All Roads Lead To Cork

"Then we used to meet by the courthouse on Washington Street, walked to Pairc Ui Chaoimh and get a Crio out of KCs, she took me for a jar in the Brog, The Wash,Clancy's and The Old Oak and I can here the echo and that young one busking Fields Of Gold, take a bow all the lights of Cork City, shine brighter now from Shandon out to Ringaskiddy I can't believe i'm falling for someone who drinks Tanora,but when you smile you stop the lights will you stay, will you stay,will you leave, will you leave, will you leave walk one last time hand in hand down Patrick Street,back home they won't believe us this girl has got me drinking Beamish way in the country, she'll still probably leave me for Roy Keane"

The Lights Of Cork City-The 2 Johnnies

Well, well, well what can I say quiet the week for the Wee Fenian, another week of 6am 5 milers, a rare July race,a return to the realm of triple digit mileage for the month{ w/ a week to go till the 31st!!!} and some amazing news not only for next year but also my quest for medal #300.......

Monday July 20th In what would prove to be a pivotal week for me a lively start to things,in pretty good conditions 64 degrees and 66% humidity I knocked out not only  negative splits out in 22.00 back in 21.09 but also all 5 miles at sub 9 min mile pace:8.37-8.57-8.32-8.35-8.27 for a  brisk 43.09.7 on the Baltimore Ave,South St bridge,Schuylkill River Trail to Locust Point and back.How much of this was down to an"exchange of views" w/ a Lance Armstrong type on the Schuylkill River Trail, if he was any further up my hole at the on/off ramp he'd have been giving me a Proctology exam......is up for debate but the positive takeaway for me was after dropping a 8.32 split on mile 3 in and around our  clash/war of words I maintained that pace and dropped closing splits of 8.35-8.27{ ok I'm no Josh Kerr.....but who is?} which tells me the Three S's Speed,Strength and Stamina are in full effect period, but in mid July, which hopefully bodes well moving forward.

Tuesday July 21st I opted to make this my rest day but it was a major day for my running.......I've made no secret of my desire to run several 1/2 marathons in Ireland over the next few years in Cork,Belfast,Dublin{ both City 1/2 and Phoenix Park} and Galway to list five and to be honest the list grows as Dingle,Tralee,Viking 1/2 marathon in Waterford and recently discovered Clonrarf have also been added for consideration but as the son of a proud Rebel man Cork was always going to get top billing, it's been on my radar for a few years now what I didn't realize till I went on the race website on June 28th was it now has a ballot system to gain access to either the full marathon, half marathon or 10k AND the deadline for said ballot was midnite on June 30th....another couple of days I'd have been banajaxed,I duly sent off my application and tried not to over think the outcome, that said mentally July 21st had been circled if not on my calendar but in my head.......Technically they never said when on the 21st the results would be sent out online via email so at 7.01pm here Monday it was 12.01am in Cork and yer Man here was no stranger to his emails checking for news/updates.....shur I even checked at 3am here when I woke up hoping by 8am back home the results were posted.....nada!! Given I walked into a situation upon arrival at work at 7.45am there wasn't time to check emails until closer to 9am...............YEAH BAI!!!!!!!!!! I'm in!!! the chance to run the Cork City 1/2 marathon means everything to me period.......but to do it next year on June 6th is extra special as there is good chance it could also be medal #300...........how cool would it to be to hit the 300 mark in the very city my running began unofficially on August Bank Holiday 1972????? In order for that to happen there will be some tweaks to my race schedule both this year and early next year but hopefully if all goes to plan the Broad Street Run on May 2nd will be medal #299 and the next stop will be Cork City on June 6th.........#staytuned

Wednesday  July 22nd 74 degrees and 93% humidity hardly scream negative splits and 5 sub 9 min miles but maybe the euphoria of getting into the Cork City 1/2 marathon the day b4 was still driving me out and back on Powelton Ave 43.34.3 off 8.43 mile pace thanks to splits of:8.46-8.55-8.31-8.34-8.48, out in 21.55 back in 21.39 I should for the record state at the turnaround on Mantua Ave when I saw 21.55 I was thinking 22.55 which would be slow.....this might explain the brisk 8.31 3 mile split till I realized "hey gobshite 21.55....not 22,55" in my defense I was 6.15am.......I'm hardly bright eyed and bushy tailed at that hour let alone doing a 5 mile run....in 93% humidity I might add! To that end I could be forgiven for thinking it was a mirage when I counted  not only 4 other runners on the inbound leg but all four in the last few blocks up Cedar Ave the final two being inside the final block.While I'm not naive  enough to think I'm the only runner in my neighborhood it was nice to see other like minded individuals  period much less that early in the morning.

Thursday July 23rd Any thoughts of a third negative split and 5 sub 9 min miles run in a row were dashed early on and while hardly the end of the world it was somewhat frustrating given it was my favourite route out and back on 49th St, Paschall Ave,Greys Ferry Ave bridge and the start of the Schuylkill River Trail and back and conditions lent themselves to a fast time,67 degrees and 60% humidity.As soon as 9.06 came up as I hit Paschall Ave I knew it wasn't going to be brisk.....and frankly that's ok,each run doesn't have to feel like a time trail and while I did pickup the pace going downhill on Grays Ferry Ave bridge 8.51 the last three splits went :9.12-9.25-9.26, for the record out in 22.30 back in 23.31

Friday July 24th In an ideal world I'd have preferred to have ran Monday thro Thursday to keep my powder dry for Saturdays race but I also knew seven weeks into this block of training that a semi fast 5 mile at 6am Ftiday wasn't going to impact my 10k in 25 hours time.66 degrees and 79% humidity as I reeled off splits of:8.50-9.02-8.37-9.05-9.18 on the Baltimore Ave,South Street bridge,Schuylkill River Trail and 49th St loop, at least I had the satisfaction of a sub 45 min time,44.54.0 off 8.58 mile pace

Saturday July 25th Races in July are as rare as All Ireland's coming home to Cork{2005 in Hurling, 2010 in Football} but as luck would have it not only did I find one, it's part of a series of races across the country by The Best Races,that offer either a 5k,10k or 1/2 marathon in Atlanta,Memphis,Miami,New York,Phiily/New Jersey,Tampa,Austin,Chicago,Dallas,Denver,Houston,Kansas City,San Antonio,Las Vegas,LA,Phoenix,Sacramento,San Diego,San Francisco,Seattle, evidently they've had races over in Camden since May, they only just showed up on my radar prior to the July 4th race but I duly printed out all the races between today and Dec 26th and circled the ones I wanted to do, there are  ten more races on the schedule of which I plan to run five.....and yes before ye ask the website had the magical words finishers medal in the race info medal hoor that I am period but w/ the chance to hit #300 in Cork City in June I need to pick up the pace for my medal haul, should all the stars align  between now and Dec 26th I can end the year on #292 and hope conditions are mild enough in January when they have 2 more races{I may switch to 5k for them} b4 my traditional Winter/Spring schedule of Cupid's Chase 5k,Shamrock Run 5k,Love Run 1/2 marathon,Broad St Run 10 miler{ I could potentially axe the annoying Hot Chocolate 15k in April in favour of a long run in my build up to the 1/2 marathon in Cork in June}I knew ahead of time these races were " low key" no start/finish line no clock basically show up at the Wiggins Park Marina at either 7am,7.30am or 8am get your race bib and let them know which distance you were running.It was  along the river trail along the Delaware  River  from the Marina to the Ben Franklin bridge and back twice for the 5k, four times for the 10k or just over 8 times for the 1/2 marathon,I have to say prior to that knowledge my plan was 10ks this year and 5ks in January I couldn't imagine up and back over 8 times  for the 1/2 marathon, that's mentally draining but more power to anyone today who was tacking that I got a clear start in the 7am wave{given the trail isn't super wide the organizers try to limit it to 20 runners per wave on a first come, first serve basis} the eventual winner of the 10k and I would imagine eventual winner of the 1/2 marathon  went out at a pretty brisk pace I was happy to register 7.34 for my opening mile I was pretty much in no man land although another runner overtook  me  b4 we reached the Ben Franklin bridge b4 I eventually reeled him in and passed him by the third circuit.Given this was my first 10k of the season I had no real idea of mile pace I knew 7.30 was probably wishful thinking for now but not out of the realm of possibility later on this fall and 8 min mile pace  probably was setting the bar too low as it was I averaged 7.53 mile pace which means hopefully on a more traditional course for the Philly 10k in four weeks time maybe 7.45 mile pace isn't too far  out of my reach.the first 5 miles were all sub 8 pace:7.34-7.52-7.57-7.56-7.56, sadly 6 got way from me 8.11, I did check heat and humidity b4 the 7am start but for the life of me couldn't recall what they were, I can tell ye my Palestine running vest was soaked by the time I finished and had  dripped down onto my race shorts, thank the lord for a dry sleeveless shirt and  dry short waiting for me at the finish.According to Hal the little bollox Garmin it was 6.84 miles when I reached the start/finish at the end of 4 loops of the up and back, again when I run a more traditional course at Philly 10k in 4 weeks it should be 6.2 miles  and when I next rock up here in Camden on Sept 21st for the Octoberfest 10k I'll make shur to eyeball where 6.2 come in, stop the Garmin but keep running till I get back to the start/finish at the Marina.Medal #8 for the season,#277 for the career.......oh and by the way, 103 miles for the month, I had 97 coming into the race, potential for another 20 between Monday & Friday to round out July at 123 mile, I didn't hit triple digits till August last year, w/ that in mind at last years Philly 10k I ran 48.31.9 off 7.46 mile pace so lets see how much I can shave off of that in four weeks time?
 

Eyes Down For {Another} Full House

"His essential complications are hung up on confused it's a planet full of traffic lights and traffic light abusers but that's no stranger than strange, or any other stranger he claims it's dangerous to be innocent 'cause  uou're  the victim every time histories of insanity intruding on the same celebrate this party's over I'm going home"

Celebrate-An Emotional Fish

Another 5 day/ 30 mile week in the books, another 5 mornings of answering the call of the alarm at 5.35am, another week it was far easier to deal w/the heat and humidity {and heatwave #5} at 6am!!! and more importantly not only edge closer to a triple digit mileage month but also tack on another double digit long run.....little by little it's starting to fall into place.....

