations where you don't want to relax too much and risk getting caught.

At 8km it was the straight run home. I was switching from side-to-side on the road to try and find shelter but that was a waste of effort. A nasty bridge to climb over before the last km where I backed off and cruised into town for the win in a time of 33:49 with all the kids chasing me down the finishing chute. Great stuff.

A warm-down of 4kms with John and Gary who completed the top 3 places.

So another nice hit-out at a well organised event. Well done to everyone who helped put this race on.

Here's a photo of me being chased at the finish (courtesy of Sean at AK):

Jog on

A recovery run. Glorious weather so ran outside and had to get the legs moving to get in the right hear rate zone (133 to 142). The legs didn't feel too bad to start but seemed worse after the run. All up 12.7kms in 51:32 (4:03's).

The plan is to race another 10km again tomorrow. In an ideal world it will be done at threshold pace...

Another photo that shows off the lovely flat course in Kilmovee. Checking my watch to see if the pubs are open yet...

Kilmovee 10km

About an hours drive to Kilmovee. A glorious sunny day and very still - perhaps too warm but I wasn't complaining. A quick registration/warm-up and soon I was lining up with over 500 other participants. My old sparring partner Roger Barrett was running which was great as I'd have someone to try and hang on to. Lots of other familiar faces also - John Byrne, Timmie Glavey, Paddy O'Toole - to name a few. Great to see all of these guys after a long break for me running in Co Mayo.

After a short delay at the start we were underway. I hit the lead and my plan was to take it out quick and hang on. I was a little surprised that Roger didn't go with me, but I was moving nicely and the km markers seemed to be arriving quicker than anticipated. By the time I had reached 5km in 15:57, I was starting to feel the pinch and Roger had worked his way to the front and I was hanging on. The next couple of kms were really tough - perhaps it was slightly uphill and into the breeze but I was battling away but was determined not to let Roger gap me. Then just before 7km we took a sharp left turn and I suddenly felt much better and started to push the pace.

I started to open up a bit of a lead and I continued to run well up until 9km, but in the back of my mind I knew the last km was tough as there was a nasty climb to tackle. Sure enough with about 600m to go I was reduced to a shuffle. Lots of negative thoughts at this stage but I managed to keep the legs moving and upon reaching the top of the hill I could see the finish and I gave it everything to cross the finish line in 32:20 for the win.

Finally a PB after a couple of years in the wilderness! Okay only by 2 seconds but I'll take it. Lots of positives to take out of this - a good win over Roger who has been in cracking form lately (a sub 32 runner) and it seems like the new training regime is working! I spoke to a fair few people after who found the course and conditions tough but when you have a good race you don't seem to notice these things. Perhaps I have a bit more to come!

A few kms warm-down to give me around 14.0kms for the day. Here are the splits:

3:07 / 3:10 / 3:07 / 3:16 / 3:17 (15:57) / 3:26 / 3:15 / 3:10 / 3:12 / 3:20 (16:23). Total 32:20

In summary, a fantastic day. A real community event with first class organisation. Gerry Duffy was there and described it "as the most friendly race I’ve has been at, a fantastic event, testament to John Roddy’s leadership and the involvement of the whole Kilmovee Community team". Hard to disagree with that!

And finally, here are a few photos to finish with courtesy of Kimovee.info. This one just after the start:

This one somewhere in the middle:

And this one at the nasty speed bump near the end where I'm grinding away on my axles:

Needless to say a few beers was had in the evening...

Good Friday

A short 6.7km run in 30:12 (4:30's).

Race tomorrow. If the weather looks good I'll be travelling to Kilmovee, Co Mayo for a 10km. I'm hoping I'm in decent nick so will be targeting a big sub 33 run. How much below 33 remains to be seen - hopefully the new training regime will be starting to pay dividends and I'll be well inside the 32:50 I ran on March 1st.

Snooker World Champs start tomorrow. Ronnie all the way.

