Speed

This week I have put in more effort and I am pleased with
the results.I am getting into work at 8am so I can leave
at 4pm, and with the evenings a bit longer, and the weather
a bit warmer running is good again.
Sunday was an easy 8 miles at 8min pace,Monday 5.5 miles
at 7min pace, Tuesday I got in a 12 mile hilly loop at
7min mile average - this was a good workout and I even
managed to put in a fast mile from miles 10 to 11 (6.20 pace).
Last evening I had the dreaded mile intervals planned so
I was at Hartys Quay at 4.30 and I has a straight mile
mapped out on the new pathway from Hop Island to Passage.
The plan was 4 * 1 mile intervals at 6min miles.
It was strange not being at the track and I had to guess
the pace as at the track the laps help with a consistent pace.
Mile 1 was downwind and I reached the marker in 5.58.
Mile 2 was back into the wind so I put in more effort - 5.46.
That was a bit quick and I donno if I can do 2 more,a few
minutes recovery and I go again - 5.46 again ! - felt a bit
better after this one.
Mile 4 was back into the wind I hit 6.03 .
I have to be happy that the speed is still there anyways
- I am surprised at the 5.46 though - so I can treat myself
to a few beers and a few steaks over the weekend as I am
best man for Mike who is getting married in Bantry on Saturday.

Press Ups

I can`t believe it is almost 6 months since my last road race - a 10k in Courtmacsherry.
I badly need to get back racing to see where I am at fitness and speed wise.
At least I got 2 decent XC races in the last few months and I have kept my fitness ticking over.
I did a 13 mile loop around rafeen,passage and carrigaline last sunday and it went ok at steady 8 min miles. My plan was to run this weekend`s 4 mile race but I injured my lower back on Tuesday doing press-ups and sit-ups and I had to crawl up the stairs on all fours Tuesday night! Fiona was not too impressed, and when I explained I was on press-up number 192 when I felt a twinge in the lower back she threw her eyes to heaven.
So a few days of ICE and Deep Heat seems to have done the trick and I got out yesterday for 7 easy miles.I will not be going back to the press ups though - using proper equipment in the gymn is probably the smarter option.

So my new target race is the Bantry 10 Mile road race, West Cork on Sun 14th Feb.
It will be my first ever 10 mile race so I will have to get in some proper speed work at the track in the next few weeks.I am not sure how to approach the race, maybe a steady first 5 miles and try to kick on for the 2nd 5 miles if I feel ok..
what do you reckon Bricey? you ran some cracking 10 milers last year.

It sounds like a scenic course so it should be a good one.
Time to start putting in some serious work now.

Targets for 2010

For Nov/December I averaged around 30 to 35 miles per week with the odd long run of between 12 and 16 miles and some good steady 5 to 10 mile hilly runs around Rochestown,Carrigaline and Monkstown.Mostly I was aiming for some fast 5 mile races over the x-mas (which were cancelled due to the weather).I was hoping to try to break 30 mins for the BANDON 5 as i hit 30.50 last year so hopefully I'll get the chance at some stage in the Spring.The main thing I am happy with is that I have been injury free for 6 months now,and although I am not doing high mileage I am fairly happy with my fitness.
I reckon this is the year for me to finally tackle a marathon,donno which one yet but I might try for a European Marathon like Valencia (Feb 21st),Barcelona (March 7th), or Madrid (April 25th) but,if getting there is too much hassle I will wait for Limerick or Cork.I guess I should find a good online training program to follow as well...any recommendations ??
So,for now I plan to stay fit and tackle some 5 mile/10k/10 mile races over the next few months and increase the weekend long runs towards 20 miles.
After Grellan`s amazing 33 miles I should not complain about targeting 20 miles!

Hope all ye Runners have an injury free 2010.

