If it’s meant to be, it’s up to me.

Recovery week 2

Monday: 3.75 miles @ 9.52; Lower Body strength session

Legs still a little heavy but loved the return to normality and my routine. Back on track with nutrition too. Had a great week’s break but nice to get back on track. I love that I can do that now … as in take a holiday or a break and eat out or whatever but love getting back to my routine. Before, once I went off plan I used stay off plan until I was probably one or two stone heavier.

Tuesday: 3.7 miles @ 9:00; Upper Body strength

A little fast really considering I’m still supposed to be running easy but ran with a friend and was very glad when big heavy drops started just as got back to the cars. Dived in and it was torrential. Drove up to the gym and could barely hear in there with the noise of the rain on the windows. Few DOMs from the previous day’s gym session but not surprising after the few weeks off.

Wednesday: 6 miles @ 9:45; Lower Body strength

Had planned a rest day but Wednesday turned out to be dry and a bit cooler than every other day so we decided it was too nice not to run. Upped the miles a bit and really enjoyed it. Quads were feeling it in the gym so ended up just doing 2 sets of everything rather than the normal 4.

Thursday: 4 miles easy + 5x20s strides; Upper Body strength

First run by myself. Weather was wild. It was dry when I started out so didn’t bother with a rain jacket as really warm. I wasn’t running long when the rain started but it was light enough. Wind was nuts but for some reason I just loved this run. Talk about exhilarating. The park was still flooded so stuck to the main paths, even though some of them were flooded too. Did 5 strides, not particularly fast, but wanted to start bringing back a bit of speed work. Back to the gym again.

Saturday: 6.36miles: Easy + 5 mins tempo

Went over to Tramore Valley Park to do Parkrun as Ballincollig cancelled with the flooding. I did 2 laps myself before meeting 2 friends for Parkrun. I was feeling really good while by myself and harboured notions of racing Parkrun. Only reason I didn’t was because I had arranged to meet the girls … which was no harm as last year I made a habit of injuring myself from overdoing it when feeling good so must recover properly this time and not risk that. Met up with them and ran their pace but then took off for the last kilometer to do my 5 mins tempo … which was at 7:46 and not 8:40 which would be more like tempo. Was itching to run fast though. Afterwards I looked at the results and if I had raced it, I would have been first in my age category and 4th female I reckon. I think I’ll race Parkrun next Saturday or do a 5Km race on Sunday … must see which I can attend. I may also chicken out as I hate 5Km’s 😂

So 24.65 miles for the week and 4 strength sessions. Recovery going well.

I can’t attend that either as have visitors that weekend but I wish I could. It sounds brilliant. I’ve herd a few people saying similar now. Will you two do it?

Oh the Alphaflies without a doubt. I’d better try do the one next Sunday. Not totally sure of the route but can’t be too hilly … I think 😂

Cork Mental Health BHAA 5Km race

I decided to go along to this race to see what I could do and give me a base to judge paces to start training from again. I usually avoid 5Km races like the plague. My last one was in May 2019 I think and my PB from then was 23:37 and it was hard won. I didn’t really know what I could do today. I know I’m hugely improved over half and marathon distance since then but 5Km is an unknown and obviously no specific training at all for it. I played with the pace calculator last night and thought maybe I could hold a 7:30 pace which would give me 23:18 and I kind of hoped I could knock off another 19 seconds and go sub 23. Either way, I wasn’t too bother having not worked for it as such.

Drove over to Little Island this morning and met some people I know. One guy I know is a little faster than me and does a lot of races and I asked him what he was running. He was hoping for 22 mins so I said I’d go behind him and use him to pace my first mile to stop me shooting off too fast. He planned on doing his first 2 miles slower than his third. Warmed up with the group and I did about 5 strides myself, changed into the alphaflies and lined up. It was then I realised it wasn’t chip timed and we were way too far back. Too late to do anything about that anyway.

The whistle went and we were off. I was afraid I’d fall over somebody initially as there was a big crowd and just followed my unofficial pacer and passed people out. The pace felt fine and didn’t dare look at my watch in case I tripped. It’s a nice route, a few drags but then slight declines to recover. We started on an incline and no bother and then a nice decline and suddenly mile 1 beeped on my watch … 7.06! Wow, I’m on for a PB so here. I knew I was unlikely to hold that pace as I was breathing very heavily but the legs felt good so just clung on. My pacer wasn’t getting away from me yet so all good.

Mile 2 was round the industrial park and nothing too spectacular. There was a very strong wind going one direction but we turned and that eased off. Every now and then I’d feel I wasn’t getting enough air in to breathe but the legs were still fine. At about 1.5 miles my hip started hurting, probably as a result of the sore back from the other day. I’ve physio anyway Wednesday so just kept going as she can fix me. It’s only 3 miles so surely I can’t do too much damage. 7:18 for mile 2.

Mile 3 and my one goal now was to stay faster than 7:30 and not slow down too much. I wasn’t even sure what time I’d get but I knew it was better than I hoped so that was good, just don’t give up. Mile 2 - 2.5 was an incline straight into the wind and that was tough going but I passed a few people and held my own with some others. My pacer took off as he’d planned which was great. Onto the decline then heading towards the finish line which took a long time to appear. I was heading towards a roundabout and no sign of the finish line and then suddenly it was in view, Phew. Mile 3 was slower again at 7:26 but the last .11 was at 6:51 then. Somehow I managed to increase my cadence to,pick up speed as I thought I couldn’t increase my stride.

A volunteer was taking our numbers and calling out our times as we went through the finish line.

22.34 … a PB by 1 min 3 seconds. I’m absolutely thrilled with that. It’s so different to the long stuff … I was so out of breath but my legs were absolutely fine, besides the sore hip. I’ve spoken to my coach and will use this week as recovery now with a long run of 8 miles maybe at the weekend and then we start back on plan next week. Might do some 5Km specific stuff and race Togher 5Km on 27th December.

Thanks A and E.

Thanks P. It really does show. I was very unsure of whether I could hold a sub 7:30 pace having not done anything specific. I’m itching to do another though now knowing I can hold that pace and maybe push a bit more even.

Thanks A. I’m excited for 2023 now and hopefully getting faster and stronger. Hope you are well recovered from the abscess now.

Can’t get to Dublin for that unfortunately. December weekends are pretty much blocked up but the Togher 5Km is on here on the 27th December anyway. Would be nice to do something sooner but not sure I’ll be able to … Unless I race a Parkrun.