Monday July 13th Glass half empty just missed out on a negative splits,glass half full a sub 45 min 5 miler......what can I say I'm not shaggin' Barbie, shur I can't have every thing!!! 68 degrees  but 80% humidity.Monday or Tuesday whenever I kick my week off the route is Baltimore Ave,South St bridge, left onto the Schuylkill River Trail down to Locust Point and back,made the turn literally as ye have to go around the circle at Locust Point in 22.18 I did feel a negative splits was doable, however as is often the case it's mile 3 that throws a spanner in the works, the 9.09 split proved to be my undoing in my quest for a negative splits,8.54-9.02-9.09-9.05-8.31 for a 44.43.4 time off 8.56 mile pace  while I'm a tad miffed at coming up 5 seconds shy of a negative splits I can take great satisfaction in a closing mile of 8.31, week 4 of early morning runs off the back of  5 runs over 2 weeks prior to the conversion I can see progress

Wednesday July 15th On a day the afternoon temps topped out at 99 degrees it was no surprise to count seven other runners heading east on Powelton Ave after I'd made the 2,5 mile turnaround, even at 6am it was 77 degrees and 79% humidity.Sadly this run goes into the log as an untimed run at roughly 3.5 miles at 42nd & Powelton I caught a red light and while I thought I'd hit restart after I resumed running clearly I didn't.....meh! I'm strongly considering making the Powelton Ave route my untimed run for the week anyway so maybe improvisation is the mother of all fuck ups no matter how small they are after all??

Thursday July 16th It was noticeable to me anyway that at 5.35am it not as light as it was say a few weeks ago,I've been tracking Sunrise times since I began my morning runs, now I don't recall what the actual time Sunrise was on June 23rd but it's noticable it's not as light as it was a few weeks ago, by  Friday July 31st Sunrise will be 5.58am and little by little it will get lighter later but by that time I should be a fully paid up member of the Dawn Patrol Fraternity  so hopefully it won't effect me any.79 degrees and 69% humidity as I made my way up 49th St to Paschall Avenue and the Grays Ferry Avenue bridge into the park that links the start/end of the Schuylkill River Trail.I was well on pace for a negative splits and sub 45 min time early doors,8.43 and 8.54 for the opening 2 miles,I forget what my actual turnaround time was but probably 22 mins and change......somehow mile 3 ballooned up to 9.40.....WTF!!!! I had to have " switched off mentally" but got things back on track w/ a 9.02 4th mile and rounding out w/ a 9.16 final mile for a 45.36.1 finish off 9.06 mile pace.For the cynics who say" running doesn't pay" I found a $20 bill on the ground outside the Mini Mart on the corner of 49th and Springfield Ave.......as the auld saying goes " all donations gratefully accepted"!!!!

Friday July 17th There is something about the hybrid route I round out my week on that I quite enjoy, it's important to mix things up on the 4 weekday  morning runs, running the same route day in, day out would be boring no matter the route so combining Monday/Tuesdays Baltimore Ave,South St bridge but now a right onto the Schuylkill River Trail and over the bridge into Grays Ferry Park, up and over Grays Ferry Avenue bridge and the back down 49th St to home a la Thursdays run gives me that.While not a negative split as this is an actual loop{ again a small tweak to keep things from becoming rote} and not an out and back it was a sub 45 min time 44.06.5 off 8.49 mile pace thanks to splits of:8.39-8.51-8.09-9.06-9.19 it was very noticeable after the fact so few other runners were out this morning, 73 degrees and 60% humidity but a threat of  poor air quality due to fires in Canada may've keep others indoor.....not this mad Fenian fecker......shur the only smoke I was worried about was the smoke coming off of me w/ that sub 45 min time!!!!!!

Sunday July 19th I'd say "if it's Sunday, it's a long run".... however next Saturday I have a race and as we matriculate from Summer to Fall I will have a hape of Saturday races on the auld  schedule so the auld Sunday long run is very much the glue that holds all this together,morning 5 milers are grand don't get it twisted....but w/ a pair of half marathons {PDR & Philly}on the Fall schedule not to mention the time honoured "Italian Stallion Challenge" at the Rocky Run where mad feckrs like myself willingly I should add sign up for both the 5k and 10 miler it's important to throw in a weekly long run to help facilitate that.After a pair of overcast mornings on Thursday & Friday it was nice to see the sun out at 6am when I set off,right now my 10 miler and I suspect the 12 mile long run are out and back on the Schuylkill River Trail, when it comes time to go 14 miles{ potentially Sunday August 16th the Sunday b4 Philly 10k} I would like to revisit the tried and tested Fairmount Park/East Falls route w/it's hills......what can I say I'm a gutton for punishment......then again as a long suffering Cork Hurling fan shur that just comes w/ the scenery........{ sidebar, a tip of the auld bandana to Limerick  for winning this years All Ireland Hurling Final this morning, pains me to say it but well done and fair play to ye}72 degrees and 77% humidity my main objective here was 10 miles, while I got spoiled last week going not only sub 1.30 but also keeping all 10 mile splits at sub 9 min mile pace  today I just wanted to get the 10 miles in period,but w/ a race next Saturday a blown 10 miler today would mean a redo in 2 Sundays time and that would be at the expense of a potential 12 miler, granted I'm ahead of where I was a year ago and let's NOT even revisit the shit show that was the 2024 season when I couldn't buy or even lease  a double digit long run,but in running as is in Chess it's important to be thinking one or two moves ahead I feel.The proverbial writing was perhaps on the wall re all 10 splits being sub 9 when I opened in 8.57, for the record last Sunday I opened in 8.33...... this was followed by split of: 9.02-9.00-9.04-9.09- for a turnaround time of 45.12....however  I suspected Hal The Lil Bollox Garmin was up to his auld tricks again as the turnaround came beyond where I turned last week for mile 5.....and when mile 7 not only came up early after the turnaround but said 7.06 I knew this little bollox was acting up.W/ 3 miles to go it was a case of keeping my head up,picking off runners ahead of me who were heading south along the Schuylkill River Trail and honing in on my finish.The last 3 miles were slow 9.24-9.21-9.40 so how much faith and trust I can put in Hal  recording 10 miles in 1.29.59 off 9 min mile pace is up for debate, what isn't up for debate is the fact that I logged another 10 miles to complete back to back 5 day/30 mile weeks and put myself w/in striking distance of triple digit mileage for the first time since October of last year

I had said  towards the back end of last year and early this year 2026 was a big year for yours truly as it marks 50 years since I began competitive running as a Freshman in High School on an auld cinder running track in Charlton Park that sadly isn't there anymore,little did I think that Thursday afternoon in July on either the 1st or the 8th I was about to embark on the journey that I have, from track meets to eventual road races a Marathon debut in 1985 to then coming to Philadelphia in 87 and continuing the journey......albeit running on the other side of the road!!!!!,I'm not done yet as I channel my inner John Bender from "The Breakfast Club"  not even close bud!!! it's a shame Covid fecked me and everyone else in 2020,had it not been for that I could potentially be looking at celebrating not only my Golden Jubilee Tour  but also reaching the #300 medal mark......who knows maybe the Running Gods have something else in store for this wee Fenian...........

 

Oh No! Jeffery Bungle!!!!

 "We're here at the afters and it's a disaster cunts are talking politics, there's a lack of laughter skaggin" out on the sofa, Arlene's chinned Paro off her head,she believes she's sinned Donaldson has started w/ his homophobic chat so everyone has started on him and that's enough of that Stalford's lickin' coke off a plate you've got issues mate,Get your Brits out, Get your Brits out,Get your Brits out We're on a mad one"

Get Your Brits Out-Kneecap

Revenge, they say is a dish best served cold......this week I feel it was served mildly humid........

Tuesday July 7th having burnt my one week day off right off the bat on Monday I knew what lay in store now Tuesday thro Friday 67 degrees was fine.....not so much the 90% humidity that greeted me at 5.50am heading down Baltimore Ave towards the South St bridge and the Schuylkill River Trail towards Locust Point and the turnaround.Out in 22.44 I fancied my chances of a rare negative splits, sadly in retrospect it was mile 4 that did me in as my splits went:9.19-9.01-9.11-9.19=8.45 for a 45.34.7 my inbound second half was 22.50 and while I'm a tad salty to miss a negative splits period,much less by 6 seconds I took great satisfaction from the closing mile up Baltimore Ave in 8.45, it tells me a couple of weeks in to serious training and the strength is returning.....even that early in the morning

Wednesday July 8th For the days leading up to today I kept hearing how weather wise Wednesday was the pick of the week......and they weren't wrong,70 degrees and only 80% humidity.....those days are few and far between in the Summer so it really is imperative to try and take full advantage of them when they come along.Opting for the road less traveled  out and back on Powelton Ave I went out in 22.40 and once again fancied my chances  of a negative splits.....however  today it was mile 3 that threw a spanner in the works,9.01-9.09-9.25-9.02-8.51 back in 22.49 for a 45.29.0 time off 9.05 mile pace.the closing 2 miles were solid and strong but the damage was done probably just after the turnaround on Mantua Ave, and while I appreciate it's a big ask to be getting up 5 mornings a week at 5.35am and going out to run I need to pay attention to mentally turning off,Powelton Ave is tough it's usually just me out there unlike runs along the Schuylkill River Trail where the rest of the Dawn Patrol Fraternity seem to congregate,that said last week my negative splits was on Powelton Ave so.......???

Thursday July 9th Boo to the mutha fuckin' Ya! yes a negative split, out in 22.42 back in 22.17 but also a sub 45 min time 44.59.9 {could ye have cut it any closer???!!!} off 9.00 mile pace 72 degrees and 90% humidity on perhaps my favourite route down 49th St, over  Grays Ferry Ave bridge and onto the Schuylkill River Trail and back,for the record my splits were:9.04-8.51-9.05-9.12-8.47,I ran into one of my co workers Ernie just as I hit the Greys Ferry side of the bridge that links Greys Ferry park to the Schuylkill River Trail and we crossed paths again after we'd both made our respective turnarounds w/ a nod of acknowledgement, a wave and a " see ya in he office" as we went about our business,we both have one eye on Philly Marathon weekend in late November, 1/2 marathon for me on the 21st, full marathon for Ernie the following day.....I dare say our paths will cross a few more times out on he Schuylkill River Trail between now and then.....

