Last week was a tough one. My target was 46 miles with at 17 mile run on Sunday. Work was busy and there's been a bit of a fall off on our lunchtime runs so I put in my weekday runs in the evenings. 4.3 on Monday and 4.3 on Tuesday before another big European night in Liverpool. I wonder if there are any races in Moscow around 21 May!
I got in a Thursday run of 7 miles before heading for pints with the lads. One thing that has really surprised me is how my times are getting consistently better the more I train. I know that should make sense, but before now I have never trained to a structured plan before and now that I am my times are dropping.
In order to reach my 46 mile target I needed to put in a 9 mile run on Friday, but after the Thursday night out and the busy week in work that was cut down to an easier 4.5 miles.
I took part in another BHAA cross country race on Saturday. This time it was a the 4 mile hilly course in the Phoenix Park. I've gotta say, I really enjoyed this race. It was 3 laps of a tough course with two steep hill sections on each lap. Some runners hate hills, mainly because of the extra effort required to travel the same distance, but I love them. Whenever I get to a hill in training I attack it, running up with maximum effort and easing off at the top. I practiced this on the coastal hills of Australia back in January and again when I was home in hilly Drogheda. In the cross country, I found myself overtaking a lot of runners on the hills. Unfortunately, they managed to pass me again when they picked up speed on the flat sections. Must work on that bit.
In the end I managed a 28:20 finish. I've also been rumbled by BHAA. They realised I don't actually work for Crescent Comms so I'm now back running for KPMG. Not such a bad thing really as we have a good bunch of runners who should do well through out the year. On Saturday the only other KPMG runner, Ciara Dillon, finished in an impressive third place in the ladies race. Well ahead of me too!
Sunday brought a trip home and the big run. My run took me on a looping course of the town with a good few hills along the way as well as some frustrating country roads. My home is in the country and it's convenient for me to run into and around the town but this involves being as alert as possible and a bit of traffic dodging. I finished this run in 2 hours 14mins, again under the 8 minute mile. I'm very happy with this so hopefully I can keep a similar pace for my 20 miles in two weeks.
Thanks to everyone who has sponsored me. So far I have managed to raise €1,374.40, that's only €125.60 off my target so I may well make it by the end of the week.
If anyone stills wants to donate, feel free to do so through the link on the right.
Next week is an easier schedule of 36 miles which is probably just as well as I've a work night away in Belfast on Sunday.
Rob
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