The Boggers Log

Mon & Tue: travelled to Paris, was staying in a small but decent hotel beside the Arc de Triumph. Spent all day and night sitting preparing for a meeting on Tuesday and the back was very niggley and getting worse. I've stopped taking pain killers but I'd to take one on Tuesday morning to get through the day. On Tuesday evening I booked a massage at the hotel but despite me requesting a deep tissue 90 minutes all I got was ripped off and she friction burned off half my body hair!!!

Wed: decided to try a short jog with a couple of work colleagues and we headed to Parc Monceau at 7am. Got 3 miles done around the dusty trails of the small park, including half a mile on the road. Stretched for 20 minutes after and the back felt a lot better.

Thur: gym session, he focused on the back for the full hour.

Fri: am - gym session, focused on chest and shoulders, was very tired after this session.

pm - 3 miles easy including 1 mile on the road, took this very handy as the last time I ran twice on the road in a week the back flared up badly.

3 @ 8.42

Sat: 4 miles easy, wu and drills on the grass pitch followed by a couple of laps of the pitch and then out onto the road for a test drive.

Was apprehensive about this, went through my checklist: glutes engaged, check, shoulders loose and down, check, rib cage down core engaged, check, arms tight to my sides & run tall, check, focus and we're off...

Half a mile later this is going well, no pain, endorphins kick in and I'm relaxed and enjoying it, too feckin relaxed, my guts, arse and moobs are gyrating like they're at a silent disco and I'm back waddling like a duck. Refocus and get the show back on the road finishing with 2 miles on the road. Very happy with that!

4 miles @ 8.24

Sun: up to the local pitch, had planned on getting a long run done, had in my head to run a bit further than my longest recent run, 12k.

Spent 10 mins on drills and warming up and started on the monotonous plod. Unusually there were a few others out running on the pitch for the first 30 mins so that provided a bit of a distraction. Got to 7.5 miles decided to do 8, got to 8 and although I was tiring I felt I could manage another 4 laps.

Got 9 miles done @ 8.11, absolutely thrilled with that! If I can continue with this rate of progress i might be able to rejoin the glue factory sooner than planned 😀

TbL

Monday: Pilates instructor off on a weeks holiday, so no Pilates for a couple of weeks. Was a bit pissed off as the back was tight from the 9 mile "long run".

Also had a gym session booked for the evening but he texted me to say he was taking the week off as all his clients were cancelling coz of the Galway Races! Town is nuts and I was never a fan of the races, maybe they could relocate them to a county that needs events/attractions to entice visitors, like Roscommon...

Did 30 mins stretching and core.

Tuesday: got a massage as the legs and feet are very tight. Decided not to run and give the body time to recover. Driving to Dublin for work and I stopped in the drive through in Kiltullagh for lunch. There's a Supermacs in there and I was suddenly overcome with a irresistible desire for a curry cheese chips with smokey bacon burger! Fought off the urge and through a cold sweat I ordered a chicken curry from the carvery. Wished I hadn't though as there was lumps of celery in the curry, who the fcuk puts celery in a chicken curry? West of the Shannon celery is a weed! It's the ISIS of the culinary world, its nasty, invades where it's not wanted, and hides amount the general vegetable population before announcing its arrival with unpleasant consequences!!!! Two packets of xxx mints before I got the taste outta my system.

Staying in Enfield and did 45 mins stretching and core in the hotel gym.

Wednesday: saw the surgeon today and he was happy with my progress. Got the green light for all the activities I'm doing including gym weights (with the caveat that I need perfect form 100% of the time). He said that I can continue to build up the miles and he didn't say no to me training for another marathon. He said that as long as the back was managing the load them I was good to go. He did say not to go nuts though and build slowly!

After doing the two miles on the road last week I started looking for a 5k to get me back "racing". Saw there was a 5k in Rooskey tonight and as I was in Dublin I decided to give it a go. Was prepared to dnf if the back acted up. Texted Tang and he said he'd be interested (in coming to see me ) in doing it himself if he could get over.

Arrived in Roosky in plenty of time paid my tenner, picked up my number and parked the car. A couple of seconds later a familiar head pulled up beside me, I recognised him from the shoulders up but when he got outta his car I thought I'd met the Dutch Borat. The bould Tang was wearing a very very tight pair of faded denim shorts with a little turn up at the end. The ensemble was finished off very nicely by a dainty blue belt. Very European. I burst out laughing! If he's wearing them around his home village I'm sure there's a parish meeting currently taking place to have him banished

Apart from the fashion disaster he's looking fit and well and we headed off for a short warm up along part of the route. Around km 2 he showed me a short hill and said that was the only incline.