Friday July 10th Thankfully I didn't allow myself to get all Billy Big Bollox{ William Large Testicles doesn't look or sound the same so Billy Big Bollox it is!!!!!} w/Thursday's negative splits but in my defense yer honour{I do work for a law firm after all!!!} it was 94% humidity at 5.50am off the back of 74 degrees.I went w/ the hybrid run Baltimore Ave to the Schuylkill River Trail and back down 49th St, an actual loop and not an out and back so there's no turnaround time to check for a negative splits......however based off my splits of:8.47-8.58-9.16-9.18-9.28 safe to say there was a snowballs chance in hell of a negative splits today.....and that's ok the more important number was the number of miles 5 off of 9.09 mile pace

Sunday July 12th When Saturdays 5.25am alarm went off and I didn't stir from my slumber I knew a well earned day off was coming and as it turned out cooler conditions.....however ye can't make omelets w/out braking eggs as they say and the price of yesterday afternoons rain storm was not only seven hours w/out electricity but several downed trees.....YES whole trees not just branches  that came down in Greys Ferry park but also  along the Schuylkill River Trail just after the bridge that links Greys Ferry park to the start of the trail leading to the South St bridge, I suspect the Parks Department will be busy Monday morning sorting that out.72 degrees and 81% humidity felt like Wednesdays conditions as I set off down 49th St towards Greys Ferry Ave bridge around 5.50am, the pre run plan was out and back along the Schuylkill River Trail to just beyond Boathouse Row on Kelly Dr and back and while the first downed tree in Greys Ferry park was an easy work around the three fallen trees that lay across the trail between exiting the foot bridge and heading towards South St bridge forced to me to actually stop running to  go around,under and over them, at this point I knew I wasn't coming back this route and forced me into coming up w/ an alternate route on the fly,Boy Scout motto ''Be Prepared" Marine motto { albeit unofficially!}"Improvise,Adapt and Overcome" Things had been going tickerty boo so far 8.33-8.46-8.34-8.54-8.28 as I now hit W.River Dr the plan was hit Sweetbriar Dr to Lansdowne Dr and head back along 34th St to Mantua Ave and Powelton Ave and home.....was all sounding grand  as I added splits of 8.46 and 8.58,I believed in my black Celtic Pagan  heart 10 miles was doable, could I continue this sub 9 min mile pace?When I hit mile 7 at the junction of Spring Garden St and Mantua  Ave I knew to continue down Mantua/Powelton and home was going to come up slightly short and the last thing I wanted/needed  was pissballin' around closer to home looping loops or blocks to round  up to 10 miles.......SO....a hard left onto Spring Garden St and back towards the  Art Museum and back onto the Schuylkill River Trail and down to the South St bridge and back via Baltimore Ave.8.57 for mile 8 I could ill afford any let ups now, I'd worked too hard to this point to get all 10 mile splits at sub 9 to let it get away from me now and at least along the trail I'd have other runners to push, pull, drag me to my goal.8.40 at mile 9 just after coming off the South St bridge,normally it'd be 2 miles to go......normally I'm not circumnavigating feckin' fallen trees so it was time to lock in for the final mile.......8.58 to clock 1.27.35 off 8.45 mile pace....#hup! I'm not one for "breakin' my hand patting myself on the back" period but I also  know the difference between a pat on the back and kick in the hole is about  6 to 12 inches but I also know it's worth acknowledging even the smallest of victories,a 5 day/30 mile week my best return this year to date, a 10 mile long run period my first non race long/double digit run since March 22nd and keeping all 10 miles at under 9 min pace, it's also worth pointing out last year in the build up to PDR I didn't log a double digit long run till August 10th when for the record I went 1.32.27 off 9.15 pace and the final 6 miles were all 9 min plus...., all in all a good morning's work to round out a good week, at three weeks in I feel I've become a morning runner,maybe I should've made the switch sooner but let's stay humble and say better to have done it now and hope it continues moving forward.......

It would be remiss of me period,muchless on today July 12th  not to have my Fenian opinion on disgraced former leader of the DUP {Dirty Ulster Pedo's} and former Orange Order member Jeffery Donaldson.....guilty on  ALL  18 charges in his recent and hardly surprising often delayed trial for sexual offenses......NOT   such a "man of God" or "holier than thou" are ye? I hope when he gets sentenced on Sept 25th he goes away for a  LONG,LONG,TIME.......from Queen's Birthday/Honours list to Sex Offenders list......" oh no Jeffery" if ever there was an effigy getting burnt on those poxy Orange Order bonfires this weekend it's his and everything him and the Orange Order stand for.............Tiocfaidh ar la!

To Win, Just Once.........

"To win just once would be enough for those who've lost in life and love for those who've lost their guile and nerve their innocence and their drive and verve, for those who feel they've been mistreated discriminated robbed or cheated to claim one victory inspired to win just once is their desire to win just once, to win just once to win just once, that would be enough"

To Win Just Once-The Saw Doctors

Glass half full, another week in the books{and 10 morning runs in the last 13 days....am I becoming a morning runner after all these years?} glass half empty my auld nemesis the humidity reared its ugly head this week for heatwave #4 for the year and scuppered my last three runs

Monday June 29th Knowing the humidity was coming it was important to kick off the week on the front foot, 68 degrees and 90% humidity at 6am as I opted for the Baltimore Ave,South Street Bridge and Schuylkill River Trail out and back making the turnaround at  Locust Point, while I'm not looking at negative splits right now force of habit has me check my turnaround time out in 22.23 back in 23.29 for a 46.02.0 off 9.12 mile pace a sold start to the week

Wednesday July 1st Unfortunately the events of Monday at work meant when the alarm went off at 5.25-5.35am  Tuesday I wasn't feeling it, it meant I had to settle for 67 miles for June and 363 miles for the half way point in the year, this time last year I had 312 so hopefully this bodes well for  getting over the 769 mile mark I managed in 2023 and 2025 {723 in 2024} opted for the road less traveled again out and back along Powelton Ave 75 degrees and 74% humidity and remarkably a negative splits out in 23.21 back in 23.02 thanks to a closing mile  of 9.02 and 46.23.2 off 9.17 mile pace

Thursday July 2nd The start of the heatwave, in the afternoon it hit 103 degrees so if this hadn't been my 8th morning run in 10 days I would've had to be a part of the Dawn Patrol Fraternity  today as it is it's slowly becoming second nature to be up and out the door by 5.50am 87 degrees and 81% humidity so I knew I was up against it from the get go, as I had to drop off my rent at 40th & Locust I opted for the Spruce St/Baltimore Ave out and back,by the time I hit 2 miles at Franklin Field I knew trying to cross the South St bridge was wishful thinking, one advantage of doing this for 50 years now is I know when it either is or isn't my day......today wasn't my day! Had to settle for 3 miles in 28.00.2 off 9.20 mile pace

Friday July 3rd W/ the  luxury of today being a holiday I knew if the humidity{89 degrees and 71% humidity at 6am!!!!} got the better of me I didn't have to concern myself w/ finishing the run and heading  to work so w/ that in mind I opted for the 49th Street,Schuylkill River Trail out and back route, however b4 I hit the trail just after mile 2 I was reduced to a walk and I already knew this was probably only going to be a 4 miler so I continued along the Schuylkill River Trail to take advantage of the breeze off of the Schuylkill and head back home via the South St bridge, Spruce St and Baltimore Ave 4 miles in 37.03.0 off 9.16 mile pace

Sunday July 5th Thankfully we got some rain Saturday nite to cool things off  but  while it was only 77 degrees at 6.10am.......it was 84% humidity and while I could wait it out for the humidity to drop the heat would increase so figured  whatever I got this morning  was more than all the weekends I wasn't getting up at 5.25am and out the door b4/around 6am in recent months.Once again felt good for the opening mile down 49th St 9.10 but by the time I hit mile 2 in Grays Ferry Park my pace had gone up to 9.25 and I was dripping in sweat I had 2 options turn at 2.5 and make it 5 miles or roll the dice keep going down the Schuylkill River  Trail and hope whatever breeze was coming off  the Schuylkill  would combat the humidity, if I could maybe squeeze a 6-7 miler out of this that'd be grand but the humidity as it always does just drains me and I had to settle for 5 miles coming back down  Powelton Ave 47.28.8 off 9.30 mile pace

A 5 day/22 mile week not what I was aiming for  but July was a grind last year when I was running at lunch time looking at my running log I went:5/21-4/16-5/24-3/14- and it was August b4 I registered double digit long runs so I won't be pressing the panic button just yet my next three races  are 10k's but I do need to keep my eye on the bigger picture and PDR on Sept 20th in 11 weeks time, hopefully next weekend will yield a 10 miler, the weather looks favourable at least

Been a rough week for The Rebels,knocked out of the All Ireland  Football 1/4 finals last Saturday and the Hurling semi finals yesterday along w/ the women's football 1/4 finals{sidebar we won the Minor Football final this morning!!!!Rebels Abu!!!} so all our hopes {once again!} are pinned on the women's  Camogie to bring some silverware back home, it's never easy being a Cork fan but I was a proud Rebel when I woke up yesterday morning, was a Rebel when I went to bed and when the sun came up this morning proud Rebel blood still flowed through my veins.......#RebelAndProud #RebelForLife #RebelsAbu

Looking For Smooth Sailing In Unchartered Waters

 "I roam all alone on the island I can hear your voice in my mind I can feel the cold,cold of your hand I'm lost,you're one of a kind the water's not as blue as it first was it's no longer the island of sun the mountains are taller than ever before I know it's not an island for one"

The Island-Amble

Yes,yes and yes!!!!  first 4 day training week during the week since March 30th, first weekend non race long run since March 22nd and first five day 28 mile week since  April 5th......don't look now but Himself is starting to knuckle down and crank up the mileage.......

