Good Sweat

10km in ~ 44 mins. I went out round 6pm so I'd a lot of traffic to contend with lots of stopping & starting at junctions etc. But overall solid run. Felt tired today all 3 faculties had to be pushed legs, mind & chest. Legs we're good but felt it nonetheless, chest struggled but not as bad as I thought, it was my mind that I had to wrestle with this evening.

Could've hacked off another minute on this but I wasn't mentally tough enough to do this. went out straight after cycling home from college so went out tired - I believe they call it the "brick workout"...

splits in usual places were (as ever all from memory - I don't use a garmin) 6:40, 11:39, 16:08, 20:30, 24.45, 30:03, 35:47 & 42:03. I have done that last turn in 90 seconds before but had to stop due to a van plus trailer pulling out in the fastest section in the road on the home stretch plus when I went to stop the watch as I swerved to avoid the vehicle the watched reset (happens all too bloody often - had this been a longer run I'd have been really annoyed...)

I got to western distributor road in decent time (on of my fastest - & even then I felt like I was taking forever so I'm getting stronger all the time - I can easily see a time when I hit that in 22 mins) but there were sections that I felt like I was going at a snails pace - this is a good sign,

that workout will pay off on saturday for me (in the last 3km of the race in particular) - got the aul fella to bring me to work & the race too on sat - great to have the support. might join harriers before the streets of galway 8km - we'll see...

out on wednessay for a few sprints on the track to work on raw speed - nothing too taxing but practice on turning the legs over fast is a good idea - then a 20 minute jog on the grass to cool down... we'll see what happens - supposed to be raining - grin & bear it... mind you the weather was fabulous today o the run the heat was almost a factor & slowed me down a little but - what a privilage!

We Still kill the Old Way

Tough one tonight that got much easier as the run went on.

41:40 on the grass in dangan. Had planned for a 10km so I figured that 40 or so mins on the grass would do it. got a stitch about 4 laps in & thought I could ease off & that it would go away. Wasn't to be (even as I slowed it got worse - had a big dinner though it was 2hrs after...) so I'd to walk for about 2 mins or so then I went easy for a lap then did about 6-7 laaps more & I was done.

Overall felt great really - the cycling is my saviour really. Even though college is finished I'm still going in to study etc so I get my 10km (total) cycle on weekdays.

Pushed hard & was exclusively my chest that was working the hardest again. I actually think my endurance is good just work on it a bit more through cycling & the odd 8 mile run whatever & speedwork on the track.

Must join harriers soon now... headford 8km is next sat - must check roster at work to make sure that I can indeed do it... this'll be my 3rd year in a row doing it - have to break 32, If I don't I'll be quite annoyed...

You know your in a good place when you're tired only in your chest. It's not proper training (i.e on a 50 mile week you'd have many days when you're running on very tired legs - those are the sessions that buikld resilience etc... then again do we all do too much running training & not enough cycling/swimming? hard to say - As I get more experienced I can comment then.

I am delighted though as I've been running for years now - all those runs I used to do in kinvara when I was 15-16 all those years ago are paying dividends now. The whole process I find is getting much easier. It's as if I've made all the mistakes & I'm a veteran or something. I'm 21 - holy shit! I'm so glad I found this sport so young - hipefully I can be enjoying it in 40 years time. & I will provided that I keep cycling to reduce impact etc...

Might do a 10km on the road on monday evening to guage where I am & then a few sprints on the track in westside (along with some easy laps on the pitch to warm up) on thursday...hopefully dad can drop me into work on saturday so I can save myself for the evening...

I used to hate/feel guilty about easy running (8:30/9 min mile pace for me) but I am beginning to see the benefit of it now too. Also it's great to introduce some flexibility to the workout routine so that it can become that bit less rigid & thus more enjoyable in the long term.

Low Rider

Not a bad effort - 6.7km 28:20. this was on friday evening knowing I'd have to be cycling at half 6 the following morning. Felt awful slow - I'll easily break 26 mins for this later this year...

The run felt laboured, sluggish & downright flat, legs we're heavy but again the chest needed the expansion - having felt that having done the same run only days ago 20 seconds faster that it was fast then that means that I'm well on the way to improving my fitness

cycled 4 times today - in & out of work 5 miles each way & on my lunch break did a few km along with going to the shop later in the evening - the cycle this morning in to work felt good -I'm really getting used to the morning s now if only I could wind down to bed earlier - in time...

once I move out of the parent house, land my 1st real job in tech, start paying rent & become a real (i.e independent) adult & I see the cash building up due to a minimalist lifestyle it'll motivate me to get to bed earlier then perhaps - when I'm 100% responsible for my own life (I'm say 95% currently lets say)  - cycling to work each & every morning whilst running/cycling & self studying theoretical physics in the evening /(with the aim to publish & acquire funding & do a PhD the old fashioned way one day - Brians wise advice) etc..

went to svalu (fr griffin!) & bought a packet of choc digestives & bourbon creams & I had a glass of coke (that was in the house) & as always (like when I have a bar of cadbury chocolate) I feel terrible now - I think I;m finally growing out of the trash diet - as I'm getting more productive, fit & efficient what I put into my body is alot more important. i reckon by the end of the year I'll never buy a chocolate bar again... then what'll be my vice???

so happy out - might run twice again next week (both on the grass this time) & then go on to do monwed & fri before headford...

Damage case

Not good. It's been over 3 weeks since my last run! have been cycling though a decent amount & cycling in & out to work on sat & sunday now so that's helped.

6.7km loop last night in 28 mins flat. decent going everything considered. was 6:45 through the 2st time check & nearly 13 mins at the turn towards salthill (considering I was 11:30 last time that's not good)

However I must've recovered & felt good then coming down the prom as I passed the 4th time check at 22:47. it was truly the ideal workout becasue my legs & mind we're happy to mush on & I was held back only by my lungs burning etc. My mind was happy as I'd nothing on the following day & my legs were good from all the cycling

So it's the same old story now in terms of improvements:

• drop 5 kgs (from my gut)
• eating good  - but can do better!
• try 3 runs a week mon wed & fri (short 4 miler - 10km & an 8 miler - do 2 of these on the grass!!!) & cycle sat & sun to work. have tues & thurs as cycle days on my own (1hr each)
• up at 8 each morning - exercise then coding on cpu etc... I'll be naturally be winding down for bed then at an earlier time like I'm already doing...

Looking good so to break 32 mins at headford in a few weeks just need some more endurance & a speed session & I'll be grand.

Happy days all in all really...