OK, no time to wallow over Dublin – I’ve a back2back to train for and the Jungle is coming up.

The plan from Peter (with my modifications)

28th Oct–> 1st Nov: rest – I need to recover from Dublin
Nutrition will be key to my recovery and my ability to be ready for Clonakilty

Week 1:
2nd Nov: Easy 4 miles
4th Nov: Easy 4 miles
5th Nov: Easy 4 Miles
6th & 7th Nov: Rest
8th Nov Saturday: 13 mile slow
9th Nov Sunday: 13 mile Slow

Week 2:
10th Nov Monday: 60 minutes very slow easy running Keep heartrate below 135 beats per minutes.
11th Nov Tuesday: 45 minutes slow run
12th Nov Wednesday: 75 minutes easy wanting keeping poults below 135 beats per minutes.
13th Nov Thursday: rest.
14th Nov Friday: 90 minutes slow easy running pulse below 135 beats per minutes.
15th Nov Saturday: 90 minutes slow easy running.
16th Nov Sunday: two hours one where the backpack carrying three KG of weight made up of the water and food supplies.

Week 3:
17th Nov Monday: day off rest with lots of stretching.
18th Nov Tuesday: 90 minutes easy (Flying to Paris)
19th Nov Wednesday: 45 minutes easy running (In Paris)
20th Nov Thursday: 60 minutes slow (In Bonn)
21st Nov Friday: 60 minutes easy running (In Dublin)
22nd Nov Saturday 90 minutes with backpack and three KG weight (In Dublin)
23rd Nov Sunday: two hours 30 minutes easy running with three KG weight in the backpack.

Week 4:
24th Nov Monday: day off
25th Nov Tuesday: 90 minutes slow easy running pulse below 135 beats per minutes.
26th Nov Wednesday: 75 minutes slow easy running pulse below 135 beats per minutes.
27th Nov Thursday: Rest
28th Nov Friday: 60 minutes very slow easy running Keep heartrate below 135 beats per minutes.
29th Nov Saturday: two hours carrying three KG of weight made up of the water and food supplies.

Week 5:
30th Nov –> 4th Dec: Rest (Sinus infection)
5th & 6th Dec: Run Back2Back Marathons

Well, I completed Dublin and while I could say it was a disaster – I’ll say it didn’t go as planned and when I accepted that, I really enjoyed the experience.

So the race didn’t go as planned and I’m putting to down to being sick, I lined up with the 3:10 pacers and I stuck with them for 10 miles, actually feeling ok, but at 10 miles both my hips became like rocks and striding was difficult. Looking at my pace, I really came unstuck by mile 17 when I was run/walking the race.

When I came unstuck and the idea of hitting my desired result was lost – I actually started to enjoy (wow, I can’t believe I’m using that word) the event. I started to high 5 every kid I could, I started to take all the sweets on offer, so while I was in pain I enjoyed the event.

My recovery was very fast even if it wasn’t ideal – I was in Madrid the following day (Tuesday/Wednesday) and Bonn on the Thursday/Friday – I was actually perfect by the Wednesday night.

Next post: Training for my first back2back marathon

Saturday morning and I think I’m ok……

With the marathon on Monday today really is the last chance for me to be ok, I woke up at 8am feeling ok, but decided to go back to sleep and I woke up again at 9am.

Checking my resting heart rate and Heart rate variability it is much improved over yesterday. my RHR is down from 43 to 40 and my HRV is up from 87 to 100, while I’m very aware of every niggle I think I’m back – I’m ready.

My family however are not – Sinead, Niamh and Fionn all aren’t feeling well and Niamh was sick last night – so if I’m going to Dublin I’ll be going by myself.

Today is the last day to get ready; The plan for today is to.

1. Cut the grass
2. Tidy the back garden
3. Bring Brooke to horse riding
4. Buy compression socks or compression sleeves
5. Pack for Dublin
   1. Food for journey to Dublin
   2. Food for journey home
   3. Clothes for the marathon
      1. PGi top
      2. Size small bicycle shorts
      3. Size small running shorts
      4. Black running socks (Shouldn’t give me blisters)
      5. Runners + insoles
      6. Heart Strap
      7. Plasters (nipples, chest where the hrm cuts me & heels)
      8. Vaseline
      9. hoody for going to the start
   4. Clothes for coming home
   5. Food for morning of the marathon
   6. Food for just after I finish

Vomiting;

I arrived home last night from dinner with Kevin and Daniel at Deasys and I didn’t feel great.

