Taking The Piss

 Another short week though "Old Man Winter" wasn't  the culprit this week  "The Man" was..........

Tuesday Jan 23rd So I'd lost Saturdays long run to the snow and opted out of a 6 miler on Sunday since there were still patches of ice on the ground and having lost 14 miles there didn't seem any point risking a potential slip and fall on the ice so I sat out Sunday, I was eager to get out there on Monday to kick start my week.......however......

We were short staffed at work on Monday which meant a lunch break was out of the question to begin w/ much less going for my afternoon 6 miler up and back along the Schuylkill River, I fully appreciate that work is meant to fit around my running schedule not my running schedule around work but when the powers that be casually remark" yeah we didn't have anyone to cover that shift" it feel like a slap in the face

At least the temps had risen above freezing after a week in the " frozen tundra" and the remnants of Fridays snow were melting into the sidewalk and next to the trail along the Schuylkill as I cranked out a  modest 49.59.7, after four days of chomping at the proverbial bit it was good to get out and log some much needed mileage the prospect of my weekly 5 days/38 miles target was well w/in range......or so I thought!.......

Thursday Jan 25th after missing out on  my run Monday due to staff shortages I now lost out on Wednesdays 6 miler due to inheriting a large print project at 11.15am that didn't finish till 3.20pm, w/ my one co worker due to leave at 3.30pm I wasn't going to lunch again or running........

This is where Monday came back to bite me in the arse, I always say Monday is the most important day to get out and run in case " something jumps off" during the week ie a large print job the fact " the powers that be" couldn't be arsed to send coverage to our office on Monday had put me well and truly behind the 8 ball and now sunk any hope I had of not only getting my weekly target of 38 miles in but potentially screwed me for eclipsing December's tally of 148 miles........

Needless to say there was steam coming out of my ears at 2pm when I hit Market St on my way up to 24th St and the Schuylkill River Trail, the forecast was for rain most of the day but I was hell bent on getting out there today, if I couldn't get my 38 mile in this week at least let me get 32 in and get back above 30 like I had been doing since late November until last week  when " Old Man Winter" threw a spanner in the works

Perhaps the benefit of a rest day, perhaps feeling a tad pissed off, maybe a combination of both I knocked out a 47.17.8 time off 7.52 mile pace, out in 24.56 back in 22.21 the tail wind off the Schuylkill is always helpful but let's not under play the fact I often run well w/ a chip on my shoulder...

Saturday Jan 27th After the hills in Fairmount Park and East Falls had chewed me up and spat me out last time around I was eager to level the score this time out

Proof how fickle Winter can be a week after we got between 4 to 6 inches of snow it was in the mid 40s at 8am when I set out, I opted for a bandana rather than my hat but went w/ gloves given I have terrible circulation and my fingers tend to get numb quickly, even w/ the gloves on I could feel a little numbness in the tips of my fingers during the run

I'm beginning to think I must have "caught lightning in a bottle" that first 14 miler when I went 1.56.10 off 8.18 mile pace as last time out I went 2.04.30 and today was 2.03.57 off 8.51 mile pace, on Jan 6th I managed to keep all 14 miles at under 9 min mile pace but today my splits were:8.15-8.52-7.49-8.35-8.55-9.23-8.50-8.17-9.24-9.01-9.12-8.59-9.06-9.18

If I'm using 9 min mile pace as my template then I'm looking at 2.06 so anything below that feels like a win however when you come out the traps w/ a 1.56.10 but then go 2.04.30 and 2.03.57 it doesn't feel as good, hopefully I have one last crack at  this 14 mile course on Saturday b4 returning to the old tried and tested 16 mile course I've used previously used  but me and the hills on N. Georges Hill Drive have some unfinished business once I get up to 18 milers.....to be continued as they say...

Sunday Jan 28th After "The Man" had stuck it to me earlier in the week it now looked like Rain was going to have the final say in my weekly mileage total.....

The forecast for the day was Rain and when I woke up at 7.10am to sound of rain bouncing off my window and the wind howling it didn't look like my 6 miler and 32 mile week were going to happen 

Having gotten up at 8.40 am to watch my beloved Cork get their arse handed to them by Donegal in the opening round of the Allianz Football League I needed a run, yeah it's only the first of seven games but when  some GAA pundits are tipping The Rebels to win promotion back up to Division 1 and you not only trip coming out of the gate but lose by 11 points it's not a good start to the season

By early afternoon the rain had eased up enough that w/ the right clothing I could get out there and crank out an easy 6 miler, I wanted 32 miles for the week, there is a possibility of equaling Decembers tally of 148 miles so I said feck it lets dance!

