Time to crank it up

Monday, 25th February – 11.8km Recovery Run with 10 x strides
A very easy recovery run this evening. Felt great for first couple of kms but slowly I started feeling the weekend’s running hit me as the run progressed. It’s only now that I’m learning the real worth of a properly slow (5:4x/km) recovery run and not a 5:15/km ‘easy’ run!
I was feeling like it was a read plod for the middle section so I threw in 10 sets of strides towards the end just to change things up and to ward off the boredom. It seemed to work well so I think I’ll do similarly for future runs.

Double-session Sunday

Sunday, 24th February (afternoon) – 17.2km with 13km @ MP Run
I had contemplated going back out for an easy run last night but decided I’d be better served putting full effort into an MP run today instead. So, I drove down to Clontarf for midday and headed off along the prom towards Sutton. The day was pretty cold so I went with a compression top, Long sleeve t-shirt, short sleeved t-shirt and a pretty warm top on the outside along with cap and gloves with a snood stored in my pockets just in case!

Some things good, some things not so good...

Thursday, 21st February – 11.8km Easy run
Another cold evening to put the dread in me before braving leaving the apartment but once out and about I was well insulated with cap and gloves and, as ever, the reality was nowhere near what I had imagined.

Chicago here I come!

Monday, 18th February – 11.5km Progression run
My legs were still a little achy from Saturday but not wanting to be too lazy I decided to throw 9 sets of strides at them after 1km of this run. Rather than measure distance or time on the watch I simply counted my way through ‘one 1000, two 1000, three 1000…’ all the way to ‘twenty 1000’. This roughly equates to 20 seconds and avoids me having to keep looking at my watch in the dark (helping me to avoid tripping and falling…again!).

Donadea 50km

Thursday, 14th February – 8.9km Recovery Run
Another slow recovery paced run where the main aim was to not do myself injury in advance of Donadea. In fact, the pace was so comfortable that while running down Griffith avenue I failed to notice a piece of footpath sticking up out of the ground and proceeded to clip it with my right foot, which in turn sent me flying to the ground!

Treading water

Mon, Feb 11th - 8.9km Recovery Run
Another recovery run just to ease the legs back into it after the CPHT. Felt like I was plodding a fair bit in parts. Beginning to think the issue with right groin is causing the tenderness in left quad by over-compensating during footfall.

Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail

Trail Route

Fri 8th Feb – 11.0km Recovery Run
Eventually I managed to rouse myself to go out again last Friday for a short recovery paced run. I took it nice and handy but there was a recurring pain through my right groin but this only happened once every couple of minutes. Managed to survive it for 11km in total.

Skiing, sloth and salvation (Part 2)

Monday night toboggoning.

Tue 29th Jan – 20.6km MSR Run
Took Monday off to simply enjoy the skiing and a few apres ski beers before a session of toboggonning which was great craic! Next morning I had a little lie-in but rather than going up the mountain I decided on a another run to Galtur. I briefly thought about going further but by the time the halfway point arived I was happy to head for home instead. I ran in the mountain runners today but I think the road runners are more suited to the terrain. By the time I’d returned to Ischgl the weather had taken a turn and visibility on the mountain was so poor that I had little option but to stay grounded for the day!

Skiing, sloth and salvation (Part 1)

My Alpine running route.

Wed, 23rd Jan – 14.4km Recovery run
This was more a leg stretcher after the last nights tough run. Legs were feeling pretty decent but the body in general a little tired. I’m pretty sure I’m not getting enough sleep now that I’ve upped the mileage since xmas. I’ve always been far more of a night owl than an early riser so will need to try hitting the sack a bit earlier in future.