Lambs Liver

Last week was an easy running week -Total of 20 miles- as I allowed my spained ankle time to heal.
This week I`ve cranked it up a notch with 5/6 mile hilly runs on local roads on Monday,Tuesday and Wednesday.
Wednesday was a 6mile Hilly Loop around Rochestown/Rafeen at 7 min/mile average.
I will get in a long run of 10 - 15 miles on Saturday and will try to keep this a weekly event.So my weekly total should hit about 35 miles.

As my Iron Levels were slightly low in my last Blood Tests - probably due to the Leptospirosis/Weil's Disease I got back in April whitewater rafting on Honeymoon in Borneo.(The rumours of Fiona pushing me in are absolutely untrue - the fact that a paddle was on my head as I tried to come up for air was just bad luck!)

So,Iron is important for athletes,and low Iron is fairly common in athletes, due to loss in sweat,foot striking damaging blood cells and poor diet.My Doc tells me Elite Athletes are prone to taking illegal Iron supplements to Boost VO2 Max.
For me the Answer is to eat more Red Meat,Liver,Beans,Orange Juice and to cut down on my 4 or 5 daily expressos which reduce Iron Absorption from the food.

Lambs Liver does'nt taste so good but it is really cheap! You get about a kilo for
E 4.00 . I`ve been trying out different recipes,like breading the liver and frying,mixing with chillies and garlic etc.Last meal I cut the liver in strips and stir fried it with butter,mushrooms,garlic and brandy - not bad actually.
Chicken Liver is a bit more tasty,but it is high in cholesterol so I better not eat a kilo of that ..

Cork Intermediate and Masters X Country Bandon

Sunday last was my second XC of the year and conditions were a lot tougher than my first. Recent heavy rain and a hilly course with plenty of evidence of cows and deep mud and stones at gaps led to a tough run.
On a short warmup the omens were bad - deep water and mud,stones in a few stretches but some of the hilly fields were fine. The distance was to be 7k.
Lingering around the start line I heard a shout,"3mins to start" and the adrenaline kicked in.
My plan was to get decent ground on the inside and stay in the top third of the field early on.
Off we go,and after the first hill I feel a bit wrecked (already?) - then a downhill and after a crazy sharp turn I find my rythm and focus on the guy in front.
The hills are really taking it out of me but I relax and remember to keep a steady pace and if I have anything left on the final lap I will go for it.I can see the leaders a field or two ahead and I reckon I am in the top 30.. Second lap goes ok and I pass the guy in front and close on 2 more guys, I go by another but the second fella (Grange Fermoy) follows me and goes past again..he is stubborn so I decide to run with him and we keep each other company till the final lap. On a sharp turn I twist my ankle and the jolt of pain seems to wake me up a bit! I decide to accelerate on the hilly stretch and I drop Grange Fermoy and I catch another.
This effort takes its toll so I lower my hands/arms, convince myself I am feeling ok and take some big lungfulls of air. We are on the last half lap now and I see two more runners about 20 yards ahead,I kinda think "good luck to them - they deserve it cause I am almost all out here", then I notice one of them is slowing.. and I decide I may do it if I can take a bit more pain, another reason is I don`t want to be caught by anyone behind. I take a quick look over my shoulder on one of the turns and I am 10,15 yards clear of danger. I get a decent rythm going, come on-fast finish now! I catch the guy in front as he is slowing a bit and I am going ok, we go through the second last gap where I lap a runner (this is a first for me) and I see 2 more guys ahead. They are struggling through the watery section just before the turn for home. I go for it and splash past the two runners ..now the last turn and a dry uphill run to the finish, this hurts but I am not slowing now.. I see the finish line and am very glad it is over. A few handshakes and I am on my knees getting air. That was tough but fantastic fun. It looks like I am the first runner home for my club. I see two more Eagle Runners finish not far behind me and I congratulate them.. Smiles all round as I hobble through a warmdown and head for the showers.
I meet Grange Fermoy and he shakes my hand "we had a mighty battle" he says, he obviously enjoyed it as much as me!