I had touched on his in my last post that lunchtime runs had gone the way of the Ark although for two weeks  between  June 8th and the 17th  due to a schism in the schedule I was able to log 5 lunchtime 5 milers to kick start the process, had they not've presented themselves I'd like to think my long overdue conversion to morning running would've begun sooner but as it was I began that this week

Tuesday June 23rd In 50 years as a runner my ability to get up first thing in the morning to run has been found wanting but  I knew in May that was going to have to change if I had any designs on weekly mileage so b4 I went to bed on Monday nite I set the alarm for 5.25am in the hope I would be up by 5.35am, dressed, stretched and out the door by 5.50am in the immortal words of Rush in the song "Subdivisions"  conform or be cast out.......

W/ a potential 4 days of runs on tap I felt the need to mix up my routes this morning I opted for Baltimore Ave/Spruce St to South Street bridge and onto the Schuylkill River Trail till I hit 2.5 miles then turn and head back when I hit the South St bridge I saw 72 degrees on trusty auld Peco Tower but never checked the humidity pre run......judging from the sweat rollin' off me it was pretty high.......welcome to summer training in Philly!

44.47.4 off 8.57 mile pace, my splits went:8.08-8.41=9.31-9.03-9.26 to be honest, time, pace, splits were secondary today the important thing was to get out and run and hopefully have morning running become the new normal

Wednesday June 24th Obviously getting up early once to run wasn't going to cut it so I was hopeful I could answer the call of the alarm again at 5.25am this morning.....happy to say that I could and having learnt a harsh lesson w/ the humidity yesterday  I made shur to check my phone  this morning, 65 degrees and 64% humidity

Opted for the Powelton Ave route, the road less traveled it has to be said, I must've counted a dozen or so runner yesterday morning today not so much today..... but as long as I'm out there that's what matters

46.23.7 off 9.17 mile pace,my mile splits were:9.06-9.14-9.23-9.17-9.24 nothing earth shattering but it doesn't need to be, hopefully moving forward as I adjust to running first thing in the morning my pace will pick up

Thursday June 25th 66 degrees but 81% humidity so I was glad this run was down 49th St to Gravs Ferry Aveune to get onto the Schuylkill River Trail, albeit only for half a mile but the breeze effect off the Schuylkill just over a mile into the run when it's  humid is clutch

45.05.7 off 9.01 mile pace, splits:8.33-8.51-9.03-9.24-9.14, three for three, could I hit for the cycle tomorrow?

Friday June 26th Opted for a hybrid of Tuesdays run and yesterdays run, Baltimore Ave/Spruce St/South St bridge, Schuylkill River Trail/Grays Ferry Ave/49th St

71 degrees w/ 75% humidity clocked 46.26.1 off 9.12 mile pace w/ splits of:8.56-9.27-9.11-9.11-9.41,like I said earlier it had been a minute since I logged 4 weekday runs so this was a nice return to form, based on this week I think I could get the hang of this morning running lark period but prior to this week when I'd tried to get up first thing on a weekend to run the last few weeks it just wasn't happening.....could I buck that trend this weekend getting up at 5.35am during the week....????

Sunday June 28th, ok so full disclosure  when the alarm went off at 5.25am Saturday morning I hit off not snooze button by mistake,getting up at 5.35am four days in a row had caught up w/ me so I opted to " go long" on Sunday

I was out the door by 5.45am and two things concerned me one the 68 degrees but 89% humidity and also the fact my last non race long run on a weekend was March 22nd some 14 weeks ago,neither lent themselves to going 10 miles out and back along the Schuylkill River Trail via 49th St/Grays Ferry Ave but I figured go for it, if I had to settle for 8 miles this week sobeit there are still 12 weeks till PDR ample time to get my long run up to 10,12 and eventually 14 miles, there was really little to be gained only going 6 or 7 miles today

I kinda knew making the turn at mile 5 on Kelly Drive just beyond Boathouse Row in 45.09  that my chances of this being 10 miles out and back were  few and far between, each mile had crept up a little slower than the last:8.36-9.06-9.08-9.09-9.10 and it was a question of when not if the wheels came off, one glaring error I made yesterday knowing I was going long today was not hydrating enough period, much less dealing w/ 89% humidity.......trust me this error won't be getting made again in future weeks

Stopped to walk twice on the route back along the Schuylkill Trail, at this point I knew I was looking at an 8 miler, final three splits 9.28-9.39-9.59 for a 1.14.11 off 9.16 mile pace.....nothing to write home about but a long overdue 5 day/28 mile week period and  two weeks earlier than last year when I begun to knuckle down and prepare for the long haul that is the Fall road race season

Hopefully I'm back to 5 day training weeks w/ a weekend long run, my next three races are all 10ks but w/ PDR looming in the distance{ no pun intended!} the need to get long/double digit weekend runs in is clutch

Is It A Bird? Is It A Plane?.......Nah Bai, Tis Himself Getting Back At It Like.........

 "Miotaseolaiocht, see I love all that An bradian feasa big lad Setanta what fuckin' legend thought of that?Seo an chaint's tu ag coisireacht le Kneecap taimaid lan de Chao fuck knows what or who we're laughing at? Tiocfaidh are la, somebody sample that F-E_F_E_F_E-F-E-N-I-A-N"

Fenian-Kneecap

Just when ye thought it was safe to go back to the interwebs the Shamrock Warrior,Pale Paddy,Fenian Bastard returns to feck up yer day.......,apologies for being away so long not that I'm one for dropping a John Lennon quote but he  did famously say " life's what happens when you start making plans" and that has rang true the last several weeks, I didn't even get to blog the Broad Street Run on May 3rd and trust me there was plenty mad shit to blog that day but as my ex coach used to say " ye can't make up lost  miles" I can't go back retrospectively  and fill in all the blanks, better to draw a line in the sand in it and move on

I will however throw out there that as of May 5th I no longer have lunch hour runs at my disposal, rather than go into excruciating  detail  the six month fight by yours truly and his long suffering co worker for the last almost six years to make a living wage finally saw fruition......however there were strings  attached {cos there always is w/ contract negotiations!!} and in order to get the money we wanted management reduced the work force by 1/3rd so while I still get a lunch it has to be at my desk ergo putting the kybosh on my  four days of lunch hour runs.......I have never been great at getting up first thing in the morning to run and while I did manage a handful of morning runs to work the first week it was tough running w/ a backpack on my back, I weighed the hoor the first morning I did it and it weighed 10 lbs.......fuck sake!....As of right now I am considering trying to run before I leave for work it's doable during the summer months as most mornings I'm woken up by the sun coming through the windows around 5.15 am, it'll be the lesser of two evils, try and get out the door b4 6am, knock out a five miler in  give or take 45 mins, hop in and out of the shower and be back out the door around 7.15am to be at my desk by 7.45am {technically my start time is 8am} it all sounds good in theory but as a wise man once told me"theory and practice are often a horse of a different colour so we'll have to see how that plans out, I have to work something out cos not running sucks the pre work run feels like the best option as running to work has issues and trying to run when I get home while not undoable  is also going to have issues {sidebar last Tuesday it was an option only to have work throw an industrial size spanner in the works and I clocked out at 5.45pm not 4.45pm......run? I could barely see or think fecking straight}.....but in the immortal words of D4 Dad on The 2 Johnnies " we move".......

So the back drop going into todays race was I hadn't even ran for the trolley in the last 24 days......hardly ideal prep for a race much less a 15k, when I signed up for it in April the 15k seemed doable.......w/ hindsight either the 5k or 10k would've been  a better option but it was too late to change it now, given the race was a 5k loop I could've maybe done two loops for the 10k and called it a day but that feels a bit bush league to me, much like in Dublin 24 when I signed up for a marathon but knew I didn't have it in me to run 26.2 miles  but threw linguine at the wall to see if it would stick.....it did for 10 miles b4 a painful 16 miles of walk/run/repeat,normally I don't do Philly Run Fest as I have an unsettled score w/ Philly Runner from  four years ago, that said they organize other races I run in the city {Philly 10k and PDR} so maybe it was time to stop cutting off my nose to spite  my face, I signed for the same reason I sign up for all my other races........I wanted the feckin' medal.#NoShameInMyGame.....Broad Street had been #275 and I'm eyeing up a shot at #300 next fall so I paid my money, rolled outta bed at 5.30am and walked the 40 mins to Belmont Ave & Parkside to be there in ample time for the 7.30am start

This was very much a trot around the course, collect yer finishers medals and feck off  home kind race,again at least I'm honest, about it,had the last 3.5 weeks been different I might've gone in w/a more deliberate game plan but tis hard to make a silk purse out of a pig's ear so w/ that in mind and knowing it was a 5k,10k,15k all for one, one for all I went to the very back of the field I didn't need to get swept up by a bunch of speed merchants for the 5k who'd chew me up and spit out and then leave me hanging on for dear life over the final two loops, again sound in theory but now I had to negotiate the slow 5k runners it was probably almost a mile into the first loop b4 I got a clear run at it, that said w/ my lack of training and the fact even at 7.30am it was warm maybe not going balls out was a better move?

I was hoping for 1.21 off 9 min mile pace, what I got was 1.24.20 off 9.05 mile pace......know what else I got? a feckin' medal.....#7 for the season,#276 for the career so I have no grounds to be Mr Pissy Pants, as the great Roy Keane once said "failure to prepare, prepare for failure" hopefully this boot up the hole  will jump start me to knuckle down again a find a way to train,I'm debating if I want to race in Camden on July 4th, the race said the magic words"finishers medals" which for a medal hoor like me is enough of a carrot  to dangle under my nose, it would also brake up what is always the longest stretch of the season as the next race after that  is the Philly 10k on August 23rd which is 11 weeks from now so we'll have to see which way the wind blows between now and then

Hopefully today is the start of me getting back at it, after a semi decent start to the year mileage wise, 74 in January, 73 in February,and 80 in March it's gone south in April and May 43 and 26 respectively , that's not cutting enough Mustard moving forward period much less w/ two half marathons on tap{maybe three!} in the Fall so let's hope today's kick up the Ravioli has the desired effect.....

