I have all but given up on the rest of the summer season for this year.
Every time I try to get back into any kind of decent running pattern, something happens to knock me backwards.
I have changed my work pattern recently, which in theory will give me an easier two extra days of running. For sure the new system leaves me less tierd overall, and for the one week it was in action, it worked really well.
My last race was the dunsaughlin 10k. I went into the race with very little mileage for the previous month, and only one week did I reach 40 miles in training.
I have put on a couple of pounds, and was feeling really sluggish. I wasn't going to do the race at all, but the running should be overall enjoyable, so with that in mind, I went out to enjoy myself.
I drove over with Brian from our club who is running really well, and his target was sub 38. On past performance, I would have expected to be slightly ahead of him, but today a sub 38 was not even figuring in my expectations.
There was a huge crowd, and after some difficulty at the start line, we were off. I was well back from the front, but such was the quality of the field I was probably placed just right.
It was a beautiful summers evening, a light breeze and a flat course.
I targeted a 6.15 pace, which I had hoped was achievable, but the first two were fast at under 6 minutes miles. I eased up, and settled well into the 6.15 pace, keeping the 30 seconds buffer.
At around 3.5 miles, Brian came along side. I had expected him to settle in with me for the next 2 miles or so, but he had other ideas and forged ahead. At that point, it would have been to early for me so I held my pace. He never got very far ahead and at 5.5 miles I overtook him and went ahead.
I finished with a PB at 37.58, which really surprised me given my lack of recent training. To be fair, it is a very flat course.
Next day was Sunday, so I headed out and did 13 miles at an easy pace, no time limit, just ran to feel. Monday I did 6 and Tuesday was 8. The French air traffic controllers decided to go on strike, and I finished after 2 am Wednesday morning, and had some long days for the next two.
No running and an Irish wedding later, and I started to feel pretty awful soon after.
A trip to the doctor with a nasty chest infection, and still more days of no running.
Some of the key races I enjoyed last year are missed, I had entered the irish runner 5 mile and missed it. The fingal 10 k is next week, and while I should be ok to run it, expecting a worse time than last week does not make me look forward to the run.
The plan was to try for the sub 3 marathon this year, but I haven't really even started serious training yet. I have 17 weeks, so still time I think. Hopefully the base is still there to build upon.
Some hard work ahead me thinks.