Another benefit of a recovery run on Sunday after the hills on Saturdays long run is a chance to flush any crap, gunk out of my legs b4 heading into a new week, in recent weeks I've had to use Sunday as a day to get my weekly tally, would I prefer a day off? sure but I also knew it was less than an hour of my time vs days and weeks maybe months of asking myself" why didn't you just get out there and run it's only 6 miles???" never underestimate the power of guilt period but as I'm prone to saying and often" born and raised Irish Catholic, Guilt just comes w/ the territory"....

A modest 54.07.6 off 9.01 mile pace but more importantly another 6 miles 32 for the week 126 for the month/year , as I hinted to earlier there is a chance to equal Decembers tally of 148 but that's a story for next week's entry...........

Say It Ain't Snow.......

 Well not quite the week I drew up in my running log....ergo why I write in Pencil........

Monday Jan 15th, the proverbial " calm before the storm" we'd known for a few days that after two years of no snow here in the city that was going to come to an end....of course the last two years I wasn't training for a feckin Fall Marathon.........

Took advantage of being off work for Martin Luther King day and ran in the early afternoon out and back along Powelton Avenue/Mantua Avenue, a mile or so in the snow flakes began to fall and by days end we'd gotten 3'' of snow

In 48 years of running I've obviously encountered my fair share of smart arse, dumb comments it comes w/ the territory I've heard them all" run he's catching you" "Run Forest Run" { popular in the 90's....} to my perennial favourite when I lived in Port Richmond from some fat slob drinking beer on his door step w/ a his beer gut hanging out over his shorts"  I've seen better legs on a fuckin' table".......{rich coming from such a fine human specimen such as himself!!!} 

I never " rise to the bait" A they've won if they think they've gotten to you plus B if you encounter them again and they think they got to you the first time they're going to have something else smart to yell so better to keep going w/out a reply....... my first idiot today was a young kid on his bike on Mantua Avenue  just after the turnaround " he's catching you" .....whatever in one ear out the other which must've annoyed him as he had some other comment when I didn't respond  arsehole if I didn't " take the bait" the first time do you really think your second cat call is the one to get under my skin?

Granted he's  a kid it's what I expect the next one however was from an adult, who in my opinion is old enough to know better..........as I was reaching the corner of 46th and Chestnut Streets I could see the light was red but w/ a quick glance to my right I could see there was no on coming traffic so I could keep going w/out having to stop at the light.......as I continued my run this idiot on the corner at the top of his lungs starts screaming "RUN.....RUN.....RUN......"

Now kids I expect it from you're an adult you should know better but hey you want to look like a complete arsehole to anyone in that vicinity you go right ahead.....as the old saying goes "better to let them think you're an idiot, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt......ya big feckin bollix"

I've said time and time again idiot comments only serve to make me ran further, harder and faster and to prove a point my final mile split was  7.58 after splits of:8.02-8.42-8.14-8.10-8.04......thanks Gobshite!

Wednesday Jan 17th in what's fast becoming a trend this month had to sit out a Tuesday lunchtime run today due to freezing rain

I had two options brave the freezing rain or wait it out a day, the caveat of waiting was the severe drop in temps but it would at least be dry, I opted for cold and dry!

Doing my best ''Nanook Of The North" impression to brave the temps that were"25 degrees but feels like 13 degrees" I went double layers, two pairs of socks a long sleeve running shirt under my short sleeve t shirt under my half zip, two pairs of gloves a face mask and hat and trusty 3/4 length running tights under my 3/4 length bottoms, I knew once I got going up Market Street towards the Schuylkill River my body temperature would rise and{ hopefully!!!} keep me warm

Can honestly say I didn't feel the cold.....in fairness I was trying NOT to think about how feckin cold it actually was out there and also focus on avoiding any ice patches on the ground that could upend me, happy to report a successful 6 miler w/out Frostbite or going the proverbial " arse over tit".....