Coming Soon........

 So apologies for the lack of blogging recently, I say all the time my greatest commodity  is time and sadly there just hasn't been enough of it recently to sit and post my runs, even if a 25 hour day or an eight day week were a thing I still doubt I'd have time to get all the things I needed to do done......such is life!

As of last week my lunch time runs went the way of the ark so I'm hoping by running to work in the mornings I can not only get my daily miles in but it will get me into a routine where getting up early during the week will make getting up early on Saturdays for my long runs possible and maybe just maybe posting the blog Saturday evening........ we'll see if that works.......stay tuned!

I Am Not A Role Model........

"Tell me the facts real straight don't make me over wrap it in glory for one Irish  rover tell me you see the light tell me you know me make it come out alright and wrap it in glory for one Irish rover"

One Irish Rover-Van Morrison

Two thirds of the Spring Triple Crown in the books and another medal closer to three hundred.....tis all in a weeks work fer yer man here........

Monday March 30th In an ideal world off the back of my fastest half marathon in two years a well earnt day off  would've been in order......however I had designs of getting my monthly mileage total into the 80s so come lunchtime I was back out there........but not for long!

My calves were screaming and by the time I made it two blocks across 16th St to JFK Blvd I knew I didn't have it......pride kept me from turning around and heading back as I made my way gingerly to the Ben Franklin Parkway at this point it was either a 2 or 3 mile shakeout run,by the time I reached the mile mark just below 24th and the Parkway I knew I was turning around and heading back, feck it I'll take the 2 miles and be happy out w/ them, as I often say I'd rather try and fail but know I tried than not try and second guess "could I have done it?"......

Tuesday March 31st Last Chance Saloon for 80 miles,I needed 6 miles but had the luxury of only working a half day so no time constraints on me making it back to work w/ an hour w/ that in mind off I went at 12.10pm out and back on Kelly Dr like I did last Thursday when I also only worked half a day

For the second time in six months I fell on the Parkway, at least this time I landed on the grass and the only thing hurt was my pride, why some bollox decided to start doing some Plyometrics on the sidewalk of the Parkway is beyond me, seemed an odd spot for it and maybe me taking my eye off of what I was doing caused me to fall, thankfully I bounced back up both literally and figuratively  to record not only a faster time than I ran on Thursday 51.36.3 over 52.17.3 but also a negative split out in 26.42 back in 24.54

80 miles for the month,my best monthly tally this year eclipsing the  74 I ran in January and  73 I logged in February, had I not taken the opening week of March off chances are I could've had triple digits this month but  no point crying over spilled Guinness Zero at least the numbers are trending in the right direction and hopefully I can  return to "rarefied air" in April in the build up to Broad Street

Wednesday April 1st Opted for an untimed 5 miler out and back along W.River/MLK Dr hopefully next Wednesday will see me resume hostilities w/ the Tempo Run over on  Sedgley/Popular/Lemon Hill drives and hills in prep for Broad Street but for today and the week that's in it just a matter of keeping the engine ticking over and jump starting the monthly mileage

It should be noted it was 79 degrees at 2 pm when I ran, after a Winter of being bundled up like "Nanook Of The North" and at times resembling the shaggin' Michelin Man it was nice to shed a few layers not to mention work up a decent sweat

Thursday April 2nd A 30 degree swing in temps......are ye feckin' kiddin' me???? 49 degrees as I went out and back along the Schuylkill River Trail.....sweet and merciful jaysus my Dublin 1/2 zip was in my back pack the night b4 as it would've been fair chilly running 3 of the 5 miles along the Schuylkill River w/out it

W/ a race on tap on Saturday there felt no need to go off cocked period but given this was my 5th run in 5 days on top of the fact that five day spree began w/ not only a half marathon but also my fastest half marathon in two years I was content to run 43.02.0 off 8.36 mile pace, as the saying goes the proverbial hay was in the barn........

Saturday April 4th I forget when I first began doing the Hot Chocolate 15k maybe 2018 or 2019 either way it has become  fixture on my race schedule, given I have the choice of either the 5k, 10k or 15k now{ it wasn't always 3 distances I think they added 5k a few years ago} I tend to opt for the 15k as it serves as a primer for the Broad Street Run which is 10 miles, given Broad Street is usually 4 weeks after the Hot Chocolate run that feel like  wise move.....given it's usually  six days after the Love Run 1/2 marathon maybe not....... again as the saying goes " you pay your money and you make your choice"

For the first time since PDR on Sept 21st last year I was able to race sans base layer and given it was 59 degrees pre race at 8am and well into the  60s by the time I finished it was no wonder my bandana, vest and shorts were soaked by the time I crossed the finishline

There was a sense of "betwixed and between"  heading into today yes I wanted to gauge where I am w/ Broad Street on the horizon but given the days of a bonus medal for a top three finish in the age group have gone out w/ the Rubix Cube there was also a feeling of " it's a free hit" as long as I crossed the finishline to collect my finishers medal anything  else was  just gravy......

In hindsight maybe going out in 7.23 for the opening mile was ill-advised  I was ahead of the 7.30 mile pace group in the corral and when they passed me b4 mile 2 as I clocked  a 7.50 split it was clear that the proverbial genie was out of the bottle now, like I said this race was bordering on "free hit" territory I doubt I'll be as cavalier in four weeks time at Broad Street

8.08 and 8.05 for miles three and four by now the field had separated from the 10k and 15k which given they start together may have something to do w/the pace for the opening 3 miles b4 the 10k leaders turn just after Strawberry Mansion bridge at this point I was kind of in "no mans land' nobody to work off of  ahead but nobody behind me to force me to work any harder than I was 

Thankfully after a few years of "clunky" turnarounds on Kelly Dr this year the 15k went over Falls Bridge and onto W.River Dr  just beyond the Conrail bridge b4 the turnaround, I clocked 38.04......

8.26 for mile 5 and 8.38 for mile 6 if I was going to get a negative split I would have to arrest that slide however the age auld problem w/ this race was about to present it's self, until such a time as they stagger the start of the 10k and 15k there is always going to be the issue of running into the back markers of the 10k w/ three miles to go,the last thing I want or need is to weave in and out of runners let alone the walkers, the talking on my phone brigade, the lets walk four abreast on the course w/ zero regard for anyone else troop......don't get it twisted I respect and admire your commitment to the cause and your desire to not only start and finish a 10k.......I would just prefer not to have to keep weaving in and out of ye while ye do it.......

Remarkably 8.20 at mile 7{ just think what it could've been if I could've continued to tun a straight line!!!} b4 a 7.55 at mile 8 and a 7.54 at mile 9 the final .3 of a mile is the uphill on Kelly Dr that I use on my  tempo runs so I'm well used to running it on tired legs, 2.48 as I crossed the line in 1.15.27 off 8.03 mile pace

Glass half empty slower than last year when I ran 1.13.11 off 7.54 mile pace, glass half full a negative split out in 38.04 back in 37.23, also lets not gloss over last years race was 6 days removed from a 1.51.56 Love Run this year was 1.41.59.......

For reasons best know to the powers that be I don't show up in the official results.....maybe the fact I don't partake/indulge in the post race Hot Chocolate festivities is frowned upon........I give a fiddlers fuck I got what I came for which was the medal, #5 for the season #274 for the career not to mention  nine mile towards April's tally and I have idea of  what shape I'm in heading into Broad Street in four weeks time

I should explain the photo above this entry,back in mid/late November a new attorney began at work she took the office I used to use to get changed in b4 and after my lunchtime runs and while I never held that against her I did take pity on her one day when she dropped her coffee outside her office and broke her mug, we'd established she used to run "back in the day" in prior conversations and was considering this years Love Run so I duly lent her an auld Love Run mug of mine I don't use as motivation for her to train through the Winter to do this years race, I'm happy to report she successfully finished this years race and is running Broad Stteet in four weeks time, as Charles Barkley famously once said in an interview"I am not a role model" however if I can motivate someone to get out there and run  then I'll happily take that
 

G'wan Bai,Sing It Ta Fuck!!!!

 "Here we go again, we're on the road again we're on the road again, we're on the way to paradise, we love the jungle deep that's where the lion sleeps for then those evil eyes they have no place in paradise Graffiti on the walls, just as the sun was going down I see graffiti on the walls for the Celts! for the Celts, graffiti on the walls says we're magic, we're magic, graffiti on the walls it says oh ah up the Ra, say ooh ah up the Ra"

Celtic Symphony-The Wolfe Tones

By my calculations this mornings Love Run 1/2 Marathon was my 45th half marathon since my debut over the distance in Leicester in September of 1984 42 years on and 44 half marathons later 13.1 still produces surprises that even this Gypsy couldn't predict or see coming!!!

At the risk of selling the story short I feel I have to go back to the 2024 edition of the Love Run, w/ one eye on the Dublin Marathon that year I trained hard through the Winter targeting a  fast 1/2 marathon in March w/ the intentions of it catapulting to "rarefied air" and times I hadn't seen for a few years.....oh I saw times I hadn't  seen in eons......problem was they were slower not faster and thus began an 18 month tailspin that not only saw me record my slowest times ever from 5k through the marathon in 24 but it  continued into 25 suddenly the days of sub  1.30 1/2 marathons  were from a bygone era I had now reluctantly become a 1.50 half  marathoner granted I'm in my 60s now but I still believed I was better than 1.50 for a half marathon, time to set the record straight........which of course is easier said the done!

After several mild winters here this years proved to be a hoor of a Winter, things were ticking along nicely in early January  as I was rebuilding my mileage after a well earned down periods at the end of 2025 until we got hit w/ a one two sucker punch 9.3 inches of snow followed by 9 days of below freezing temps however in mid February a day after my season opening race at the Cupid's Chase 5k I finally nailed a double digit run a respectable 1.25.50 off 8.35 mile pace, the significance of which didn't truly hit home till early this week, a disappointing  8 miles when I was shooting for 12 a fortnite later meant I only had one shot at 12 miles prior to today last Sunday which I duly handled  in 1.46.12 off 8.51` mile pace, if nothing else I knew I had the distance in my legs............

