Running with the birds or for the birds?

claralara wrote: »

Thanks for the holler yesterday evening - though I think a certain Officer might have had something to say about the wreckless hanging out the window while driving but I appreciated it.

(I'm glad you didn't see me on the latter half of the journey as I was in bloomin bits )

I always love a shout out when I am running so I'm happy to return the favour.
You looked super when we saw you, the iron tablets must be doing the trick as you were going so fast you nearly missed us:) You're not going to believe this but my middle boy told me he thought you looked like Phoebe from friends:D Do you think he has been following your log??? I asked him why he thought you looked like her and he said cos you were so smiley and happy:)

The boys and I were on our way into meet Mr Stew for our session in Crusaders, a great evening was had by all. Although we (the adults anyway) were also in bits at the end, tired legs and that heat... bad combo:(

Monday July 16th
Rest day


I had planned a recovery run but…
Lashing rain & kids off school= trip to Ikea for meatballs for lunch and lots of money spent on things that I don’t need (e.g. solar powered torch)
I love the summer holidays:)




Tuesday July 17th
AM: 30 minute spinning class
15 min abs class
Recovery run 6.29 miles
PM: Club mile intervals, total miles 7.56 including warm up and warm down.


Feeling guilty after my rest day I set the alarm to get up early and go to the gym before the boys woke. My legs felt like lead at the beginning but by the end I was buzzing. The abs class was tough as I haven’t done any core work in weeks. I’m going to make an effort to up the cross-training from now on as I really feel it helps me with recovery and injury prevention.
Recovery run of the Bay 10K route while the boys played tennis. Left calf progressing from a niggle to a worry.
The entire Stew Family headed into the club in the evening. Mr Stew and I joined everyone for a group warm-up at the track and it was great to meet up with lots of familiar faces. A nice sunny evening meant everyone was in great form. We headed over to the park for 4 X 1 mile @7.10 pace with 60 seconds rest in-between. A tough session that we both found hard, no way we would have kept going in that heat if we weren’t with the group but we felt fantastic after and the boys really enjoyed their session, we’re all signed up now and proud fully-fledged members of Crusaders:D

Wednesday July 18th
30 minute spinning class
15 min abs class
GA 9.09 miles avg pace 9.21


In spite of the fact that my left calf is still at me I really enjoyed this run, hills of Killiney in the sunshine and I listened to a really interesting Marathontalk podcast.

Thursday July 19th
AM: 45 minute kettle bell class
Recovery 6.77 miles @ 9.02 pace
Dip in the 40 Foot
PM: Intervals 5 minutes @ 6.50 pace followed by 2 minutes @ 7.30 pace X 6. Total miles including warm-up and cool down 9.86

Exhausted heading into the gym at 6.30am but again I was buzzing on the way out, I found the class tough and my arms and shoulders definitely felt it. I’m really enjoying the cross-training and before long I’ll get used to the early mornings again.
Legs felt fine on the recovery run apart from the tight calf. Fabulous jelly-fish-free swim at full tide and my legs were good as new again.
In the evening the boys and I headed into the club and I told them I might be late getting back to the track, bribed them with €1 each for the sweetie machine so I knew I could complete the session this time, half way through the session I was wishing I hadn’t bribed them, I would have loved the excuse to bail;) The group I was with gradually spread out into a few in front and a few behind me, it was so tough keeping going on my own but luckily on the last interval I was joined by a guy who had popped into a bush (a fellow runner, not some wierdo;)) I’m definitely pushing myself much more than I would on my own but I’ll need to rethink cross-training on days that I do a club session, I really should have been doing this session on somewhat fresher legs and when I look back on my combined milage for the day I see where I went wrong. My calf was fine throughout the run, tight after. Major foam rolling and I was ok again.

Friday July 20th
75 minute hot yoga class
Dip in the 40 Foot
This yoga class was like a reset button for my body, both physically and mentally:):) Followed by another glorious dip in the 40 Foot.

After overdoing it a little yesterday I’m taking another running-free day. I’ve also made an appointment with the physio on Monday as my calf is still tight.

menoscemo wrote: »

Great mileage there. I notice you are now my nearest challenger on the 1000 mile challenge. I better not slack off

Don't worry, your position is safe.....No chance of you slacking off. Plus I've just had 2 non running days. The most important thing is that I stay ahead of Ray:D

Monday July 23rd to Sunday July 28th
Not too much logging happening for a number of reasons….. tight calf, boys off school, visitors, Olympics starting….
Monday I got up bright and early and went to spinning and abs and then went to CFitz and was delighted to be told that my calf was nothing major to worry about but that I had been overdoing it (I already knew this:)). An hour and a half of pure torture and advice that I listen to my body more and take more running free days. In the car on the way home I gave myself a good telling off and promised to take two non-running days. Tuesday up early again for spinning and abs and then back again for 45 minutes of Pilates. Wednesday spinning and abs again and I decided that I had had enough rest so I stupidly (hindsight is a wonderful thing;)) headed out to do the 16 miles with 12 @ PMP as I had a busy week ahead with family arriving to stay for the weekend and a party to throw on Saturday.
16.04 miles; avg pace 8.20
I started this run thinking I would feel like Usain Bolt after two days off but it was more a case of Paula Radcliffe;);) (in my dreams), my legs were tired and sluggish but the calf was fine. After 4 easy miles I felt better so I launched into my PMP miles, this run was just Ok, I got through it but if I’m honest it was a bit more effort than I’d have liked, I kept the pace steady at 7.50 but when my mind would wander thinking of my lists of things to get ready in the house the pace definitely dropped. I arrived in the door, got distracted and forgot to stretch (I love having the kids off school but it’s playing havoc with my training:().
Thursday I did a very, very slow recovery run on the hills of killiney and was disgusted to find my calf very tight again:mad:, should have stretched after the run, will I never learn??


