Running with the birds or for the birds?

October 8th
Dip in 40 Foot
45 minute Body Pump Class


October 9th
Dip in 40 Foot
75 minute Hot Vinyasa Yoga Class
6.04 miles avg pace 9.32


October 10th
Dip in 40 Foot
12.39 miles; 6 warm up at 9.34 pace followed by 5 miles @ what was once my PMP 7.52 pace, followed by cool down at 8.34 pace.
60 minute Hot Ashtanga Yoga Class

Another glorious autumn morning for a run and rather than head out the door for some easy miles I decided to put some structure into my running. I wanted to try and gauge how much fitness I’ve lost over the past two months sitting in a hot room saying OHM (I’ve decided that ohm actually stands for O’s healed muscles:)). Up around Killiney for a hilly warm-up then in and out of Blackrock for the speedy stuff. Turns out I’ve lost a fair amount of fitness, instead of feeling like marathon pace it felt more like Half marathon pace, the good news is that after some initial tightness my calf behaved itself (or maybe I just didn’t notice it anymore?) Once again I felt great after the run and the morning after, fingers crossed, knock on wood…. and all that jazz. I actually really enjoyed running a little fast (yes I know that’s slow for lots of people) I remembered that the last time I ran close to that pace was very uncomfortably in the Bay 10K August 5th. Fast forward to over two months later and Florence and the Machine were serenading me and all was well once again in my running world:)
Say my name!
As every colour illuminates!
We are shining!
And we'll never be afraid again!


October 11th
Dip in Sea
75 minute Hot Vinyasa Yoga Class

Arrived down for my usual dip to find the 40 Foot was closed off as a crime scene as a body had been recovered the night before, very, very sad news and a very stark reminder that if all I have to worry about is loss of fitness I have absolutely nothing to worry about.


We swam around at Sandycove beach and managed a sprint swimming exit; one of the giant big seals had arrived to say hello:eek: Water temperature is a balmy 13 degrees at the moment:)

Dory Dory wrote: »

Are giant big seals bad?? They're alwfully cute.....

(Nice work you've been doing post Berlin!! I sent you a text or two over the weekend, but it seems our texting is spotty at best. I think it's a problem on my end with how I have your number programmed in my phone. I'll work on that!!)

The giant seals are awfully cute:) and he looked so forlorn when we got out but a couple of years ago they started getting a little too friendly with the swimmers and we aren't taking any chances:eek:

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/sexstarved-seals-prey-on-bathers-1861388.html

Textland is a strange place;) it would appear that I have to be in Berlin for our texts to work....

Dory Dory wrote: »

Aren't you supposed to do NY in a few weeks?? And pacing DCM?? Are you still a go for all that? Or have things changed....or perhaps my memory is fooling me...?

This time 3 weeks from now I'll be in New York (WOO HOO:D:D:D)
Mr S is staying home to mind the boys (or as he very kindly reminded me, he didn't qualify:)) so I'm heading over with a Canadian friend and some pals are coming up from Chicago also, I am getting VERY EXCITED:):):)
Before that I have the honour of pacing 4.15 in DCM and i'm really, really looking forward to that also.

(Those photos of your trail run the other day almost had me changing my flight home from New York so I could come and run with you but I'll have to save that trip for another time:)
Oh, and congrats on your PB DD:D)

October 12th
Dip in Sea
14.06 miles @ 9.14 pace
45 minute Body Pump Class
Another glorious day so I took full advantage of it by heading along the coast from Dun Laoire to Shanganagh Park and back again. I took it nice and easy on the way there as I had been for a really tough dry needling session on Thursday and my calf was still a little tight and picked to pace up on the way back, gradually increasing and finishing with some strides. Popped into Body Pump as a cool down and I felt very strong throughout.

October 13th DLR 5K fun run Kilbogget Park
Easy run up to the park 2.16 miles avg pace 9.23
Race 3.29 miles 23.59 avg pace 7.18
My 9 year old’s rugby team were using this as a fundraiser for Barretstown so I was sort of on duty for this one in case any of them fell into a ditch;) so I hadn’t planned to race this (also the fact that I’m not in race shape and it was a fun run:):):)) A beautiful sunny Autumn day meant a great turnout of all ages and abilities. Junior Stew had asked Mr Stew to pace him to a course record (he knew the course was long by 300M so he wasn’t looking for a PB;)) and I was keeping an eye on our 11 year old and our Spanish student. Had a quick chat with Belcarra at the start and told him to push up to the front ahead of the rugby team and after a few speeches from local politicians we were off. My 11 year old started fast and after a while he slowed a little and asked me to run ahead (I’m sure it’s not cool to run with your mum:D) so I then found myself on my own so I had no choice but to try and race it;) I actually really enjoyed it, picking off the odd runner and overtaking them and although it was a little frustrating to see how much fitness I’ve lost it was also humbling to see how much work I’ll have to do next year to get the sub 20:eek:

Great encouragement from a lot of the participants as we lapped them and I could see junior and Mr S up ahead all the time. Junior was the first child across the line and was thrilled with his course record 23.03:D:D I caught up with Spanishstew in the last 400 metres and we finished together 23.59. I turned around and went straight back to find our 11 year old and was delighted to see him arriving a couple of minutes later with a big smile on his face, I think I was most proud of him as he doesn't really like running and he ran the whole thing on his own. Bumped into Sideswipe and his adorable toddler at the Finish Line and caught up with some more friends.