It wasn't till mid week two very interesting stats jumped off the pages of my blog, last year I only managed one 10 mile run prior to the Love Run 1/2 marathon, this years 10 miler was  6.05 faster than last years plus there was no 12 miler last year.........suddenly the prospect of a 1.45 half marathon  off 8 min mile pace was  more  attainable than I thought.......that said the time honoured adage "theory and practice are often the horse of a different colour"  sprung to mind in 2024 I had logged four 12 mile runs, four 14 mile runs and one 16 miler in the build up to the Love Run hoping that a 1.25 half marathon in March would potentially set me up for a sub 3 hour marathon in Dublin in seven months time, I could only muster a 1.39.17 and  well"the rest is history" in terms of my 2024 season, last years Love Run was a moderately satisfying 1.51.56 and was only moderately acceptable  as the previous September's PDR 1/2 marathon  had been my slowest ever time for the distance in a pitiful 1.54.44 I went into last years Love Run kinda on the back foot w/only one 10 mile run under my belt and just happy to go " gun to tape" w/out stopping, while there had only been one 10 and one 12 mile long run this year compared to just the one one 10 miler last year the  real difference lay in total mileage prior to last years Love Run I had logged 162 miles for the year this year I came in w/ 206.........#VolumeVolumeVolume

Last time I looked at Peco Tower pre race at 7.05am it said 34 degrees but at least the sun was out and that always makes a world of difference irregardless of it being a race or training run no matter the temps the sun being out helps it was still base layer and gloves weather  as we made our way down the Ben Franklin Parkway and  Arch Street to 6th Street then over to Market St, Up to 20th Street over to JFK Blvd down to 16th Street and back up the Ben Franklin Parkway towards  MLK Dr/W.River Dr,the course had been modified the last few years to accommodate  the reconstruction of the bridge at the start of the Dr but w/ that now complete the course had gone back to a version akin to when I began running the annual end of March Phila Love Run 1/2 marathon in 2018 out and back on MLK/W.River Dr.

I had wondered what this years course would be like now that there was no need to circumnavigate  the section of MLK/W.River Dr below Sweet  Briar Lane, the big take away was the up hill at mile 10 coming off MLK/W.River Dr on Black Rd was now a downhill just after mile 7, that hill banajaxed me in 2024 as I didn't know it was coming nor was I prepared for it, at least last year it didn't spit me up and chew me out, however to even things out this year coming off MLK/W.River Dr onto Sweet Briar Lane and onto Landsdowne Dr we would have to negotiate the twisty uphill on Landsdowne Dr to Parkside Ave,across to the Please Touch Museum{Memorial Hall in auld money if like me ye are of a certain age} down Avenue Of The Republic and then Black Road to MLK/W.River Dr to a point beyond Strawberry Mansion Bridge but b4  the Route 1 bridge and Conrail bridge b4 Falls Bridge, from there it was a turnaround and back down MLK/W.River Dr to the finish in front of the Art Museum.

I wasn't paying much if any attention to my overall time for the first seven miles just focusing on my splits however at mile seven I copped  a look at Hal who informed me I'd gone through seven miles in 54.21 so if I could average roughly 8 min mile pace for the final 6 miles I could be close to a 1.42 finish.......oh it was on now!! taking full advantage of the downhill down Black Road I began to pick off the final six miles one by one,7.28-7.46-8.02-7.38-7.32-7,31, to be fair there wasn't much of a kick in the final.1 as I had pretty much left it all out there over the 13 miles but thankfully enough of a kick to cross the line in 1.41.59 off 7.45 mile pace in the immortal words of Noel Furlong "drive it, drive it, drive it"........

I'd have been happy out w/ 1.45 to be honest but passing the 1.45 pace group at mile 11 I knew it would be close to 1.42......at 1.41.59 it couldn't have been much closer but I'll take it,my fastest time in the last 2 years and while the days of 1.30 half marathons may be in the rear view mirror maybe 1.40 is doable? hopefully I have two more bites of the cherry over 13.1 this year the PDR 1/2 marathon in mid September and also the Deitz & Watson 1/2 marathon the weekend of the Philly marathon in late November, to achieve that I will need to continue putting the miles in,I've yet to hit triple digit mileage in the opening three months of the year but I'm getting there I feel I'm probably operating at 75-80% right now if I can get up to 100% things could get interesting

Medal #4 for the season, #273 for the career if I can "handle my business" Saturday over 15k at the Hot chocolate 15k that sets up the potential of Broad St Run being #275 I don't want to start thinking too much about the potential of next November being #300 but it's coming down the tracks.........and fuck yeah I will continue to sing "Up The Ra" despite what that dishrag hoor arlene foster says....yeah go ahead make it a criminal  offense ......think ye have a prison overcrowding issue in the UK now.....wait till all the arrests in Trafalgar Sq next March at the annual St Paddy's Day celebration.......fer feck sake have a bit of cop on ya pratt and failing that build a bridge and get over yerself, as always I am an Unrepentant Fenian Bastard......"Up The Ra"........

Gone, But Never Forgotten

So apologies for the lack of blog entries of late the proverbial"if it's not one thing it's been another" and just trying to find time to blog has been a challenge

Ran my second race of the season a semi respectable 22.02.7 5 5k at the Naval Yard for the debut Shamrock Run  won my the 60-69 age group and collected medal #3 for the season #272 for the career on March 14th, it was a few days after the news that one of my all time heroes and forefather of the "Holy Trinity" of Irish milers Ronnie Delaney had died, sadly I never got to meet Ronnie in person but his career and legacy were huge in my development at an aspiring miler back in the day, if ye've never watched the 1956 Melbourne Olympic 1,500m final go on You Tube to check it out, 11th at the bell Ronnie majestically moved to the front of the field up the home straight to not only win the gold but also set a then Olympic record time in the 1,500m in later years he famously said " it's not about running fast, fast can often get you second or third, it's about running smart"......words to live by that will join the other inspirational quotes dotted around Che Fenian.......

Nailed a much needed 12 mile long run on Sunday in prep for this Sundays Love Run 1/2 marathon, I would've like 14 miles or even 13 but it was always going to be a huge ask to step up from 10 miles to 14 in one swoop settled for a 1.46.12 off 8.51 mile pace which was comfortably inside the 1.48 off 9 min mile pace I had set pre run, Spring officially begun last Friday.....more importantly we're out of Winter so hopefully better weather to train in moving forward as Sunday marks the first leg of the unofficial Spring Triple Crown, Love Run 1/2 Marathon ,Hot Chocolate 15k the following Saturday and the Broad St Run 10 miler on May 3rd

Hopefully things will settle down enough to resume blogging again

Slan and Go Raibh Maith Agat
 

Ragin' Rebel

 "Enough I call the bluff fuck manifest destiny landlords and power whores on my people they took turns, despite the suits I ignite and then watch em burn w/ the thoughts from a militant mind hardline, hardline after hardline landlords and power whores on my people they took turns dispute the suits I ignite and watch em burn, burn burn yes ya gonna burn"

Bombtrack-Rage Against The Machine

Almost 14 inches of snow, couple of missed runs, shy of triple digit mileage for February and a blown long run to kick off March.........not a surprise Rage Against The Machine are on heavy rotation on Spotify and I'm channeling my inner Che Guevara..........#FightThePower

Wednesday Feb 25th Amazingly after almost 14 inches of snow on Sunday into Monday I was able to get out Wednesday lunchtime to run

Unlike the 9.3 inches of snow we got at the end of January which stuck around for weeks after the fact thanks in no small part to nine days of below freezing temps the sidewalks were remarkably clear, in fact I probably could've  ran Tuesday had I know how clear they were going to be but I already knew triple digits for February were about as likely as a good week at work so I didn't bother taking my running gear w/ me on Tuesday

Opted for an untimed  run out and back  on West River Drive 43 degrees and overcast, I was just happy to be out and running, if I counted two other runners out there w/ me I'm being generous but I was more concerned about my participation than anyone elses

Thursday Feb 26th I already knew today was a wrap for the month, even if I'd ran Tuesday and tomorrow{ which it turned out I couldn't cos that Gombeen motherfucker at work didn't send coverage to the office so no lunch/no run....thanks ya useless  sack of shite.....} and  did a 12 miler on  Saturday I'd end up w/ 95 miles for February so I figured just settle for an easy 5 miles today and 73 miles for the month, while I've come up short again at least I'm consistent 74 miles in January 73 in February

47 and overcast as I went out an back on Kelly Drive, it was noticeable there were more runners out today maybe more runners realized the conditions underfoot were " user friendly" 42.59.8 off 8.36 mile pace I should also point out after weeks of being an ice rink that the Schuylkill River is unfrozen and flowing again

Sunday March 1st As is my won't my preference for the long run is Sunday afternoon, at some point I may need to coax myself into a Saturday morning long run.....but it wasn't this weekend, the lure of a lie in Saturday won out again!

44 degrees and sunny just gone 1pm when I set off, I opted  for the Schuylkill River Trail via  Grays Ferry, clocked 8.21 for the opener, last time out over 10 miles my pace was 8.35 mile pace,8.18 for mile 2, taking full advantage of the downhill off of Grays Ferry  Avenue bridge

8.30 and 8.35 for miles 3 and 4 I felt I was getting a rhythm going as I made my way towards Lloyd Hall and Boathouse Row and Kelly Drive, was the proverbial writing on the wall when l clocked 8.56 for mile 5???? at the time I thought it was the fact I hit a strong headwind........

