The Road to Amsterdam

My last long run before Amsterdam is over and by the time I was finished I could have slept for a week. I took Mike's advice on specificity and kept to the flat roads running with the Saturday morning crew but doubling back before the hill (9.5 miles in) and meeting up again at my mile 14 (I did 2.4 solo miles before the 0700hrs start) . The pace from here on was 07:30 or less, which I found challenging enough (no gels on this outing) but I hung in and although the desire to take a quick break when passing the cars at mile 18.5 was all consuming, the opportunity did not present itself (i.e. no one else stopped and those that did had been ahead of the posse and were heading out again as I approached) I persevered with 3 loops of the flat centre Park Rd/Monahan's Rd that's used for the John Buckley 5k in June. Along this section a couple of the stronger runners took off at a pace that I couldn't manage and so I was on my own slogging out the last remaining miles to the car coming in with 24.1 miles on the clock in 03:02:25 (07:34 pace). A 10 minute dip in the Atlantic Pond to cool down the legs and I was finished for the day (on the running front that is). Unlike one or two who were heading home for an hour or two's kip I had a busy schedule on the home front as Abina was working. Next weekend the 15 Mile Cork to Cobh race is on Sunday. My schedule calls for 13 Miles @ MP and on balance (and good advice from others) i'll stick to this pace as opposed to race flat out. My MP, going on my recent HM, is somewhere between 06:45 and 06:50, compared to a 06:30 for 15 miles (I know I may never do 06:50 pace in Amsterdam, But I'll do it in training). Last year I covered the 15 miles in 01:42:33 (06:50 pace) so I'd like to beat that and ideally get under 01:40 (06:40 pace) - but as recent as this morning I was warned that manys a Dublin marathoner left their best race on the road between Cork and Cobh - and Dublin is 4 weeks after Cork to Cobh (Amsterdam only 2) - so others may take heed. Fri 26th Sept 6.73 Miles in 55:18 (08:13 Pace @ 128 HR) Run in the park with Brendan. p.m. 2.5 Miles in 20;00 (08:00 Pace - Treadmill) Sleep - 7 hrs: 7.5/10 Legs: 6.5/10 Sat 27th Sept 24.1 Miles in 03:02:25 (07:34 Pace @ 138 HR) Sleep - 6.5hrs: 6/10 Legs: 6.5/10 Marathon Training week 13/16 - 67.65 Miles