Cruising

Early morning run with Owen, Fintan and Sean. Good conditions and ran at a decent clip covering the 14.8kms in 1:00:13 (4:04's). Sean looks to be in great nick and I'm sure he'll have a super run in Boston on Monday. Also good luck wishes to all of the other Harriers running Boston - namely Gerry, Paul and Larry.

Watched the Premier League darts in the evening. The Power looks to be back to his best brushing aside MVG. I also think that Anderson is the dark horse to win it - I may have said that a few weeks back.

Livid

Legs sore after the track session and the left knee a little on the tender side. So a recovery run was called for. A total of 12.7kms in 50:15 (3:57's). I resisted the temptation to speed up at the end to get under 50 minutes. Must be going soft.

Snooker in the evening. Potted some lovely balls but couldn't string the breaks together. My best effort was a 42 where I missed the sitter of all sitter blacks whilst dreaming of a 100. Still peeved about it 24 hours later...

4 x (400m / 500m / 600m)

Back to the track. I think my last trip to Dangan was Jan 21st so a long time between drinks. Not sure what to expect due to all of the threshold running but all the advice given suggests your top end speed naturally improves as your threshold pace develops.

A warm-up of 3.8km on the roads followed by 3 laps of the track. Good to see some familiar faces and the session didn't look too bad (recovery times were 60 secs, 75 secs and 90 secs). My target was 72 second laps (or better) and I was leading out group 2 so I was always getting a few extra seconds recovery. Here are the times:

72/1:31/1:47
70/1:29/1:46
69/1:28/1:45
70/1:27/1:44

Happy with that and well within target. A strong headwind in the finishing straight made for a tricky 100m but apart from that the conditions were good and I enjoyed the session. I suppose the recoveries were a little on the generous side so that may flatter the times...

All up 14.8kms with warm-down. Easy/recovery running now before the weekend.

10km threshold

I felt pretty exhausted today. Pace was a little down and I made sure I was at the lower end of the HR zone. The 10km took me 34:12 so still not bad. All up 14.0kms with the usual 2 up 2 down.

Considering track tomorrow to break things up a bit. See what speed I have and a good sharpener for some racing on the weekend.

Sunday with Fintan

A recovery run. A break from the treadmill and nice to get outside. Very breezy and it seemed like we were copping the wind in every direction. I'd have been pleased with anything sub 4:00's today and was well inside that covering 14.8kms in 57:07 (3:52's).

Great to see Fintan back. Not much time for chat mind as that pace doesn't feel very conversational...

I watched the London Marathon earlier in the day. I thought Mo ran a great debut of 2:08 though he did it the hard way running solo most of the time (strange tactics?). I usually get an urge to dip my toe into marathon training having watched one of these big races but that didn't happen today. Phew.

Watching the Masters now. Looks like Bubba has it in the bag...

Oh yeah, 98.8kms for the week. Three decent threshold runs in there and the average pace well under 4:00/km. If I'd have done the math before today's run I'd have tagged on an extra 1.2kms....

Ditto

Almost a carbon copy of yesterday. Today the HR wasn't climbing quite as fast so I managed to find a bit of extra speed/distance. A total of 13.04kms in 45:11 (3:28's). Drenched in sweat at the end.

Knee just about okay. I have to be very careful with the back-to-back sessions and I'll manage the training on how the knee is feeling each day. All up 17.0kms for the day.

Inspires

Treadmill threshold. Started quick to get me up into the correct HR zone. Then had to spend the rest of the run winding back to the pace to stop the HR topping out. Overall 12.84kms in 45:02 (3:30's).

All up 16.8kms with warm-up and down. I ran today in my Mizuno Inspires - with so much quick running I'd be going through racing flats at a rapid rate so decided to go with a lighter shoe that should still give me decent mileage.

These runs are very tough. More of the same on the cards tomorrow...

Thursday with Sean

Just myself and Sean today who is putting the finishing touches to his Boston Marathon training. Nice conditions and plenty of chat and soon we had completed 14.8kms in 1:02:52 (4:15's).

Under the new regime that's too slow so today can be classified as a rest day. In the coaches words "you're getting about as much training benefit from that run as a walk to the shops!".