8.47 for mile 6 a 51.25 split a potential 1.43 time which if ye'd offered me b4 I set off  I'd have willingly taken, 8.53 for mile 7.....better call Pep Boys cos the shaggin' wheels were coming off just after mile 7 I stopped to walk, there was no diggin' deep like there was a fortnite  ago

Home via Powelton Ave I did enough to round up to mile 8 off an 9.15 split b4  calling time of death on matters a 69.35 off 8.41 mile pace, not exactly what I was looking for or hoping for period but w/ the clock ticking on the Love Run  1/2 Marathon it's getting to the business end of things, three weeks to get a 12 miler and hopefully at least one 14 miler in, push come the shove if I only got a 12 miler in I'm reasonably confident I could gut/grind out a final 1.1 but for my own piece of mind I would prefer a 12 miler and 14 milers......remains to be seen if I can get them?

The Mighty Thaw.......For Now.....

 "Ah! We come from the land of the ice and snow from the midnight sun where the hot springs flow, the hammer of the gods will drive our ships to new lands to fight the horde sing and cry, Valhalla I am coming on we sweep w/ threshing oar our only goal will be the western shore"

Immigrant Song-Led Zeppelin

Finally a double digit long run as the snow and ice continued to melt......only for another Winter storm heading our way this weekend......ah fer feck sake..........

Sunday Feb 15th hard on the heals of my seasons debut 5k on Saturday morning I nailed a 10 miler Sunday afternoon, it was never ideal to attempt a long run  so soon after a race but my hand had been forced by the fact I'd missed opportunities  to get any double digit runs in over the last four weekends and now the clock was ticking on the Love Run 1/2 marathon in 6 weeks time so I had to grin and bare it and hope I'd roll the dice and come up sixes.........

Early on into the run I was cognizant  my pace was a little brisker than needed, the target was 1.30 off 9 min mile pace so the fact I went 8.12-8.06-8.19 might've explained the early negative thoughts about completing 10 miles, things settled down over the next 2 miles as I clocked 8.38-8.42,41.17 at the turnaround on Kelly Dr 1.22.34 pace

As I made my way back towards the Art Museum I began to entertain thoughts of bailing on the run and doing the walk of shame back down Powelton Ave thankfully I was able to silence those negative voices/thoughts and continue down the Schuylkill River Trail, rather than think of four more miles I broke it down into one mile at a time, approaching the on/off ramp of the South St bridge I had to make a choice  exit the trail and head back the way I came via Spruce St/Baltimore Ave or continue on the trail to it's end at Grays Ferry and head down 49th St........I opted for the trail partially as I felt if I ran out of gas at mile 9 it would still be a step up from my previous long run of 8 miles on Jan 10th

8.48 for mile six, 8.55 for mile seven 8.40 for mile eight and 8.31 for mile nine,.......now for the mother of all uphills on the Grays Ferry Avenue bridge at this point it would've been unthinkable to bail and while it wouldn't have been the end of the world if the final mile crept above 9 min mile pace I was hoping to keep all ten at sub 9 pace.........to that end despite the uphill of the bridge and thanks to some knee lift and lengthening of my stride I clocked 8.58 for the final mile....

1.25.50 off 8.35 mile pace job done my first double digit mile run since November 23rd 12 weeks ago to say I was pleased was an understatement, the finish line of the Love Run 1/2 marathon felt it got a little closer today, granted I still need to log at least one 12 mile run and a couple of 14 milers between next weekend and March 22nd but the monkey off my back today felt huge

Monday Feb 16th I could've taken a rest day today but figured an easy/recovery/shake out 5 miles at lunchtime was probably what I needed if only to flush the crap out of my legs and hopefully ease any soreness away, in what would prove the be an ongoing theme throughout the week it was grey and overcast, however at 39 degrees it was mild enough to be comfortable as I logged my slowest timed run of the season,44.14.8 off 8.51 mile pace out and back on Kelly Dr

Time, pace, speed were secondary today the key was getting it done,sometimes mental strength is  the difference between not just finishing a run like yesterdays long run but also starting today's, I'm a firm advocate that running is as much mental as it is physical ye can have all the physical attributes at your disposal but if ye aren't mentally tuned in it won't matter,also ye have to put in the physical work too no point having a positive outlook/attitude towards the run if the groundwork isn't there, some days it flows and others ye have to grind it out......but shur if it were easy everybody would be doing it........

Tuesday Feb 17th I do embrace the untimed run, as runners I feel we're so governed by the Garmin, how fast did we run? what was our mile pace? what were our splits?......shur they are important if ye're looking to track your progress but I also think it's important to have at least one run a week where it's about running on feel, as my former coach used to tell me if ye feel ye can pick it up pick up the pace, equally if ye need to back off and slow down do so, for me having one run a week where I can throw off the shackles  of speed, pace, time and just embrace the run for what it is......just a run that's important

As is often the case West River Dr feels lonely compared to Kelly Dr, I know West River Dr was off limits for a couple of years while the bridge was being renovated but even b4 then and subsequently since it reopened runner do seem to favour Kelly Dr, not shur why maybe on a longer run l'd favour Kelly Dr as there'd be more runner to work off of but for a short five mile out and back West River Dr serves a purpose and allows me to mix up my lunchtime runs, a change of scenery never hurts

Wednesday Feb 18th after a hiatus of a couple of weeks due to the snow and ice I was able to tackle  the hills of Sedgley Dr,Popular Dr and Kelly Dr for my tempo run as the thaw continued to melt away the snow and ice of Jan 26th

It didn't dawn on me at the time that this was my 5th run in five day and while I'm no stranger to a Sunday long run/race and then going at it Monday through Thursday  in that scenario the tempo run is #4 so by the time Thursdays easy/recovery run rolls around on day #5 it doesn't matter so much if l'm running on fumes and muscle memory.......however when day #5 is not only a lung busin' tempo run to begin w/ and ye opt to throw in the hills to boot it has the potential to be ugly.......

Opening in 7.43 I was already "suckin' air" and it was going to be a dig deep kinda run, 8.24 for mile 2 heading up Sedgley Dr, Lemon Hill Dr still appears to be "off limits" it's no hardship to  swing over to Popular Dr and back but I prefer the challenge of the hills on Lemon Hill Dr.......either I'm a masochist  which as a runner comes w/ the territory  or I subscribe to the "running is a metaphor for life and ye only get out what ye put in and there are no short cuts" mindset.....or both!

20.37 at the turnaround at the foot of Popular Dr at this point  a sub 40 time wasn't on and negative split seemed unlikely......or in my case himself saying "hold my feckin' Guinness Zero" if yer gonna exit the battlefield at least let it be on yer shield as I channeled my inner Viking.....

Not gonna lie or front I worked the shit out of the red lights coming back up Kelly Dr and subsequently down the Ben Franklin Parkway any respite and momentary breather I could muster I took w/ both hands and somehow managed an inbound time of 20.08 to finish in 40.45.8 off 8.01 mile pace

I know the benefits of the tempo run, I doubt my  pace for Cupid's Chase 5k would've been 7.01 mile pace if I didn't routinely put in a weekly lung bustin' tempo run, short term pain and discomfort for long term gain......but feck me if I'm glad when it's done and dusted period, much less on the 5th day in a row of training........

Thursday Feb 19th I will confess during the previous days lung buster of a tempo run it was lost on me it had been my 5th day in a row.....I guess when oxygen is in short supply clarity of thought tends to fall by the wayside so at some point on Thursdays recovery 5 miler out and back on the Schuylkill River Trail the penny dropped this was my 6th run in 6 days which might explain the 43.43.6 time off 8.31 mile pace

Another day the sun hid behind the clouds but at 43 degrees I marveled at how much of the snow and ice that had been omnipresent underfoot for the past  going on four weeks had melted.....however the Schuylkill River is still frozen and to add an exclamation point to that fact I spied a gaggle of Geese out on the frozen River just b4 I hit the Septa railroad bridge on route to the turnaround  at the South Street bridge

Sadly as I sit here here now at my desk at 3.30pm on a Sunday afternoon it's beginning to snow again, according to the weather peeps on the local news our area can expect between 8 to 12 inches of snow from this system which not only means my inability to get up yesterday morning to attempt my 12 mile long run has cost me any shot at a triple digit mileage month again I'm also looking at potentially another week of inactivity ........feck my life!!!!

At 63 miles for the month I'm below the 76 miles I logged last February, however unlike the clattering we got at the end of January there doesn't appear to be a deep freeze for 9 days following this snowfall so maybe b4 the end of the week some 5 milers might be doable  which would be welcome, hopefully come next Saturday or Sunday I can get a 12 miler in to stay on pace for the Love Run 1/2 marathon which is now only 5 weeks away

What Are Ye Having?.........I'll Have A Double So.......

 "Last night as I slept I dreamt I met w/ Behan,I shook him by the hand and we passed the time of day when I questioned on his views on the crux of life's  philosophies he had but these few clear and simple words to say I am going I am going any which way the wind may be blowing I am going I am going where streams of whiskey are flowing"

Streams Of Whiskey-The Pogues

In 2023 the Cupid's Chase 5k at the Philadelphia Zoo showed up on my radar,I don't know if it had been in existence  prior to then and hadn't caught my eye or if the 2023 edition was it's debut but I gladly signed up for it, prior to then it was a long feckin' haul from the season ending Schuylkill River Loop 8.4 miler in early December to the Love Run 1/2 marathon in late March, for the past few years coming out of Covid the Love Run 1/2 and now 7 k sells out as I think most runners are just fuckin' desperate to shake off "cabin fever" from the winter and given this hoor of a Winter I doubt it will be any different this year

As I have said before and will undoubtably  say again when it comes to running I am very much "Carrot & Stick" it's not so some much the motivation of a race{ and ultimately medal/medals} that gets me out the door all year round but especially in the dead of Winter but the structure of knowing if there's a race I'm way more likely to say  bollox to whatever the elements are and get out and train for it, w/out a race I'm possibly leaning towards ah feck it and that doesn't lend its self to good race results last years Cupid's Chase is a good example of that, off the back of a below par season in 2024 I was slow coming out of the blocks to resume training last year and didn't get my hole in gear until January 27th......Cupid's Chase was February 8th.......arse,plate,served........there would be no feckin' dejavu this year............!!!!

