Always in Training,........

...never in racing.

Some of my best runs have been in training, 6 mile tempo runs @ 06:30 pace, 24 mile long runs @ 07:33 pace giving all the indications that great things lay ahead. However very often these training runs were my premature peak before the important race (usually a marathon). Granted I've had some good races too but the best were run during the build up to a bigger event:- - the 38:15 10k 8 weeks out from the Cork Marathon in 2008 - the 1:24:30 HM 6 weeks before Amsterdam 2008 Hopefully i'll get this peaking thing right some day. With only 12 weeks to Dublin and a longest run of only 12 miles i'm aiming to peak about 6 to 8 weeks after the event so that I will run a decent marathon (i'll need an 18-20 week programme with a tune-up marathon race at week 12 - one of those ultra programmes ought to do) I spent the last week in Inchydoney looking after my mum. Safan, Ani and Saran came with me for a mini holiday spending the mornings in bed/playing on the DS and the afternoons on the beach having fun in the surf (wetsuits a necessity). Conditions were more favourable to surfing than swimming as my only attempt at training was a disaster (good fun though). On Sunday afternoon I cycled the 30 miles down (Abina drove the kids & provisions). I decided to pop my aero-bars on the bike for good measure (Rick must have been reading my mind) and although I was cycling into a westerly breeze I managed a respectable 19.2 MPH avg (30.9 kph Ewen) compared to my Lough Ine bike speed of about 18 MPH (29kph). I returned on Tuesday with the wind at my back @ 20.8 MPH avg (33.4 kph) - As I said "Always in Training". Although the aero-bars will remain on for the Kenmare Tri in 2 weeks. I didn't get much running in early in the week which had the beneficial side effect of killing off the PF issue I had. On Monday I tried using the treadmill my father had used for his stroke rehab but the maximum speed was 6 MPH and I managed to burn out the motor after 2 miles (the poor thing hadn't seen action in a couple of years). I got another 2 mile hilly run in on Wednesday evening following 30 minutes on the turbo trainer (bike treadmill). I fared better on Thursday with an 8 mile run in the morning w/ 10 x 30 seconds fast and a barefoot 4 miler on the beach in the afternoon with 3 x 600m @ 06:20 pace. The beach run was tough, particularly as the surface alternated between firm and soft sand without warning - there's nothing like trying to run fast while your feet are sinking deeper the harder you push. Friday's run was an easy10 miler with a few hills thrown in to add a bit of a challenge. I drove my mam to my brother in Dublin yesterday, where she is staying for the week. I managed to get a hilly 12 miler in before returning today. I did a 6 mile out and back route from Cabinteely heading in the general direction of the Dublin mountains - luckily it was time to turn back by the time I reached the really challenging hills. This is the first week I have exceeded 40 miles since early May. I'm certainly taking my time in returning to marathon training. I'd better get my ass in gear. I had intended spending the week off doing up the plan for Dublin but I'm still working on it. No rush, the fun is in the planning. 13th - 19th July (Run 20.6 miles, Bike 103.1 miles, Swim 700m) 20th - 26th July (Run 41.3 miles, Bike 60.2 miles, Swim about 250m)