Tuesday 10 April 2012

No Running or Jogging Allowed

My recovery from Connemara has gone pretty well. To be quite honest it is one of the best recoveries I have had after a marathon/ultra, with the sore quads walking downstairs lasting less than 24 hours - maybe the Guinness after the race helped loosen things out.

My first run was on Tuesday, where I joined the Clubs 4 x 1 mile track session - jumping into the slowest pace on offer at about 7:44 miles and while my legs felt a bit tired and achy there were no noticeable niggles. Since then I have run every second day, getting in a reasonably long hilly run with the club on Saturday morning (14.8 miles) with no issues. Today I went out for a impromptu progression run at lunchtime with Brendan (all my runs with Brendan appear to be progression runs) getting down to 6:27 pace for mile 5 before I eased back slightly as I could feel a pain in my right adductor (groin) so i'll keep away from the speedwork or anything below 7 minute pace for a while, no rush.

Given my endurance base I thought i'd look for another ultra to run in the next month or 2 and set my sights on the JFK 50 Mile Challenge in Sneem on 26th May. The only problem is that it is advertised as a walk ,which participants have to complete within 20 hours . No problem there I thought. However I sent an e-mail to the organisers asking was it open to runners and got 2 separate courteous replies saying that running or jogging is not allowed but they'd love to have me walk it. Maybe I could do a Rob Heffernan on it  or it would come in handy as training for one of those 24 hour races that require a bit of walking ;-)


Tue 3rd Apr - 6.70 miles in 1:02:30 (9:20 pace - with 4 x 1 mile @ 7:44 pace and loads of standing around)

Thu 5th Apr - 5.64 miles in 42:33 (7:33 pace - Easy run)

Sat 7th Apr - 14.80 miles in 1:59:12 (8:03 pace @ 135 HR - Long run)

Mon 9th Apr - 9.58 miles in 1:11:11 (7:25 pace @ 133 HR - Easyish run)

Tue 10th Apr - 5.64 miles in 39:36 (7:01 pace @ 136 HR - Progression run)



8 comments:

  1. Hmmm, you could always try this? Maybe a little short in distance but might suit endurance. You know you want to........... :-)

    http://www.walkersassociation.ie/node/122

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    1. Hey Grellan - what about the Mourne Mts Double Marathon in June - or do you need to do one sooner. Liam

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    2. I'd love to Liam, but that's a serious away trip and I don't think I have the brownie points built up yet.

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    3. Cheers Rónán. JP has already asked me to run Ballyhoura and i'm seriously tempted although I am pacing 3:45 in Limerick the following day. While back to back marathons is all good endurance training if I did both i'd be away all weekend in addition to the pressure i'd be under in Limerick with 26.2 hilly miles in my legs.

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  2. why not walk it backwards. that would really freak them out and you would get instant national fame, especially if you won

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    Replies
    1. That's the best suggestion yet Marty - I like your lateral thinking. Although I think with walking events everyone's a winner.

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  3. Fast walking is a skill that could come in handy when you tackle a 24 hour race. In his 48 hour races Martin Fryer uses a run/walk schedule from the start. I think something like 25/5. He practises fast walking too - did the Canberra 2 day walk a couple of weeks back.

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  4. Spot on Ewen, some the great (ultra) "pedestrians" of the 19th and early 20th Century walked more in training than they ran.

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