Quick 10km

Today I was to get back into the threshold training. I thought 10km in the right zone would be a good start. I ramped up the speed and the heart rate was taking an age to climb. I went through 5km in 16:18 before backing off a little, but still ended up running the 10km in 32:58 - all below the upper heart rate limit of the threshold zone. Not bad going...

All up 14.0kms with the 2.0km warm-up and down. Enjoying the training but the left knee is taking a real hammering with all this quick running. I firmly believe I will either run a big PB or end up in traction...

Recovery #2

Again on the treadmill. A total of 11.0kms in 41:42 (3:47's). Pace not too shabby but it was still well within the recovery zone. It's all about the heart rate for this new type of training.

A few beers this evening for my Mum's last night in Galway.

Recovery #1

A recovery run on the treadmill. A total of 10.4kms in 40:02 (3:51's). Legs didn't feel too bad after yesterday. Another easy day tomorrow and then back into the old threshold training...

Connerama Half

Got up late, had no time for breakfast, just made the last bus out to the start.....time for a coffee and a Kit Kat chunky, a bit of a warm-up and soon we were lining up for the start.

The Kenyan shot to the front, I settled in second, with around 2,000 behind me. I took it handy enough running at the comfortably hard pace, but not flat-out. Plenty of time to enjoy the surroundings, speak to a few fellow competitors in the half and ultra. Conditions were similar to last year - very windy and it felt like we were running into a strong head-wind/cross-wind all the way to Maam Cross. So the speed was slow but the effort level was where it needed to be.

The last climb between 9 and 11 miles was a killer. A few squally showers and very blustery conditions and you were hardly moving. But once at the top I could enjoy the last couple of miles down to the finish crossing the line is 1:18:32 for second place. The Kenyan ran 69 minutes and I think he was targeting 65 minutes so that gives you some idea of the conditions.

All in all still very enjoyable and I think that's the first time my Mum has watched me race. Another great day and I guess I'll be back next year to give it another shot! Well done to everyone who took part and to the organisers. Certainly a very unique event which should be done by all at some point.

All up 23.1kms (a 2.0km warm-up and no warm-down). And that's 91.8kms for the week.

How not to prepare

A slow run outside in the wet to burn off a few pints of Guinness. A total of 6.9kms in 30:35 (4:26's).

Out in the evening for a meal and more drinking. Another 6 pints to be exact. That should give me plenty of energy for the half tomorrow...

Sub 4's

Same route as yesterday - again at recovery speed. A total of 14.8kms in 57:59 (3:55's). Felt great.

The plan is to run the Connemara Half on Sunday at threshold pace. I don't have any chance of winning as there are some rather good Kenyans running but should still make for a nice hit-out.

Darts semis in the evening. We won 5-2 so through to the final. I played okay and was saved by hitting a lucky 180 in the first leg which got me out of trouble. That gave me the confidence to go on to win 2-0. Roll on the final!

My easy day

Early morning run with Fintan and Owen. Speed not as quick as required under the new regime but everybody is entitled to one really easy day!

A total of 15.0kms in 1:04:12 (4:17's). Good to see the boys back running!

Mum arrives

Back in Ireland and the Mum arrived from Spain. So lots of socialising over the next week or so...

A treadmill recovery run after yesterday's test. A total of 12.5kms in 50:04 (4:00's). My recovery running HR zone is 131 to 142 so I'd say all my runs will be sub 4 minute clicks going forwards. It will be interesting to see how that pans out. Remember this is recovery pace - threshold will be much quicker!

Testing

A good chat with my new mentor. All aspects of my running were examined - diet (crap), flexibility (crap), weight (too heavy), running (good but can be improved)...

My results from the lactate test itself were very good and showed that I still had a lot of room for improvement. The focus is on strength and conditioning work which a solid bout of threshold running will deliver. The sub 32 10km is definitely achievable and all being well I'll have a crack at that within the next couple of months. All good.

A really enjoyable day and difficult to gauge the total distance ran. I'll say 12kms and that includes the test itself, plus warm-up and down.