Easy 6 miler at lunch time to not only put a wrap on the week and the month but also phase three of my prep for this coming weekends Indoor Nationals in Albuquerque New Mexico.
Given my recent mantra of "leaving little to chance" I picked today over yesterday to run based on the forecast,as yesterday while sunny felt windy where as today they were calling for temps in the low to mid 60s.....no brainer really,and while I've been somewhat of a stranger to the Sunday run of late I felt it prudent to get back into the habit given my 800m race is next Sunday.
Up by 8.30am to cop breakfast b4 the Spurs Swansea game I was truly "up for it" by the time the ref blew his final whistle and the boys had come from behind to earn a 2.1 victory that keeps us second behind still surprise leaders Leicester,big week coming up away to Wet Spam on Wednesday b4 the North London derby vs arsenal.........next Saturday morning at 7.45am......you know the same morning I run the 1,500m in Albuquerque,yes I'll miss the game{cha I will dvr it.....what the fuck!!!!!} but if we lose I'll be extra fired up for the race....and if we win....................
Out the door by noon,sunny and warm as I made my way down to Lloyd Hall my three mile turnaround.
While today marks my lot in terms of prep for Indoor Nationals I will get out a few times this week for some easy 4 milers just to keep the engine tickin' over and maybe some visualization of both my races.....although I pretty much know how I want to execute my race plans.....doing so is another matter!!!!
6 miles for the day,20 for the week,119 for the month and 285 for the year sofar,to quote my former roommate who in his prime was lethal over 5k thro 26.2 miles and knew a little something about how to get the best out of himself for the big races"the hay is in the barn now" here's to a quiet week leading upto making my way to JFK airport on Friday and heading to New Mexico
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Friday, February 26, 2016
Seven Down.....Six To Go
After two days lost to the rain I was finally able to get out and run again yesterday,althought in keping w/ the week I'm having not the run I had in mind!
Learning my lesson from the past two weeks on Fridays when I 've had my arse handed to me on a plate at work and had to stay late I thought I'd sidestep that potential pratfall this week and bring my running gear w/ me to work on Thursday so I could hit up Geasey Field on the way home for my final track work out pre Alberqurque.........
Upon arriving there I had a feeling all was not well yes the track was deserted,that's nothing new in the afternoons but looking down the length of the back straight to the gates they looked unusually locked.....
Sure as shit I get to the gates,a sign saying Geasey Field is closed from 2.22 to 3.6 and a chain around the gate......so much for that!!!!
Undetered I headed home and since I was already dressed to run it seemed pointless not to get out and take care of my second scheduled 7 miler leaving me w/ either a 6 miler or "Mo Farah" repeat on the weekend to give me my 20mpw
The rain may have gone but the skies were grey and things were blustery out there,running along the river to half a mile beyond Lloyd Hall can be brisk at the best of time,I would rue not wearing gloves but was able to pull my SPURS half zip sleeve over my hands to keep them from turning to two blocks of ice.
Post game it was time to chow down and watch my beloved SPURS advance to the last 16 of the Europa League all in all not a bad day
Learning my lesson from the past two weeks on Fridays when I 've had my arse handed to me on a plate at work and had to stay late I thought I'd sidestep that potential pratfall this week and bring my running gear w/ me to work on Thursday so I could hit up Geasey Field on the way home for my final track work out pre Alberqurque.........
Upon arriving there I had a feeling all was not well yes the track was deserted,that's nothing new in the afternoons but looking down the length of the back straight to the gates they looked unusually locked.....
Sure as shit I get to the gates,a sign saying Geasey Field is closed from 2.22 to 3.6 and a chain around the gate......so much for that!!!!
Undetered I headed home and since I was already dressed to run it seemed pointless not to get out and take care of my second scheduled 7 miler leaving me w/ either a 6 miler or "Mo Farah" repeat on the weekend to give me my 20mpw
The rain may have gone but the skies were grey and things were blustery out there,running along the river to half a mile beyond Lloyd Hall can be brisk at the best of time,I would rue not wearing gloves but was able to pull my SPURS half zip sleeve over my hands to keep them from turning to two blocks of ice.
Post game it was time to chow down and watch my beloved SPURS advance to the last 16 of the Europa League all in all not a bad day
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Seven Up.....
Easy 7 miler to kick off the third and final week of tapering for Indoor Nationals.