Thursday Jan 18th More of the same although mercifully not at Baltic as yesterday

Actually forgot to put my Garmin in my backpack b4 leaving the house this morning but frankly at this point given my daily sojurns up and back along the Schuylkill  if I don't know where the 3 mile turnaround is there's no hope for me, some days it's good NOT  to be a slave to the Garmin and obsess over time, speed, pace and just log the miles and enjoy the run........

Sadly Thursday would be my last run for the week, after NO Snow for two years we got hit twice in five days on Monday and Friday, 3'' on Monday and between 4''-6'' on Friday, usually the " official" totals for the city are from Philadelphia International Airport which recorded 4.6" on Friday.......however according to Accu Weather on #6 there were 5.9'' of snow in Belmont........you know where I like to do my Saturday long runs............

I knew  the hills were out on Saturday and maybe I could've " chanced my arm" and hoped the Schuylkill River Trail had been ploughed, but that wasn't a given......SO a line in the snow had to be drawn and I called it a week

Runners don't subscribe to the " less is more" mindset, it's not in our DNA but every once in a while you have to say ok a low mileage week it is and let the legs freshen up, I'm gutted as my last eight weeks have been:30-32-36-36-36-36-38-38 and this week has to go down as 18 but '' Caution is the better part of valour" ask Steve Ovett how his 83 season went after he clattered his knee on a Church railing.......I can't risk an injury in the snow and Ice w/ Dublin 40 weeks away........

We go again next week......

DNA 1 DNF 0

 Another week in the books/blog another 38 miles on the legs

Monday Jan 8th An easy 6 miler to kick off the week, w/ the threat of a soaking rain in the forecast for tomorrow it was prudent to get the proverbial hay in the barn today

I've said in previous posts and will continue to emphasize  the importance of the Monday run, I feel it sets me up for the week period plus if something jumps off during the week at work or the weather isn't in my favour  I have Sunday as my " get out of jail free card" to complete the 5 day/38 mile week target........

Wednesday Jan 10th SO as I was saying.....Tuesday pissed out of the heavens it was rare to spend a lunch hour not out and back along the Schuylkill getting my 6 miles in but given this was rain of a biblical proportion{ Noah would NOT have looked out of place in that deluge yesterday.....just saying} I had no choice but to sit that one out

I've seen the Schuylkill breach it's banks in recent weeks as we have had some considerable rain of late but not to the point of it actually spilling onto the trail its self as was evident from the mud and debris on the trail however kudos to the clean up crew for making it " user friendly" for the likes of yours truly and the other lunchtime runners I saw  today and see on a daily basis

Thursday Jan 11th Three for Three w/ the 6 milers along the Schuylkill on my lunch hour, mercifully the Schuylkill had receded  overnight and was back to a level that didn't look ominous, I was reminded of a comment during Super Storm Sandy several years back when the Eastern Seaboard got pummeled  and lead to mass flooding "when arguing w/ Mother Nature just remember, she always gets the final word"...... 

Saturday Jan 13th A week in running can feel like a lifetime.....last Saturday I felt I crushed my 14 miler 1.56.10 off 8.18 mile pace and all 14 miles under the 9 min mile mark...............

Things began well enough it was 57 degrees at 8.15am when I set out, for once I was able to ditch my gloves and swopped my hat for a bandana, by mile 4 the sleeves on my half zip were rolled up the sun was out and my opening 4 splits were 8.48-8.33-8.30-8.31

At mile 5 as I began the hills behind the Mann Music Center I clocked a 9.01 split so much for a repeat of last week, not to worry....9.10 at the next split b4 dropping  almost identical splits of 8.23-8.22 as I crossed the Strawberry Mansion bridge and into East Falls

Suddenly the sun was replaced by dark clouds I was noticing considerably less runners than a week ago perhaps the heavy rains of Tuesday and yesterday had scared away the " fair weather" runners I will say I anticipated  worse conditions under foot granted there were sections of the run that were strewn w/ fallen branches  but mercifully no major surface water to contend w/.....other than a massive area near Reservoir Drive{ oh the delicious irony!!!} that I normally run tight to the curb but today had to swing  far left to avoid waterlogged shoes for the final four miles

I was cognizant  at this point  I was having to dig deep 9.10-9.10 splits, thought I'd pulled it back when heading over Girard Avenue bridge and clocked a 9.01 w/ three miles to go, was I thinking about quitting this close to home????? I won't lie the thought entered my mind briefly but I was able to drown out the negative voices in my head as I dug deep to see it out, 9.10-9.20-9.20 for the final three miles, 2.04.30 off 8.54 mile pace

If I crushed the long run and the hills last week they crushed me today, why the 360 turn in fortunes I don't know, maybe the Running Gods keeping me grounded and reminding me there's a long way and a lot of miles to go b4 the starting line in Dublin in 41 weeks time......

Sunday Jan 14th Time to " pay the piper" as they say and make up for Tuesdays rain day, to be honest I was glad of the easy out and back along trusty Powelton Avenue/Mantua Avenue at 9am to get some of the crap out of my legs from yesterdays long run, a modest 56.08.0 off 9.21 mile pace, remarkably I counted more runner out there over 6 miles this morning than I did over 14 miles yesterday when conditions were far cooler than than had been on Saturday

Another successful 5 day/38 mile week logged, thanks in part to my Kerry DNA for tackling those hills yesterday, I know I said it could be a "Rocky Road To Dublin"  and maybe yesterday was a reminder that there is still a long way to go

One Down......Forty One To Go.......

 First week of the new year in the books/blog

Monday Jan 1st As is my won't I like to get out there on New Years Day period to start the New Year on the front foot, also the fact it fell on a Monday and again as is my won't I like to get out there on a Monday in case something jumps off during the week and I miss a day...........

Ran at 2.30pm having gotten up early on Saturday for my final 12 mile long run of  2023 and then gotten up early on New Years Eve to run to round out the previous week at 5 days/36 miles I felt a lie in was due 6 miles out and back along Powelton Avenue/Mantua Avenue towards 34th St in 52.34.1 off 8.46 mile pace,  not earth shatteringly fast but to be honest off the back of  a 12 miler on Saturday and a 6 miler on Sunday I just wanted to log the miles, speed, time and pace were secondary.....as it was I was 1.46 quicker than Sunday

Wednesday Jan 3rd Remember the comment about the importance of getting out there on  a Monday.....? Tuesday got scuppered at  work due to a large print job that took me till 2pm to complete, normally my one co worker leaves at 3.30pm however he needed to leave at 2.30pm on Tuesday so that was me fecked for the run, the drawback of currently logging 6 milers on my lunch hour until the clocks go forward is that if we're short handed at work or I get stuck on a time consuming job like yesterday I'm screwed, while I appreciate  my running schedule has to fit around my work schedule and not vice versa it can be frustrating and so for the second week in a row{ I took Christmas Day off the previous week} I was going to have to run Saturday and Sunday

Out and back along the Schuylkill River Trail in a brisk 48.01.3 off 8 min mile pace, negative splits out in 24.29 back in 23.32....the rest day on Tuesday allowed for fresher faster legs today

Thursday Jan 4th I've been utilizing my lunch hour to run for a few weeks now, once the clocks went back in early November it became an issue trying to run after work so I figured I'd take advantage of being in Center City it's roughly 3/4s of a mile up Market St to the Schuylkill River and then along the River Trail towards and beyond  Girard Avenue bridge to the three mile mark and back, since I get an hour for lunch I have enough time each day to knock out a 6 miler, on a good week it's 24 miles Monday through Thursday however losing Tuesday meant it would only be 18 miles w/ the prospect of  Saturdays long run over 14 miles followed by another 6 miler on Sunday

51.18.2 off 8.33 mile pace, again negative splits out in 26.17 back in 25.00, not overly concerned it was slower than Wednesday the bigger issue was just logging another 6 miles towards my weekly tally of 38

Saturday Jan 6th w/ four 12 miles under my belt in December it was time to " up the ante" and make the long run 14 miles, as well as prepping for the Dublin Marathon in October I have the Love Run 1/2 marathon coming up in 11 weeks  so I need to be in reasonable half marathon shape

As is my won't on the Saturday long run I was out the door by 8am, I prefer to get out there and get it taken care of rather than have it hang over me all day, granted in the dead of Winter I may have to back up my start time to allow things to warm up but thus far these past five weeks I've been out there by 8am 

The biggest issue today was the extra 2 mile, I'd found a good 12 mile course for December and fingers crossed next month when I get up to 16 miles I have an old route I used to knock out Saturday 16 milers on  so today was going to be a little " trial and error" ever the Boy Scout I'd done my due diligence  and looked up Google Maps to figure out a route that incorporated the start of my 12 miler and middle/end of my 16 miler......however as the old adage goes "theory and practice are often the horse of a different colour"........

