Hibernation

My recovery from the Clonakilty marathon went very well with none of the usual aches and pains and no requirement to alter my gait walking downstairs. Having said that I have only run three times in the last 12 days, the first of which on the Tuesday following the marathon felt the best. My body has told me in no uncertain terms that it's time to rest. To be quite honest it's been winding down since Dublin and I was lucky to get in a good run in Clon.

.

My weight has increased steadily over the last 8 weeks as my reduced running volume has freed up significant time to enable me get two more meals into my day - the two extra holes I had to punch in my belt in September are now redundant and won't see action for a long while.

.

A friend told me last week that putting on weight would build up my immunity to infection, which would have been compromised when training for Dublin. Funnily enough I came down with a cold this week, my first infection of the year. I think myself that it's what I eat as opposed to how much I eat has a lot to do with staying infection and injury free. I certainly feel that switching to more unprocessed foods to get closer to my racing weight during the summer months had the added benefit of improving my recovery rate from hard workouts and increasing my immunity to infection. My calves, which gave me so much trouble in Connemara in April, responded well to the tempo training in August and September and for the first time in a Marathon did not limit my performance in Dublin.

.

So...............where am I headed. Well with Christmas upon us there's not point in reversing my dietary trend. I have signed up for both the Dungarvan and Ballycotton 10 milers in January and March, but neither will be the focus of a specific training plan. Anyway Dungarvan's too soon and Ballycotton? no excuse there. I'm leaning towards heading back to Connemara in April for some unfinished business - to complete the 39.3 miles without my calves giving up the ghost before the hill out of Lenaun and in the process knock a decent chunk of time off my PB. I thought about concentrating on improving my PB's over the shorter distances but for some reason that doesn't seem to interest me as much. You'd think I'd have had enough of the long stuff as 2011 has been good to me on that score. You'd never know I might change my mind before the year's out.

.

Wishing you all a peaceful and happy Christmas.

.

.