We did about a mile and a half before I let him off and did my Mr Bean run routine.

We'd another laugh at the start before Tang pushed up and I stayed with the walkers.

I'd though I'd try 3 miles @ 7.30 pace and a sub 23 but the priority was to get around in one piece. Started off very slow but competitive juices kicked in and I ran the second half of the first mile to fast. Slowed it down a bit but put a decent effort in getting to the "top" of Tang hill only to find the flute forgot to tell me there was a sharp right and the hill continued on!!

Decided to try and finish well and was passing people at this stage. Tang was urging me on at the finish line and I was delighted and surprised to finish in 21.25. It's a long way from where I was at, but much further ahead than I thought I'd be a this stage.

Finished with a cup of tea and ham sambo with Toyboy before we said our goodbyes.

Great to see you and thanks for coming down, good craic as always.

Ps. Buy new shorts 😂

1. 6.53
2. 6.59
3. 6.37
The bit. 6.35

TbL

Thur/Fri: 2/3rd August: was in London with work so no chance to run. Back held up well after the 5k race.

Sat: travelled to Croatia for 2 weeks holiday. Nothing

Sun-Fri: ran every morning but only did short easy runs around a 2.5k dirt track. Ran either 3 or 3.5 miles but even in the morning it was very hot. I was sweating very heavily and my feet are niggley so the pace was very easy. If Tang has been running in those temperatures he must look like a moving waterfall

I've been trying to do some core exercises everyday but I don't have access to a gym which is a pity.

We hired a speedboat and skipper on Saturday to explore some of the islands off the coast and it was spectacular. Secluded beaches, WW2 submarine bunkers cut into the rocks, beautiful little restaurants and pristine water, it's a fantastic holiday location. We swam ashore onto a small little inlet to have a coffee in a beachside caf and had lunch in a lovely restaurant on Dugi Otok island. Really enjoyed it until the way back when it got choppy and my back took a hammering, was sore all Saturday night and Sunday so I didn't run at all.

The diet for the first week was good but I've fallen badly off the wagon and the sugar dragon has got his claws firmly back into me. Feel like I've a lot less energy when I'm on the sugar crack so I'll knock it completely on the head once I get back.

Mon: back felt much better so went out for the usual 3 mile easy jaunt.

Tue: thunder and lightning storm all morning so it was late afternoon by the time I got out. It was a bit cooler so I decided to do a 5 mile "long run".

Just really been trying to keep things ticking over till I get back home to my routine. Disappointed with the diet but happy enough that I've managed to get out most days for a trot.

Might try a local 10k on Saturday week, and from September I'm going to try and gradually increase both the mileage and add in some speed work.

If everything holds together I'll go back with a formal program early 2019.

TbL

martyboy48 wrote: »

Good stuff C, I was gonna say stay the feck away from speeedboats as they can be backbreakers at the best of times Will try hit Croatia myself sometime, it's on the list....

Just back from holidays myself and although I ran a bit, the 'diet' and booze spiraled out of control to the extent I feel DCM is conpromised

Anyway I'm doing Caltra 5k on Friday and I'm registered for that run on Saturday week so I might see you there

You're going well so far so keep it steady

Howya Marty,

Won't make Caltra but almost definitely be at the 10k so I'll see you at the start

Did you do the streets? Scrolled down the top 50 finishers in the results and I didn't see your name!

TbL

Got back from Croatia late Saturday evening, arrived into Galway to a monsoon like deluge, is there still a hosepipe ban in place

Didn't do to much running the last few days of the holiday but rather concentrated on deepening the wrinkles in my leathery auld man skin!

Sun: decided to head out and attempt my longest run in 9 months. Went up to the Ga pitch did my Mr Bean routine and got started on the monotonous laps. It was very muggy, I felt drained early doors and the laps were boring me ****less. Got to 9 miles with a struggle and could take no more grass so I did the final bit on the road. Was fading big time and was disappointed with the pace 8.32 versus 8.11 for the 9 miler three weeks ago. The consolation was it was my first run in double digits in 9 months and although the back was a little achey it wasn't painful.

Got on the scales this evening and was very disappointed by the fat fcuker message, I did probably over indulge in a local ice cream (vanilla dipped in caramel, covered in white chocolate and bits of almonds) but I didn't expect to put on as much as I did.

Back on the wagon tomorrow.

10 miles @ 8.32

Well done to the vintage veteran MurphD who ran an excellent 800 metres at the One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest Championship 😂

TbL