I was into bed by 11, but I was up a few times during the night vomiting. My main concern is will I be ok for the marathon on Monday……

I haven’t headed to work yet and even though Kevin and Daniel are over from Atlanta to meet me to prepare for the meeting in Madrid next week I’m half thinking of staying at home in bed.

After a great week, a hard week follows!

I’ve gone from a 56 mile week down to a 21 mile week and this week is even harder!

This week I’ve all kinds of taper madness happening.

On Monday I went for a crazy run – I’m not sure what took hold of me but I did 4 miles with an average pace of 6:52 – there was no warmup or cooldown time – I did however do a good bit of stretching.

Monday evening/night I had a few pains in muscles – These could be the types of pain I get with flu!!!!! I’m putting it all down to taper madness but to be on the safe side I nearly overdosed with vitamin C – Had a lemsip with a drop of whiskey, a lean greens and gargled with Dispirin

Tuesday I felt great and put it all down to taper madness! I went to Peter to get my muscles flushed – really feel great and more than ready for Dublin.

Discussing the plan for Monday with Peter – stay with the 3:10 pacers (7:15 per mile pace) until mile 20 and then I can race the last 10k – Peter suggested a 10 min warmup, followed by 20 min (wind assisted) marathon pace followed by 10 min cooldown

Tuesday afternoon a sore throat and more pains – decided not to do the run and really overdosed on vitamin c and asked Peter for advise – rest and vitamin c + sauna if possible.

Wednesday: keeping the hydration levels and started to slowly add more carbs to my diet (had a pasta salad for lunch) The sore throat is gone and I’m not sure if I really had it in the first place.

Gone to bed early and I’ve flu type pains again – more lemsip and vitamin c.

I’m back on track with the miles – and I had a great pre race 20 mile run.

Bring on the marathon!

On Sunday I was to do a 17/18 mile run with the first 5 easy, the middle 10 at marathon pace (7:10 min/mile) and the last 2/3 easy – taking gels at 5, 10, 13 & 15 miles

I decided I needed to do a 20 mile run to get over my fear of the distance because my longest runs were 2 18 milers. I also decided to not change the distances to take the gels.

It was very cold when I started and the first mile was at 8:20 – so I decided to keep each mile at 8:20 and looking at the splits, I managed to do it. At times I needed to up the pace a bit as I felt the pace dropping off in order to ensure every mile was below 8:20

In order to take the gels and to hydrate correctly I ensured I was passing my house at 5, 10, 13 & 15 miles – I actually stopped to drink and take the gel – I think it will be critical to take on enough water during the marathon to feel as good as I did during this training run!

I had no issue dropping the pace to 7:10 min/miles even though I found some of the 8:20 min/miles hard – go figure. If I tell my body to do something and it is able for it – It will just do it 🙂 but it may still feel hard.

At Mile 12.5 I felt a major blister on my left heal, so at the mile 13 gel stop I put on a plaster – this was gone a mile later and I just decided to keep going. The blister was caused by my socks being too short and the back of the runner hitting off the back of my foot. Note: wear longer socks!!!!!

When I finished mile 15 and I was to drop the pace back down – I hadn’t really decided what pace to do – but I was a bit fast! another running was going the same direction as me, and I thought it would be good to run together, he seemed to speed up a bit and I followed but eventually I got sense and left him go.

I settled on 8:10 min/mile for the last 4 miles and I really felt great. At Mile 18 I raised my arms as if I was finishing the marathon and I could feel the victory crossing the line in under 3 hours 10 minutes, feeling tired but good. I really have this in the bag.

During the run I planned Dublin – I’ll line up in front of the 3h 10m pacers and within the first mile I’ll drop back to the 3:10 pacers.

I’ll stick with the 3:10 pacers (7:15 pace) until Mile 10, and then I’ll drop my pace by 5 seconds (7:10 pace) until Mile 23. At Mile 23 with 3 miles left I’ll give what ever I have left in the tank – the objective is to come in under 3h 10m