How low can I go...?

Tuesday June 10th: 7 miles @ 7:43 pace

Again a nice easy run. I was making a concentrated effort to keep it nice and slow. The difference a couple of months makes! In early January I couldn't manage below 8 min mile pace for any length of time worth mentioning and now I'm contemplating 26.2 miles at something like 6:50 pace!! .....Jaysus when I see it in black and white like that it does seem a big ask :eek:. Still, the sub 3 attempt will happen! There are many more positive reasons to have a lash than excuses not to. It is a long shot but what the hell....

Thursday June 12th: 7 miles @ 7:50 pace.

This was a nice easy recovery run after the interval session last night. Jogged along really. It was already quite warm for early in the morning and I was sweating more than usual. I've developed a small bit of a cough over the last couple of days. Wonder if that has anything to do with the sweating this morning. I felt grand during the run but maybe the body is trying to fight something? Time to horse the vitamin C into me I think!

Not in stealth mode at all echancrure just been too busy to get the time to update! So here it is.

Friday June 13th: 8.46 miles @ 7:17 pace

Was supposed to do a session today but wasn't feeling 100% so decided to do an ordinary run. It was grand and I felt better than I expected so put in a mp mile at mile 5 which lowered the overall average.

Saturday June 14th: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, miles @ mp with 2 min rest between.

This was the last big session before the big day so I was wondering how it would go. If it was bad I'd be full of doubt for the rest of the taper! (If it went well I'd prob still be full of doubt!) I found it tough to keep the pace at times. I reckon whatever dose was in my system was still having an effect. I almost bailed after completing the 3 mile section....almost. So I got he session done and hit the desired pace each time which was good.

Monday June 16th: 8 miles @ 7:43 pace.

A nice easy run on a new route which was nice and flat. It was 2 in the afternoon and very warm. Could be like this on the 28th! Felt very comfortable despite the heat.

Tuesday June 17th: 7 miles @ 7:38 pace.

The garmin was a bit haywire at the start of this run so the pace should be reading a little slower. My legs felt a small bit heavy during this run but nothing too worrying. An easy run which was a case of getting out and doing the miles. An absolutely beautiful morning for it though.

By the end of the day taper madness was beginning to rear it's ugly head! Walking around the back garden I could have sworn I felt a niggle in the left calf! Also was letting the odd cough! Began thinking about the relatively slow paces of the last two runs. Would I be able to up the pace when needed on the day??? Running like a carthorse I was!

Wednesday June 18th: Club track session- 16 x 400m with 100 m walk recovery between.

After the slight heaviness in the legs the last two days this session with the club offered the perfect opportunity to blow away a few cobwebs and stretch them out. I paired up with a guy who is a bit quicker than me and off we went. I thought we went a good auld pace for the reps. It felt hard enough but not uncomfortable and I remember thinking to myself that it felt good to be doing a bit of speed work to stop the legs getting stale (Especially after that episode of taper madness last night!). Just checked the splits and the average for the sixteen was 1:20.75. The legs felt great after it. Really loose and relaxed. It was a gorgeous evening for it too and I left the track feeling all was good with the world! Bring on the 28th!!!

Friday June 20th: 8.2 miles Tempo 2 x 15 min @ mp with 5 min recovery.

Was wondering if I should try this at all considering how bad I felt the day before but decided to try it out and if things were too tough I could always just leave it. As it turned out I did manage it. I didn't feel great but the paces for the two 15 min sections were 6:48 and 6:47. There was one problem though, I had to take a detour into a field due to stomach cramps between the tempo reps! This has been an issue for the last fortnight and I could do without it in the week leading up to a marathon! (Am I sh1tting myself with nerves?!)

Saturday June 21st: 10 mile LSR @ 7:42 pace

A grand run at minimal effort. Didn't have to jump any ditches for unscheduled pit stops either which was a good thing!! Weather is so warm these days. Wouldn't mind it a little cooler next Saturday!

Gavlor wrote: »

Best of luck on Saturday!!

Just take it handy and stick with Brian & David (they are doing half each afaik). If you are still there leaving tramore then it's yours to lose

Cheers Gav! Sure I'll see how it goes. There's been a change in pacers. A friend of mine from up this direction is doin the second half now.

Tuesday June 24th: 7 miles @ 7:20 pace

After two days of no running I was beginning to go a little mental. Losing fitness, gaining weight by the second, etc!Anyway was glad to get out this morning and felt quite good. Even did mile 5 at mp and threw in a few nice 100m strides over the last mile. Lovely morning again for it. The weather forecast was ok for Saturday the last time I checked but this being Ireland that can change. Itching to have a go at it at this stage!

echancrure wrote: »

Good luck on Saturday.

You've done all the hard work: relax and enjoy it will pay off.

I'll eat your medal if you don't go sub 3!

Cheers echancrure! I'll try to bring glory to the county! Also I'd hate to be the cause of a bad case of indigestion!

Cheers lads! Hopefully things will go well. Wish it was 9:14 am tomorrow!

Cheers viperlogic! Hope you're right about the course.

Cheers doughef! Omen for who I wonder?!! Heading down now!:eek: