28 Sweet Teeth

So, most people have 32 teeth, or there abouts, but I've had all my wisdom teeth out (and some might say it shows), so thankfully I only have 28 left to be sweet. I am convinced I am a naturally fat man in a relatively thin body, at the moment, but that battle is constantly raging. I have a ferocious appetite, love food, and have a particular weakness for cake and chocolate. I know that these things are an issue for many people, and I am lucky not to have an eating disorder, but it doesn't help that I find it so difficult to deal with the lure of the sugar. I try to get my fix from the natural sugars in fruit, and I love the grapes and apples and pineapples etc, but I am just an easy target for the marketing companies when it comes to the cheap deals on tins of biscuits and sweets. I don't buy them for myself of course, I think the wife and kids might like a treat, or its no harm to have a nice biscuit to offer if someone comes for a cup of tea. And then, when I have been good all day, had my run, eaten a good quality meal, sure an oul biscuit or two is no harm with a cup of tea. Then, in the evenings, after a day off, and a long week at work, a glass of wine or two, and sure a few peanut m&m's won't hurt. A cream bun on a Friday, a breakfast bar on an early with a coffee to keep the sugar levels up, and it all starts to add up.

To keep the fight somewhat even, last week I did 45 miles. I will try to keep the weekly mileage at this level, when I do any less it feels like I have had too easy a week. Monday was rest day and Tuesday was speed training. It was a good session as always, and we did over 4 miles at an average pace for me of 6.05. Wednesday was an easy 7 mile, Thursday easy 5 miles and Friday easy 7 miles all at around 7.30 pace. I didn't push the distance or pace for those days as I am trying to build an aerobic base. Saturday was tempo day,1 mile warmup, with 5 miles at 6.25 pace, which ended up being at 6.27 pace. Gary's instructions are to run the tempo runs at half marathon pace, for me this was 6.30, so I am trying to make this 6.25. The cooldown miles at 7.40 took me to 8.75 for the day, with an easy 10 miles at 7.35 pace on Sunday.

Again,this Monday was a rest day, did the speed session on Tuesday, and it was bitterly cold. Gary couldn't make it but left instructions for 4x6 min reps at 10k pace, with 3 min jog recovery between each rep. It was a good session, for the last rep I increased the pace to do a 5.50 mile within the 6 minutes, which felt pretty comfortable. Again, Wednesday was some recovery miles, and yesterday was tempo day, with the 5 miles at a solid 6.23 pace after a mile warmup followed by 2 cooldown.

I am doubtful now if I will do a spring marathon. The recent cold weather has reminded me of how difficult it can be to train in January and February in the wind rain and sometimes snow. I might feel different after Christmas, but I would like to work on getting my times for the shorter distances down. I would like to knock my 5k from 18.10 to 17.30, 10k from 39.00 to 38.00, and half marathon from 1.25 to 1.23. If I concentrate on these goals, and  try for a sub3 marathon at Dublin next year, these would be goals enough. Now that I have written them down, there is motivation to achieve them. Of course, it could all change at any time.

I have a few duathlons targeted in the new year, so I need to get on my bike, literally and metaphorically, and I mentioned this to Brian C from the club the other day. Before I had time to realise what I had said yes to, I agreed to do an 80k cycle this Sunday, in aid of the philipines disaster. Having then thought about the distance, I am not looking forward to it now, and expect to have an interesting walk for a while afterwards. Ah well, you have to start somewhere.