Friday a long swim in the sea and a hot yoga class had me back to normal again but then the visitors arrived so no more training for me. Up till 4.30 on Saturday night/Sunday morning so the week was going downhill…. Sunday evening I managed to escape for a run with Ultraman as he was working in the area, I introduced him to the lovely hills and the great scenery of Killiney and my calf felt great again.

Total weekly miles 30.45 miles :eek::eek::eek:


A fairly disastrous week but I've noone to blame but myself, I just need to be more strict with sticking to the plan from now on and resting more. I'll need to keep the miles low and build back up agian so that the calf behaves.... My main concern now is that Ray will overtake me in the 1,000 mile challenge;););)

RayCun wrote: »

The gap is 100 miles... but shrinking

I'm just in from a 20 mile run;).
Actually, I am in fact sitting on the sofa with the boys watching the Olympics, eating crisps.... I think you're in with a good chance Ray:D

Dory Dory wrote: »

Michael Phelps....Michael Phelps.....Michael Phelps.....

(he's going for 2 medals today - if he secures them, he's then the MOST decorated Olympic athlete ever!!! )

It's soooo exciting! Just read a great quote from Larisa Latynina (spelling?)

"And I'm quite happy that there is a man in the world who can overcome my records."

I had to go buy food in the shops earlier (I'd have lasted on crisps but I felt guilty about inflicting that diet on the boys), I've returned to my post on the sofa now

Michael Phelps! Michael Phelps!

Oh no!

But at least he got silver.

Le Clos is adorable, so gracious in victory.

Dory Dory wrote: »

That's okay. He got the silver (and a medal)...so he ties the record now.

Woo hoo! What a result! Gold Medal and most medals ever!

USA... USA.... USA

Monday August
DLR BAY 10K


I had offered to collect Racheljev’s number for her so she came to our house as it’s less than a half mile to the start; it was great to have her company (not to mention the box of chocs she brought... nom, nom:))and we gave each other a run for our money with our pre-race nervous chit-chat.


We headed down to the Start nice and early and met lots of friends and a few commented on the fact that I had an unusual bib colour and number; white, number 3 (would it bring me luck today?)… the reason for my bib was I had accidentally clicked on the sub 35 time for projected finish (and no, I did not do it in purpose, I’m optimistic, not delusional:D) I emailed DLR beforehand and they said they’d change it no problem for me…..

Turns out the start corral marshals were extremely diligent and when I asked could I drop back they told me “No” I explained that there was no way I’d run sub 35 and even started to tell them about my niggly calf… I tried the guy who was in charge of the front pen and he told me to pop in anyway and go for it:D I was scarleh:rolleyes:, morto:rolleyes: as I was standing there but I stayed right at the back and by the time we started Mr Stew and the second pen was up beside me. The gun went off and away we went, lots of people passed me but things evened out very quickly and I was glad to feel the pace as not too bad (no fast running over the last two weeks had me very nervous going into the race). I began tp gradually pass a few and all was going well at this stage. 1st mile was 6.38 and it didn't feel too bad at all.
My dream goal was to PB (42.42), my not-so-realistic goal was to stay ahead of Mr Stew (but he has finally started listening to my training suggestions and is in great shape) and my likely goal was to treat it as a much-needed fast-training run and come in under 45 minutes. Because of the wrong pen mix up I hadn’t looked at the settings I had on my Garmin and I was disgusted to see only average pace and distance, but it was beeping after each mile with lap pace. After that I stopped looking at the Garmin and ran as fast as I could while trying not to aggravate my leg which wasn’t actually feeling too bad. Just before 5K a fellow Crusaders runner passed me (although I haven’t got a bib yet so I was in my trusty black) as the hills were really starting to hurt and I tucked in behind him for a while I wanted to tell him the hills would soon be over and to push on but I honestly couldn’t talk at that stage. Then another friend caught me and I managed to stay with him for a while but on he pushed at 8K. My pace was gradually slowing and I was now worried that I wouldn't even achieve my sub 45:eek:

I didn’t enjoy this run at all; I think when you’re racing and you have even the slightest doubt about your ability and in particular a physical doubt then it really is tough going. I kept telling myself to relax but my mind would tell me my leg was hurting so I should stop:( I didn't stop and although my leg was annoying me it never felt bad enough to stop so I was at least glad I managed to keep the Central Governer sort of in control.

The one really nice thing about the race was lots and lots of local support and lots of friends and family to cheer us on, and it was a super day for running (apart from the wind in my face for the last 1 K).
I passed only two people in the last 2K, one was throwing up and the other had stopped:D But on the last stretch up to the finish I pulled it out of the bag and overtook two guys, chip time 44.11, finished 171 out of I’m not sure how many finishers and a negative split (I think everyone had one of those though:)) So I suppose it wasn’t that bad after all but I can no longer say that number 3 is my lucky number (although maybe things could have gone a lot worse and it is indeed lucky).
The queues for yogurts, water etc were way too long so we headed to Teddys with Racheljev (fantastic run and a course record for her:D)and a few other pals for some protein replacement in the form of 99s:)


I was quite genuinely thrilled for Mr Stew (43.19), he’s been training really hard recently and I was even more happy for him when he reminded me he hadn’t bettered my 10K PB:D

However, I won’t be booking any 10K races for him in the very near future though;)