Granted the 9.3 inches of snow on Jan 26th and subsequent 9 days of  below freezing temps  threw a spanner in the works but last week as temps crawled back above freezing I was out there on Kelly Dr,W.River Dr and the Schuylkill River Trail during the week only for another deep freeze to bollox a long run on the weekend, w/ temps climbing and the ice melting I was optimistic of a good weeks prep heading into todays race........work said"hold my beer".......I can always rely on the job to bollox up my plans,no coverage Monday meant no lunch hour, which means no run,I did get out Tuesday for an untimed 5 miles out and back along W.River Dr b4 a lung bustin' 5 mile tempo run Wednesday on Kelly Dr in 39.37.3 off 7.55 mile pace,out in 19.51,back in 19.46 good to know things "under the hood" are still in working order, sadly no coverage again on Thursday & Friday meant no lunch/no run again, granted I wouldn't have ran on Friday 18 hours b4 my race today but it's not the point I worked four 9 hour day this week{ had to stay an hour late on Wednesday to panda to some langer's ego!!!!} not ideal prep for any race much less  a season's opener, but as I always say ye have to play the hand ye are dealt.......I could've gone the life and lemons route but given my current mood where the job is concerned that line would end w/ me threatening to shove said lemons up someones hole......sideways......w/out the grease...........so lets not and say we did and move on..........

I could've been forgiven for saying feck it and rolling over when the alarm went off at 5.50am but I didn't was up gone 6am and dressed and out the door by 6.30am w/ my travel mug of Barry's Tea{if ye guys wish to sponsor yours truly or at least send some complementary Barry's Tea my way by all means DM  me!!} I didn't check the temps but given at 8am when the race began it was 32 degrees it had to be below freezing as I walked the 45 mins from Chez Fenian to the Philadelphia Zoo....5 minutes into the walk I saw fuckin' snow flakes.......sweet and merciful jaysus they didn't last long and b4 anyone doubts me let me say unless ye were up at that ungodly hour b4 sunrise to see them it's akin to the auld chestnut "if a tree falls in the forest and nobody hears it did it really fall?"

The first thing I noticed upon arrival at the Zoo was the lack of a line for runners collecting their race bib,could the weather have kept numbers down this year?I suspect so but  it looks like there were more runners this year than last year so maybe  they were staying in their cars till the last minute possible....shur I'd have done the feckin' same thing were it not for the fact my mode of transport to the Zoo was Shank's Pony aka the shoe leather express......having "availed myself of the facilities" I waited till 7.45am b4 stripping down to race gear......trust me base layer was very much in full effect today and possibly will be again next month at the  Shamrock Chase 5k and Love Run 1/2 marathon

I got a clear start from the gun and was somewhat surprised to find myself in 7th place so early into the race, if I'd gone out too fast it was going to be a tough race, turns out that 5 mile tempo run Wednesday was a pretty good indicator of where I'm at right now,seasons openers are always tough to gauge exactly where ye are, at least in a months time as long as I maintain this level of training{ and hopefully add a few more lunchtime 5 miles and weekend long runs......he said hopefully!} I'll have a good idea what to expect of myself at the Shamrock Chase 5k

Last year I complained about a lack of signage/race marshalls  out on the course, credit where it's due this year neither were an issue and kudos to the staff at the Philadelphia Zoo for making the course inside the Zoo and the mile outside "user friendly" I had no issues underfoot today

I was relegated to 9th place on the back section of the course but didn't panic A if ye offered me a top 10 finish pre race I'd have snatched the feckin' hand off ye  taking it and B I always back myself to kick like a Mule and finish strong when the finish is in sight, to that end I reeled in two runners ahead of me inside the final 150 meters to cross the finish line in 7th in 21.44.6 off 7.01 mile pace,not too shabby if I say so meself, 2 years ago I finished 8th off the back of a 21.02.5 time in 6.47 mile pace  it should be pointed out this was also my fastest 5k in 2 years,still life in the auld dog yet.......the race timer asked me to confirm my age was 62 and not a typo, born and raised Irish Catholic lying isn't something that comes naturally and while I may "bend the truth" now and again I never lie about my age,I'm proud of the fact at 62 I'm still kickin' arse and takin' name

Three times in four years I've come away from Cupid's Chase w/ a bonus medal for winning my age group,who knows if I'd gotten off me hole a bit earlier last year this could've been my fourth but that's ok as it stands I'm now at 271 medals  for my career 300 is looming and in a year I celebrate my 50th season of competitive running I hope these two are the first of several this year.......

Hangin' In & Hangin' On

 "Then you close the door and leave me screaming on the floor oh baby, I just buckle I can't take it anymore let you walk all over me honey you make me feel like my therapy is a waste of money drinking it down, haunting your city falling for anyone who tells me I'm pretty I blocked your number but you didn't notice oh God,I thought I was too old for this, I should be over it,I'm much too old for this but I'm not over it cause I'm stupid and I'm damaged and you're a disaster when you walk into the room oh, none of this matters oh baby I just buckle my resolution in tatters cause I know it won't work, but make it ache make it hurt I'm not better than this, show me what I'm worth keep me a secret, choose someone else I'll still be here hanging off, I'm hanging on your belt the buckle of your belt"

Buckle-Florence & The Machine

So the feckin' Groundhog  saw his shadow so that means another six weeks of Winter at least the temps finally got above freezing during the week so that some of this crap might thaw out and melt but once again come the weekend it plummeted below freezing again and another  long run went by the way side....

Monday Feb 2nd After 9.3 inches of snow and 9 days of below freezing temps I was finally able to get out and run for the first time since Jan 23rd, to say I'd been climbing the walls was an understatement.......Obviously there was still snow and ice on the ground on the sidewalk as I made my way up the Ben Franklin Parkway towards Kelly Drive but thankfully someone had ploughed/shoveled a path to make it accessible for pedestrians and runners like myself who wanted top get out and run

At 32 degrees it was hardly balmy but given the previous week had been in the teens and low 20s this felt like  a Summers day, the sun being out to boot always helps,there were still patches of snow and ice on the route to the 2.5 mile turnaround just beyond Girard Avenue so at times I had to exercise a little caution and slow down or stop to negotiate them, in these condition "Safety First" is the mantra

42.25.6 off 8.25 mile pace and remarkably a negative split out in 22.07 back in 20.18 but trust me it was a case of getting it done w/ so I could be back inside in the warm more than  anything!

Tuesday Feb 3rd As is my won't an untimed run out and back along West River Drive.......the frozen Schuylkill River.........it's probably been ten years since it was this cold that the  Schuylkill froze but it should tell ye just how fackin' Baltic it has been here in the last week and a half

At 37 degrees it felt pretty good and again a bit of sun always helps however I was somewhat surprised not to encounter anyone else out there at lunchtime, I counted a handful of fellow runners on Kelly Drive yesterday but it was just yours truly out there on West River Drive today

Wednesday Feb 4th I had already written off attempting the hills of Lemon Hill Dr,Sedgley  Dr and Popular Dr as I figured they wouldn't be "user friendly" period much less for a tempo run and frankly after the arse fuckin'  I took at work all morning it was  a credit to me I ran at all, I elected  to do an untimed  5 miler out and back on trusty Kelly Drive as I knew it was manageable underfoot, given I'm 10 days out from hopefully the season opener on Feb 14th now was not the time for throwing caution to the wind or playing fast and loose w/ health and well being

I didn't record the temps I think it was around 37/38 degrees I know the sun was out as the thaw continues to slowly melt the remnants  of the 9.3 inches of snow,alas we are still going to be dealing w/ this for the foreseeable future,,,,,,,

Thursday Feb 5th File under " careful what ye ask for" I still had the option of a Tempo Run if I wanted it....however in my haste to get out the door in the morning I forgot to unhook the Garmin off the charger so that put the kybosh on that, since I'd already done Kelly Dr twice and W.River Dr once this week already I thought a change of scenery and a venture along the Schuylkill River Trail was called for...........

Things were grand until I reached the footpath from Locust Point to the South St bridge which was still covered in snow and ice bar a narrow path to the right of the trail, even if I'd had the Garmin a tempo run in those conditions underfoot  would have been wishful thinking or a recipe for disaster so I cut my losses and settled for another untimed 5 miler

Glass half full I'm grateful for the four runs this week even if three of them were untimed it allowed me to get back into a routine which hopefully will continue next week and the weeks to come, glass half empty I already knew the weekend was shot in terms of a run of any type  muchless a much needed long run, yes I'm in better shape heading into next Saturdays season opener than I was a year ago, I had a paltry 43 miles under my belt where as right now I have 94 miles w/ I hope another 20 to come this week.......however "Big Picture" person that I am I'm looking at the weeks  till the Love Run{seven} and my lack of double digit runs to date this year I may well have to " double dip"next weekend and go long on Sunday after the 5k Saturday, it's not ideal......but the lesser of two evils in terms of making sure I have a handful of double digit runs to my credit b4 tackling a half marathon on March 29th

In closing an homage to The 2 Johnnies I'll end my blog how they end their podcast w/ my "Yurt & Dirt" of the week,my Yurt goes to the powers that be at the Broad Street Run who offer "tenure" to anyone who has ran ten or more years in the race and spares us having to go through the ordeal of the lottery,I have enough things to worry about right now w/out having to hope and pray I'm one of the fortunate 40,000 runners who get to participate in the May 3rd race.......I just need to get my double digit weekend long runs in!.....my Dirt goes to the organizers of the Shamrock Chase 5k on March 14th, when the race was first advertised the main reason I opted in was it was scheduled to be at the Philadelphia Zoo where the Cupid's Chase 5k is run each February,it's 3 miles from where I live I have been known to run home after the race to pad my weekly mileage if need be{ not this feckin' year if I have to go long over 10 miles  the following day!} well now they've moved it to the Navy Yard which means more of a commute to and from the race on a day when I also have to get myself up to Brooklyn in the afternoon to catch The Mary Wallopers that night, if it had been advertised for the Navy Yard to begin w/ I feel it wouldn't have been a consideration but given I've parted w/ the entry fee already and frankly money is scarce as it is{ mine should read I Hope To Pay The Bearer Of} I guess I'll have to suck it up now.........run they said, it will help deal w/ stress they said.......lying hoors he said!!!.......