"Are You F***ing Well"

This was a comment made to me at 0700hrs yesterday as I passed 2 guys at an ATM machine on their way to work and slightly the worst for wear from the night before (from the smell of beer in the air as I passed). They had obviously seen me on previous mornings and though I was mad! Running obviously didn't feature on their list of "things to do before I die". I replied in the affirmative. I was tempted to say a few more words but I would have had to slow my pace. I must say that I gave this some thought as I rose again this morning shortly after 0530 to do a fartlek run - "what am I doing" , "is this it, - squeezing runs into the early hours - is there any time for rest". I was tired so this was my central governor saying let's quit for today (the slippery slope). The fact that Abina went on a short 2 day hop to London yesterday leaving me to manage the household may have contributed to my tiredness, but not a lot. In any event I persevered and went out for an 8.6 mile run in the wind - the same fartlek run as last Thursday - while the sprints felt slower (and they certainly were for the return leg into a headwind) than last week the overall session was only 12 seconds slower - not bad for a tired old body on a windy morning. Another 2.5 miles on the threadmill at lunchtime gave 10.1 miles for the day. Yesterday morning I rose with Abina as she was leaving at 0530 for her flight to London and headed out shortly afterwards for a relatively easy 11.4 mile circuit in towards Cork along the Model Farm Road and out the Straight Road. The unlit section of the straight road caused me some grief as, for some reason, I could not make out the 2' footpath in the darkness as cars approached and I wobbled like a drunk between the kerb and the ditch until headlights briefly illuminated my world before plunging me back into darkness and forcing me to slow my pace. Sun 2.5 Miles - Threadmill (got up too late for longer run) - total of 54.5 Miles for the week. Mon 11.4 Miles in 01:33:16 (08:11 pace @ 132 HR) Tue 8.6 Miles in 01:07:14 (07:49 pace @ 140 HR) & 2.5 Miles @ 08:14 pace & 135 HR