Steady Eddie

5k - 20:31

All up 6.7k

Good hit out - felt great - good splits - went out hard (the only way I know how) - was rewarded with a solid time - bear in mind my best here is 20:02 for this route. TC @ lap 1 10:53 which is nice - last time I was 11:10 & suffering so this is an improvement on my speed as it were.

Good sleep is helping here big time of course.

I could ramble but that's it really.

On Sunday I'll look to do a 10k with 4 of these laps back to back - stick the knife in a little bit then back to the grass for next week.

Things are looking good, new semester starting at NUI Maynooth on Monday, Teaching Job secured in UK school for Sept 2021. No races scheduled for months yet but this year will be the beginning of the end where we can look forward to life returning to normal.

Pain is temporary - the glory lasts a lifetime.

Right on.

Night of the Long Knives

5 miler - 35:00 

This was actually 35:10 but I got held up with Cars etc at junctions on the way home inside the last mile.

No cool down - to be fair I was knackard!!!

Had a good run - really enjoyed it - did well too - I just died in the last 3k but that's OK as I was expecting this with the little training I have been doing as of late. The 4 miler on the grass really helped me with my speed etc so much so that I ended up being at TC1 in 07:35

TC2 over the bridge was 10:20 (usually 10:30) so was very pleased with this. TC3 was 17:43 (though this is TC5 really but I keep changing where precisely TC3 & TC4 are) & was pleased with this too - though I consider to be at sub 18 at this point to be typical - rather I get concerned if I am not sub 18 here really.

25:50 at the penultimate bend too but then rather annoyingly I was at 27:40 when I died going up the last hill where the road joins the Loughrea road.I hobbled round Hennelly's pub in a very unimpressive 30:07 or thereabouts (still impressive with respect to my training the last few weeks though (by my own self defined standards I was happy with that - I would of course normally be disgusted etc)). then knew at 34:05 at the pole I had a very tough battle (which I didn't really fancy to be fair) to get in for sub 35.

Good weather, not as bitterly cold - just a bit wet - other than that - it was perfect - set off for about 16:55 ish - evenings are getting brighter certainly could not do this 1 month ago.

Might do a hard 5 k tomorrow then do a longer hard 10k on Sunday then return to the grass for easier running next week - let's see how we go.

Happy days!

Wound Upon Wound

4 miler on the grass - 29:09

Easy 1k up & 2k down - went for a half hr run so however many laps that is (roughly anywhere between 2:10 - 2:20 per lap) 

Felt good throughout - mentally tough though as I havn't the mileage behind me the last 6 weeks or so but good to get it done - I had the energy at the 25-26 min mark which is always nice. I didn't push it, I took it easy. 

Felt like crap about 8 mins in but I dug in & reminded myself why I do this - as ever with running how you feel comes & goes in waves, if you battle through it you tend to feel better moments afterwards.

Happy with the workout.

Have my sleep schedule under control now where I am sleeping about 22:00 & up anywhere between 04:00 & 08:00 (always up at 04:00 but then decide if I sleep in or not). 

Good.

Please note: there were 2 other runs I did on 15th & 18th of Jan - I didn't record them as they were Pathetic - just did 3k each day - just to get out of the house & out for a run but as I was in no mood for running I didn't go any further than the 1 loop of the town - I believe this is OK as I know later I will get my groove back as I have it now. We need to fogive ourselves & be kind & let ourselves off the hook sometimes. That way, you can guarantee longevity in the sport when it is a sport you genuinely enjoy doing - it's truly for everyone.

They were actually goo performances in their own right - I was 07:47 on the 18th Jan however as on both occasions hadn't gone for my walk on either day I was totally shagged after the 1 loop so I said to myself, what's the point in suffering so I called it a day in each case. Good choice.

Successful Failure

5 miler - No time taken

Tough day at the office today.

About 10 degrees - perfect really - wind & rain though throughout.

Just felt very flat & very tired overall - never really got going at all - just hobbled along all the way - couldn't seem to do more than that.

Could never see the time checks as it was pissing rain throughout the whole duration but I gathered I was about 20 seconds off the usual pace (possibly). I was 08:05 at the TC1 - Which is not exactly good but I have had good runs from this position before. 

Decided to stop just after 5.5k at about 22:50 - have used alot of mental energy to get my sleep schedule on track so I decided to forgive myself. 

Mentally today I was excellent but the problems were all in my chest - just couldn't get the breathing going properly - totally shallow - I need a good race!!! + some sprint sessions too.

Lets see how the 5k goes on Friday. Keen for this to go well & get a decent 20:15 without too much strain - If I struggle with this too then I need to get back to the intervals!

Let's see.

Discipline Doesn't Disappoint

23:16 for about 5.5k (I need to measure this route - I never do this particular route so I must find out another time)

6.5k all up.

This was supposed to be a 5 miler that I decided to cut short due to time constraints due to me being in the middle of sitting exams.

I built on the run from Friday although it didn't seem to help very much.

Whilst I didn't necessarily struggle on route it felt rather laboured.

When I passed Lisk, I was at 18:02 & I had decided to run for home rather than go up circular road & join back onto the Loughrea road - I never really do this, but decided to give myself a break & get home. I gave a kick towards the end but you should see my kicks - they are feeble at best!

I then did a loop round for a cool down.

Nice to get out though & the roads are back to normal now with no ice as the temps have returned to normal & showers on & off throughout the day.

Happy with this & will look to do a 10k on Tuesday to set me up. 

I'll then (most likely) do a 5k hard session on Thursday & then do some grass running on Sunday.

Might cycle saturday to keep the body ticking over with some rep city for good measure.

Re Running  I'm back in form now, as such. I'll crank up the work rate & mileage now next week.

As ever, watch the increase in the mileage - I still need to be so careful, as always. 

No Trick Pony

30 mins on the grass - All up 7k

Distance is a guesstimate. 

Roads icy & so had to take to the grass - no wind & rain - temps 5 degrees.

Happy with workout - went out with no expectations & did it more out of a sense of obligation than anything else.

Went out conservatively & sped up for the last 5-6 mins or so - A good hit out.

Eyeing up a 5 miler for Sunday - let's see how we get on.

It's time to get back into it - the races will be on again this year but the seasons will have to change (multiple times) before this becomes a reality.

There's one thing for certain, we cannot remain in lock down forever. With that in mind it's time to get back training. Properly. No more of this mickey mouse stuff like today :-) 

All up in the Air

5k hit out tonight - 20:51

All up 6.5k

Plans to run a long one with Paul cancelled due to Covid - need I ever say!

Will aim to do an 8 miler or so tomorrow - let's see how the day goes.

Extremely easy run - decided not to push it - this was just a maintenance run - nothing more.

It's amazing really how much harder you must work for a sub 20 - like to break sub 20 here I feel you have to work 4 times as hard.

I need to be careful here though as I have now gone several weeks without any consistent mileage - after a while of doing that you begin to lose your fitness.

Very easily now I could lose my fitness so I need to be careful & get back out there & run harder.

As ever, it's tough to do in the absence of races - however it is no excuse for being lazy.

I'll run tomorrow & will pick up the mileage next week to try to so something decent running wise before the month is out.