This was a great day – my objective was to keep as close as possible to 6:35 min/mile pace.

Distance: 7.39 miles

Duration 59m:02s

Average Pace: 7:59 min/mile

Average Heart Rate: 145

Max Heart Rate: 178

I was too tired today to go to Pilates, So I skipped it.

Today was a bad day for food, not sure what happened but 2 bars of chocolate and a packet of jellies did happen.

Need to get back on track – the Marathon is in 11 days

Last year when I ran the Dublin Marathon I slowed down from mile 22.5 and kept getting slower until mile 25, when I increased the pace again. I didn’t get back to my planed race pace, but I did get back to something I was ok with.

So why did I slow down? I remember at the time thinking about slowing for about 3 miles before I slowed. that I just wasn’t able for the pace. and I left my head get to me, so I slowed.

The following link discusses the wall, and while I don’t agree with everything in the article it does discuss the places the mind brings us. http://www.badwater.com/training/bane.html

For me running the Dublin Marathon again in 1 1/2 weeks time I know the mind is going to play tricks on me. I also know the mind is doing this to protect my body. the only problem is my mind warns me too early to slow down and it can impact my ability to race.

When I ran the Charleville 1/2 Marathon my mind left me alone until I left the 1:40 min pacers because I was in my head already at that point.

When I won Stockbridge 1/2 Marathon My mind started at mile 12 as I was increasing my pace to 6:45 min/miles

I know my mind will start at me, I also know that by running through it, it will be better for my body as when I slow down my form gets messed up and I end up in real pain after the race.

This year I’m expecting the mind to put my body in pain and I know I need to tell the mind to leave me alone – I know the pace I’m running at is very possible for me (in fact I even think I could go faster) and I know if I slow down I’ll be in real pain, I appreciate my mind want to protect my body, but it has to trust me and allow me to protect my body – by running what I am capable of doing – so I stay in good form.

So when my mind starts telling me I’m in too much pain to keep the pace going – I’m going to do a check – is my form ok (correct it if it isn’t) is my breathing ok (correct it if it isn’t). this pain will pass, and I know it will pass because it always passes, just sometimes after the race instead of during and then I’m going to keep to the pace (or go faster)

60 Minute easy run.

This was a good run, I enjoyed just running easy without needing to look at my watch to see was I on pace.

The run was slow 🙂 averaging 9:12 min/mile

I completed 6.12 miles in 56m:21s with a average Heart rate of 131

I went out without a watch for the first time in a long time.

It was a lunch time run with John, and we did the normal 4 miles, I’m guessing in about 36/37 minutes. (John will send me his garmin file so I have the record)

Not much to say about the run except I was ok – the tops of my knees were a small bit sore but nothing major.

The plan was to run the first 5 miles at 8 min/mile pace, the next 10 miles at 7:30 min/mile pace and the last 5 miles at 8 min/mile pace.

Well I nailed it:

• The average pace for the first 5 miles was 7:56
• The average pace for the next 10 miles was 7:21
• The average pace for the last 5 miles was 8:02

Conditions: Good day, not too warm/not to cold.

Remarks: I found it difficult for most of the run to maintain a steady pace. I kept running too fast, the first 2 miles in particular I felt I was nearly walking I was going so slow 🙂

During the last 2 miles my mind decided I needed to slow down, and it wasn’t until I did a check (is my body ok – yes, is my breathing ok – yes) and I discovered it was in my head was I able to continue and get nearly back to 8 min/mile pace.

What else to say? – Well I ran well and enjoyed the run, I kept smiling to myself when I realised the pace I was running and how comfortable I felt, in particular when the pace increased into the 6 min/mile area (6:00 –> 6:59)

The route was very hilly, the hills for the last mile were hard.

Recovery: I feel good – The main area for concern is my back (left hand side, under my shoulder blade)

Heart Rate: Average: 139 Max: 183