Confidence roller-coaster

Monday, August 31st: 7.1km Recovery (6:16/km)

Just an easy recovery run with Roisin to get back into things.

Tuesday, September 1st: 5.6km Easy (6:02/km)

This was meant to be a Tempo session for Roisin but she was still knackered after Saturday so we pulled the session early doors and just jogged home.

Wednesday, September 2nd: 12.1km Easy (5:19/km)

Pace was back to Easy again on this solo run and managed to get a slightly more impressive distance in!

Thursday, September 3rd: 12.5km Steady (5:10/km)

Now that last weekends HM race is beginning to leave the body I went out at lunchtime for this run along the Grand Canal and threw in some quicker paced stuff on the favourable surface alongside the canal.

Friday, September 4th: 10.0km Easy (5:33/km)

This was planned to be my LSR for the weekend but almost from the get go I felt jaded and awkward. Managed to complete 10km and called it quits at that stage.

Saturday, September 5th: 33.0km LSR (5:09/km)

I felt much better this morning when out for my second chance at my LSR. Immediately the pace was tasty and I thought about holding back a bit but gave in to a pace that felt ok. I took in the Poppintree Parkrun @ MP as part of this run after about 4.5km before continuing on at approx 5:05/km thereafter.By 27km things were beginning to get a little tougher so I slowed down a little bit to about 5:25/km. However, this was a bit too late as by about 30km I was really beginning to fall apart! I made it as far as 33km but quit at that, 2km short of goal distance.

Pretty disappointed afterwards but tried to reason that it was all a bit quick just one week after Tullamore and that if I had ran at a more suitable ‘Easy’ pace then I’d have managed the trip no problem.

Sunday, September 6th: Rest Day

The AI SF replay with the Dubs was on last night so all-in-all felt it was a convenient time to call in a rest day.

Week Summary:

RTW: 6 from 7 days

DTW: 80.3km

DTY: 2,209.5km

Monday, September 7th: 7.1km Easy (5:41/km)

Another lunchtime run but this time easier and shorter.

Tuesday, September 8th: 11.6km Easy (5:34/km)

This was a tempo run for Roisin after last weeks cancelled session. Altogether more straightforward and she could have ran for longer.

Wednesday, September 9th: 22.7km MP run (21.7km @ 4:39/km)

After my own dismal sessions last week I felt it would be good mentally and physically to do a 20km @ MP run this evening. So, I parked in Le Cheile’s track in Leixlip and after a 1km warm-up to get onto the canal path I started into the MP bit in a Westerly direction. The terrain was a mixture of grass and trail before opening into a better gravel path. Once the far side of Maynooth it reverted back to trail/grass. All this meant it was a little tougher than a main road equivalent and this was confirmed when I detoured via Carton House on the way home and for the same effort I appeared to be going a few seconds quicker. Ended up with almost 22km @ MP in the end so well happy with that as I could easily have done a few more on the day.

Confidence somewhat restored!

Thursday, September 10th: 15.4km Easy (5:34/km)

John joined me for this run as it was supposed to be a 20km run on tired legs. As it was I felt 15km was enough on the night as the weather turned and even though the legs were fine for further kms the mind was just bored!

Friday, September 11th: Rest Day

Took a rest day to recover from past two days.

Saturday, September 12th: 7.4km St. Anne's Parkrun (20:35)

Fancied giving a parkrun a proper blast, however on the morning itself it tiryned out to be a bit breezy. The legs were still a bit tired from Wednesday and so it was that at halfway in St. Anne’s I kinda gave up a little. I sped up again over the last km but by that stage I’d voluntarily given up about 20 seconds. A sub 20min was not in the system today so I think I made the right call in the end!

Sunday, September 13th: Rest Day

Not sure why as I can’t remember but took today off!

Week Summary:

RTW: 6 from 7 days

DTW: 64.2km

DTY: 2,273.7km