I've Got It Bad!

After last Sunday's race Abina was chatting to the man in the car parked next to ours.

"How much running does your husband do, 1 or 2 days a week?" he asked.

"Most days he's up at half past five for a run and goes for a swim at lunchtime" was the response.

"He''s got it bad alright" The guy replied. I could picture them both discussing my affliction as if my condition was so far advanced that there was no hope for me.

There have been a a few moments during the week where I have thought that i'm not a rational human being and I wish someone would put a stop to my madness. But then I read of those that appear to be more afflicted than me and I somehow rationalise that maybe I am normal after all.

Sunday's results put me 50th out of 80 runners - I did say the field was fast. However despite my efforts Eagle managed to get the third team spot with the 4 club mates that came in in front of me. The pictures below show the clam before the storm and the tempest within with 400m to go ( The pain I was feeling is well hidden).

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"Dad, how come you were so exhausted after running 4 miles and yet you run 20 miles at home, stretch a little and then eat your breakfast as if it's just another day?" Keevsa asked me afterwards. Pacing is a difficult concept to explain because 20 is still much greater than 4 no matter what way you look at it.

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Some good advice on marathon running was dispelled from some of the veteran Eagle runners:-

• To race a good marathon you should have 10,000 miles in your legs (i've some way to go)
• A mid-week long run in addition to the weekend long run will improve endurance
• Don't race Cork to Cobh (15mile) 2 or even 3 weeks before a marathon

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Despite my stiff legs on Sunday evening my recovery run on Monday morning went quite well especially during the later miles.

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Tuesday evening was track day and as I arrived I planned 6 x 1000m as I should be moving to longer intervals for the marathon buildup (i'm still making it up as I go along - may be better than religiously following someone else's schedule provided I follow a few basic rules wrt speedwork, recovery etc.)

. I had planned on extending the 3 minute 800m pace I did last time to 3:45 for the 1000's but I knew this was not going to happen after my first lap and I revised my expectation downwards to 3:50+ (I would bail if I couldn't keep under 4 minutes as it would indicate I needed more recovery from Sunday).

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During the early reps I though finishing 6 would be a tough task but it got .easier as the session progressed, although the times got progressively slower - 3:50/51/52/53/55/52- endurance but no speed. I warmed down over another 3+ miles around Bishopstown after the track.

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With it in the back of my head that a mid week long run would help my endurance during the latter stages of the marathon I headed out at 5 on Wednesday morning for a 2 hour run, scarcely 8.5 hours after I had finished my warmdown from Tuesday evening's track session (call the men in white coats). During the run my conscious mind that existed before my life of running rose from the depths and shouted incredulously "what the f~c# are you doing running the roads at this ungodly hour, have you gone completely mad" as if it had just returned from an extended trip to find that the caretaker mind had completely lost the run of itself. This feeling lasted for a short while before it returned to the depths from whench it came. Some day I expect it to return for good - until then?

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I completed 15 miles in all in a time that I noted was 1 second under the time for my first race ever (Cork to Cobh 2006) - 01:58:27.

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Thursday is usually my second speedwork day of the week although when I rose just before 6 this morning my first thought was "I'd like to lie down again". Again my hastily drawn together plan was to do a 2 x 2 mile tempo run (06:30 pace at best) although the way I felt during the first warmup mile I wasn't sure I could get below 8 minute mile pace. However there appeared to be some jip in my legs when I upped the pace after the 2nd warmup mile - my safety valve for calling it all off was if I couldn't keep under 7 minute pace. Mile 1 in 06:55 was close to the mark as it ended on a hill - Mile 2 at 06:37 was better giving an average of 06:46 for the first segment. After a half mile recovery I launched into the second leg and ran reasonably controlled for a 06:42 and 06:38 3rd and 4th mile (average 06:40). I was reasonably pleased with this given my overall fatigue level and it's training effect and not time that i'm looking for.

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Mon 23rd March

a.m. 11.07 Miles in 01:28:27 (07:59 pace @ 125HR) Recovery

p.m. 2.5 miles in 19:50 (07:56 pace - treadmill)

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Tue 24th March

10.7 miles in 01:21:49 (07:39 pace @ 139HR) with 6 x 1000m in 03:50 - 03:55.

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Wed 25th March

15 miles in 01:58:26 (07:54 pace @ 137HR)

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Thur 26th March

7.8 miles in 57:52 (07:25 pace @ 142HR) with 2 x 2 miles in 13:32 & 13:20.