16th September 2012
Sunday; Long Run: 32.87km. Time 3:06:08
Wet misty start but glad there
wasn't too much wind. Felt pretty good after having given my legs two days of
rest before this long run. The wind picked up during the run and at 10km I was
into the wind for the next 7km. Hit a slow patch at 17km for 1 or 2km but
quickly recovered to my 5.40 per km pace. Took my first gel at 10km odd and my
second at about 18km. Really liked the Mandrain orange GU gel with caffeine
(had tried the GU mint chocolate and lemon sublime before that which were ok
but I am going to stick with orange from now!) felt good for my fourth leg of my
trip from Clairnbridge to Kilcolgan (about 5km) but when I turned the corner I
felt the wind. It hurt. The fact that I had to pass our house and continue for
4km wasn’t as hard as I had thought. My little girl was out playing with her
dolls and spotted me and even though she is only 3 her support was welcomed! I
actually felt good for the last few k’s and picked up the pace a little. Felt
pretty good after my first really long run.
Monday; Rest Day
Tuesday: 7.49km. Time 39:30
Did my usual 7.49km loop from the
house which involves a steady incline on the last 3km of the route. Felt legs
were still tired from the 20 miles I did on Sunday morning so took it easy
enough. I still managed to do it in 39 minutes 30 seconds which is about the
norm for me.
Wednesday nights track session: 8.5km
3k warm up; pyramid session of 30
warm up 30 seconds fast as you can; 1 minute cool down; 1 minute fast as you
can; up to 5 minutes. Hard session but enjoyed it. I was tired setting out for
the session but as is frequently the case I forgot about any tiredness once I got
moving. Not much wind but rain came down as a mist which was actually quite
nice.
Thursday: Rest Day
Friday: 7.71km. Time: 38:57
Felt I really noticed the benefit
from the speed work on Wednesday evening as I was going faster with no extra
effort. My hip hut a little after Wednesdays session but was ok after a few k
into the run.
Saturday: Rest Day
Total: 56 k for the week
23rd September 2012
Sunday: Long Run 30k run. Time: 2;48;14
Having grown up in Rosses Point
it was nice to be back ‘home’ for the weekend and have the opportunity to get a
long run in on the same terrain I did all my training for NY marathon on (all
those years ago). Very scenic run from Rosses Point
to Strandhill. (Stress on the 'hill'). Felt
pretty good at the off, although I was kinda prolonging getting out (getting
daughter dressed etc). It was pretty chilly at 8.45 when I eventually set off
and I was glad that I had my new Brooks Infiniti Wind top on, lovely long
sleeves with thumb holes which kept my handies warm. First 7km into the wind
felt kind of hard but I was really happy in the knowledge that it would push me
that final 7km on the way home and equally important it would push me up those
hills out to Strandhill. I took two gels: GU mandrain orange with caffiene at 45
minutes and again at 1.30mins. I was at about 1.25 at the turn in Strandhill
and was feeling good. The hard few k's was the crossover from the Strandhill
road to the Rosses
Point road at about 20k
to 23K but the wind which thankfully hadn't changed direction helped me push
the last 7k home. A quick stretch, Kinetica blackcurrant recovery drink and off
to the beach to stand in the cold ocean for 10mins!
Monday: Rest Day
Tuesday: Easy Run: 7.4km 40
minutes
Everything today was grey! The
morning was misty and dark. I delayed going out until about 7.45am to see if it
would brighten up at all but it didn’t. My husband borrowed my gps unit in Sligo at the weekend and we cant find it now so I just
headed off with out it. Didn’t bother with my ipod either. My legs felt heavy
and I felt lethargic. I wore a jacket and a top and although it was misty I as
too hot. It was just a struggle for the whole run. NO GPS; NO MUSIC; NO ENERGY;
NO MOTIVATION…..all in all a bad day…but then again any day you have the health
to get out for a run is a good day…but you know what I mean.
Wednesday: Track Session: 9km
1hr 6 mins.
3k warm up; Same pyramid session
as last week: 30 second warm up 30 seconds fast as you can; 1 minute
cool down; 1 minute fast as you can; up to 5 minutes. My right hip hurt after
the last speed session last week so I was conscious of it again. Also my right
ankle was a little sore too. Pushed fairly hard but felt I didn’t quite push as
much as last week, partly because of hip but also because one of my training
buddies who I pace well with (well she is faster than me) wasn’t there. All in
all a good session and happy to be feeling reasonably good again after
yesterdays horrid run.
Thursday: Rest day.
Work done on right hip and left
shoulder. Felt bruised afterwards.
Friday: Long Run: 28.15km 2hrs 50minutes
Went out with the girls from
Craughwell AC for what I thought was going to be a 15mile run but I ended up
doing about 17miles as we all split into different groups and that was what the
girls I ended up with were doing. Fairly flat terrain just the odd wee hill. Weather
was fairly nice, showers and sunny and windy but the country roads had good
cover so we didn't feel the wind too much! The pace was slow at 6minute k's and
I found it hard to reign myself back to that pace but I more or less managed. I
hope I didn’t push the pace too much for the other 3 girls I was with. I
decided to see if I could kick it for the last 1k so I picked the pace up to
5.15 and felt ok with that, I wouldn't have been able to sustain that pace for
even another few k’s but I was just happy to be able to put in a sprint finish.
I gu at 45minutes and rest was 4 in 1 high five and some water, ice bath and
compress legging and happy to have a weekend of not having a long run hanging
over me! Yipee!!
Total: 74.55kmfor the week
NOTE: this is the most running I have ever done in my life…I know I
squeezed two long runs into that week so I can leave myself free for the
weekend and probably wont do a long run again until Sunday week but hey I am
happy to know that my little legs carried me that far!
September 30th
Sunday 10.3k 53:52
Tired today after 2 pretty bad
nights sleep with the kids awake, it was also a horrible morning so I did go
out until lunchtime which suited as my hubbie had to get his long run done in
the morning. Right hip hurt and groin strained also and after the first few k
reckoned it might be a rather short run but pain eased and I pressed on and finished
pretty strong. Was one of those days however that I was kind of glad to have the
run out of the way.