A great day had by the Stew Family and over €1,800 raised for Barretstown by the rugby club:)


October 14th
Rest Day
I had toyed with the idea of a recovery run but over an hour in the rain on the side of a rugby pitch this morning convinced me to head to the sofa for the afternoon.

Total miles for the week
38.28:)

October 15th
LSR 23.04 miles avg pace 9.31 min/miles
High tide Dip in Sea

Another glorious day and I was meeting up with my friend who is running New York and a new friend who is running DCM for this long run. We started along the coast from Dun Laoire up around Killiney to get the hills over with (yes, I know, we should have done them at the end of the run but I'm saving that for my LSR on October 29th:)). We took it nice and easy and kept the pace slow to start, and then we headed in and out of town along the coast. I really, really enjoyed this run, my hip was as usual very tight to start but after about three miles I was fine. We chatted non-stop the whole way and the miles just flew by. I had hoped to run this on empty as I need all the help I can get for New York but at 12 miles they stopped to buy chocolate and it would have been rude not to take a piece:D, Yum. I bought a small carton of juice and then at 16 miles I had some water and another small piece of chocolate. As if things couldn’t get any better, a black cat crossed our path along the way:D:D At about 19 miles we were all starting to flag a little but the great thing about running in a group is that there’s always somebody to take the lead and spur us on. Mile 21 was our fastest mile (although that could be because we were all getting hungry;)) and we finished strong.. Super high tide at the 40 Foot so we couldn’t resist, a perfect morning that left me on a high.
I love, love that smug, tired feeling you get after doing a long run:)

October 16th
Dip in Sea
60 minute lower body class
45 minute Pilates class
Feeling good after the long run but I decided to cross-train for recovery.

October 17th
45 minute aqua aerobics class
Wet, wild, windy wonderful 6.02 recovery miles avg pace 9.24 min/mile
Super dooper high tide dip in the sea:D

I popped into the pool in the gym to join the aqua class as a warm up and then braved the elements for a short recovery run. Legs felt quite stiff to start, I should have just done the recovery run on Tuesday;) but I really enjoyed this run. The sea was wild and I was getting splashed as I ran along the coast. Again up to the hills in Killiney and I was thinking of Emer911 as I picked my way through the piles of squishy, wet leaves on the footpaths:)

I headed down to the 40 Foot for a high tide but it was so rough and the waves were huge, got in for a dip at the beach and it was glorious, a bit like being in a washing machine being thrown around the place, I couldn't stop myslef saying "Woo hoo" every time a wave picked me up:)

October 18th
75 hot ashtanga yoga class
Easy 5.82 hilly miles in Killiney @ 9.23 pace
High tide dip in Sea

October 19th
5.02 miles @ 7.41 pace
45 minute Body Pump class
Another fabulous high tide dip in Sea
I’m still all over the place with a non-existent training plan and I’ve been happy enough to get easy miles in with no pressure on but I headed out on Friday with the P&D 3X1600 @ 5K pace run in mind…. Started slow and firstly thought I’d just take it easy and then I copped myself on and after a mile @ 9 min/mile pace I upped the pace to 5K effort, splits were 7.29, 7.17 and 7.12 and I opted not to take a recovery in between so it became a tempo session. I started the last mile slowly but then I wasn’t in the mood to keep it slow so I had an enjoyable last mile @ 7.30 pace. I popped into the gym and cooled down in Body Pump.

October 20th
12.19 miles @9.22 pace
First early morning run in a long, long time and it nearly killed me at the start. I was up at 7am (early for a Saturday) and was meeting my friend who’s running New York. We ran the West Pier to allow ourselves to wake up and by the time we finished the sun was well and truly up and it was turning into a glorious morning. With our legs warmed up we headed to the hills in Killiney and finished this run with two fast miles (downhill:)) as I needed to get back to bring junior to a GAA match.

October 21st
Rest Day
I had hoped to get out for a recovery run but Saturday turned into a very late night so I caught up on sleep instead.


I’m delighted to finally feel like I’ve logged a good week’s training, unfortunately it's a little too late for New York but it’s good to be slowly getting back to my-running-self again again. I’m going to take it easy running wise from now on in the run up to Dublin, next week is turning out to be one of the busiest weeks I’ve had in ages, with four nights out planned (all will be teetotal:)), in fact I’ve had no alcohol at all since Berlin (except for a half glass of DELICIOUS red wine at a party on Saturday) and I’ve finally lost two of the extra kilos I was carrying due to lack of miles:)

Total miles for the week 52.11:)
7 days to DCM and 13 days to New York:D:D:D