By the time I hit  mile 5 I was on my way towards the Mann Music Center in Fairmount Park, according to Google Maps if I went around the back of the Mann Music Center up N. Georges Hill Drive this would lead me to Chamounix Drive which then would lead me to W. Ford Road and Greenland Drive, Greenland Drive becomes Strawberry Mansion bridge which then takes me over to East Falls and  eventually back to Girard Aveune bridge and home, give or take 3 more miles

As I said in theory it all looked good actually executing the run was another matter but I'm happy to report my map reading and navigation skills are still in good working order and I notched my first 14 mile run since Oct 5th of 2022 in 1.56.10 off 8.18 mile pace

I won't lie I was pretty much bollixed for the rest of the day, post run I knocked out a trip to Aldi made brunch and settle down to watch last years Dublin Marathon on You Tube to get a feel for the course....I remember them going through 10k in 32 mins.....next thing they were 1.45 into the race.....clearly I'll be going back to rewatch what I slept through.............

Sunday Jan 7th time to " pay the piper" having lost Tuesdays run I needed to get out this morning and log a 6 miler if I wanted my 5 day/38 mile week which I did, first week of the new year it felt important to start off on the right foot

While a lie in not to mention a rest day were tres appealing to yours truly I also knew an easy/recovery/shake out 6 miler would help flush out any crap in my legs from Saturdays 14 miler.....at least that's what I told myself when the alarm went off at 8am and I was out the door by 9am!!!!.......Out and back along the trusty Powelton Ave/Mantua Ave 3 mile course towards 34th St an easy 54.08.9 off 9.01 mile pace, again time, speed pace not the goal, the 6 miles very much the goal

So first week of the new year in the books/blog a successful 5 day/38 mile week, start as you mean to go on as they say, there was a prospect of snow yesterday which thankfully never came to fruition and became rain, there's talk of more rain Tuesday which means for the the third week in a row I may be looking at having to run Saturday and Sunday this coming week but I'll cross, burn, paint, jump from that bridge when the time comes........

Don't Call It A Comeback..........

 I realize it's been more than a " hot minute" since my last blog entry in March of 2020 but while ye auld blog may've been inactive fear not " The Shamrock Warrior/Gypsy Rebel" has been far from idle the past four years, logging miles, running races, winning/collecting medals........

So why the sudden return of the blog? long story short{ I realize an Irishman trying to make a long story short is far fetched but bare w/ me!!!} I turned 60 last November.....{yes if I'd had a cake the candles would have been a fire risk.....!!!!} and having ran marathons in my 20s,30s,40s and 50s I wanted to keep the streak going into my 60s, I've learned the hard way that getting older means injuries tend to come more frequently so I thought it best to " strike while the proverbial iron was hot" and tackle a Marathon early on in my 60s incase my body can't stand upto it

Dublin Marathon had been on my radar for a while so in August I began returning to triple digit mileage per month, when I ran the Philadelphia Distance Run half marathon in September off very little in the way of  double digit runs due to the humidity I knew a marathon was doable w/ the right amount of training, following last years Dublin Marathon I waited patiently for the 2024 lottery to open, the old adage " ye can't win the lottery unless you buy a ticket" and on November 24th I was informed by email I'd been successful w/ my application.....now for the hard work

My final race of the 23 season fell on Sunday December 3rd, since then I've been logging 36 mile training weeks w/ 4 x 6 miles during  my lunch hour during the week and a 12 mile long run on Saturday, the premise being come January the 12 mile Saturday long run would be 14 miles, 16 in Feb,18 in March by which time the clocks will go forward and I can resume longer evening runs to give me the potential come April to log 60 mile a week training so that's where I'm at at the end of each week I'll try and recap the previous weeks training via the blog

As of last Sunday I'm 11 weeks out from the season debut race the Love Run Half Marathon{ sadly had to sit out the last 2 due to hip and knee issues in 22 and 23}and 42 weeks out from Dublin......and so it begins...........