Going Long?

It's that time of year where the shorter summer races give way to longer more endurance based events - the Cork Half marathon on Sunday, Cork to Cobh 15 miler on 3rd October and the Dublin City marathon at the end of October (or Berlin, Amsterdam, New York etc. for those travelling further a field). I haven't signed up for Dublin as i'm waiting to see how I do this weekend and decide whether or not I have the enthusiasm or energy to up the ante for the next 6 weeks or so.

.

I kept the training at more or less full throttle over the weekend getting a 17 mile hilly long run in on Saturday between twin bike rides of 44 and 62 miles on Friday and Sunday. Sunday's outing was at a relatively easy pace over part of the 100 mile Rebel Tour route taking place this Saturday.

.

After a rest day on Monday I headed to the Track on Tuesday where a 12 lap (3 mile) group run @ somewhere around threshold pace was called for. The idea of these runs is that we all run in single file, keeping a steady distance from the runner in front with the leader setting the pace. Every 200m or so the guy/gal at the back moves up to the front and takes over the pace setting at whatever pace they want/feel reasonably comfortable with. This resulted in a varying pace throughout the session of between 6:10 and 7:10, which proved challenging, particularly for those whose threshold pace was closer to the 7:10 end of the spectrum - still a good workout though, averaging at 6:44 pace (my plan had been to do 3 x 1 mile at 6:40/50 pace so I wasn't far off). I think next week the speedy legs will be put into their own group.

.

I ran in my lightweight shoes to see if my toe would hold up to the punishment (testing the water for the 13.1 miles at the weekend) and while I ran without any discomfort there was some mild aches in my toe later on.

.

I have done nothing over the last two days, not because I suddenly realised I should be tapering (although if I was training for a marathon i'd have eased back 2 week ago) but more due to a lack of enthusiasm coupled with the fact that nothing I do now will benefit me on Saturday anyway.

.

On the plus side I have signed up for the Connemara Ultra, the only race I definitely know I want to run in 2011. I think I caught the ultra fever after reading about the recent exploits of Thomas and Mick, although I must admit Connemara 2011 was always on my radar. Not only that but my 2010 ultra running partners, John and Denis, have also signed up and Denis has even booked the same hostel (the poor guy at the other end of the phone didn't even have a 2011 diary to write the booking into).

.