A slighly later start than I had hoped it was just b4 5pm when I eventually got out the door thanks in no small part to a trip to good old "piggy post office" at 52nd & Kingsessing to pick up my Jimmy Conners autobiography "The Outsider" which I'm excited to read as "Jimbo" was one of if not my first sporting heroes back in the day.
The original plan for the week was to go:6 4 4 6 for my required 20mpw......however the threat of rain on Wedneday potentially bollockses that up b4 we begin and given my recent first hand experience of Fridays being uber busy at work I felt it prudent to consider a:7 7 6 Monday,Tuesday,Thursday schedule which allows me my "cake and eat it" so to speak three runs in b4 Friday and the prospect of a free weekend......it works for me and since I only have myself to please these days...."heh why not"??
Conditions were sunny and warm 48 degrees which always helps and I was back home just gone 6pm.
The schedule for next weekend is up the 1,500m looks vague as the have it listed between 10.15am and 11am on Saturday where as Sundays 800m is a 10.15am start but unlike the 1,500m it listed as M50 where as the 1,500m is listed as M30-104 which indicates they could combine some age groups but to be honest thats 11-12 days off just now,I need to focus on whats right in front of me b4 making my way to New Mexico next Friday.....then I can begin to obsess about that!
A slighly later start than I had hoped it was just b4 5pm when I eventually got out the door thanks in no small part to a trip to good old "piggy post office" at 52nd & Kingsessing to pick up my Jimmy Conners autobiography "The Outsider" which I'm excited to read as "Jimbo" was one of if not my first sporting heroes back in the day.
The original plan for the week was to go:6 4 4 6 for my required 20mpw......however the threat of rain on Wedneday potentially bollockses that up b4 we begin and given my recent first hand experience of Fridays being uber busy at work I felt it prudent to consider a:7 7 6 Monday,Tuesday,Thursday schedule which allows me my "cake and eat it" so to speak three runs in b4 Friday and the prospect of a free weekend......it works for me and since I only have myself to please these days...."heh why not"??
Conditions were sunny and warm 48 degrees which always helps and I was back home just gone 6pm.
The schedule for next weekend is up the 1,500m looks vague as the have it listed between 10.15am and 11am on Saturday where as Sundays 800m is a 10.15am start but unlike the 1,500m it listed as M50 where as the 1,500m is listed as M30-104 which indicates they could combine some age groups but to be honest thats 11-12 days off just now,I need to focus on whats right in front of me b4 making my way to New Mexico next Friday.....then I can begin to obsess about that!
Saturday, February 20, 2016
As The Days Get Longer So The Memories Get Shorter
Christ if I only had a dollar for the times work has thrown an industrial size spanner into my running plans in my almost 16.5 years at the hospital I could afford to sit at Chris Martin's piano in August at The Linc....I shit ye not!!!!!
Yesterday was another prime example of work dictating and dicking me over,don't get it twisted I'm happy to have a job period much less one that keeps a roof over my head,food on the table,money in the bank and my pocket and allows me to pursue my passions,running,music,SPURS my love of the written word be it the books I read or my own writing.......but GOD DAMN IT!!!!
Bad enough I worked through lunch everyday this week,if you've met me you'll know I don't look like I can afford to miss many meals and or you've seen more meat on a butchers pencil but when I feel compelled to "see it through" to the bitter end and make sure not only that I go up to the dock and bail out my former co worker Chris cause he's on his "jack jones" all week and then return to the storeroom to put up ALL the days skids to the point I punched out at 4.40pm and not my regular 3.15pm.
Home by 5.20pm and unlike Wednesday when I was in a position to get out and get after it yesterday on top of being utterly "jacobsed" I also needed to go food shopping.
We all wage the eternal struggle "does our head rule our heart or does our heart rule our head" but now and then the stomach chimes in and as the "auld fella" often told me growing up "ye won't get far on fresh air sandwiches boy" so it was food shopping not the run that ruled the roost yesterday.
I had two options today,go to Temple and knock out a "Mo Farah" repeat and then take care of a six miler tomorrow for my required 12 miles to put me at 30mpw for the week...OR go long today at 12 miles and have my Sunday free.....
That old "all work and no play makes Jack a dull dull boy" adage has a ring of truth to it....but allow me to put my Paganesque twist on it "all work and no play makes Kevin an angry angry boy" and much like David Banner who became the Hulk when he got angry "don't make me angry...you wouldn't like me when I,m angry{a number of bods don't like me anyway angry or not....but feck them anyways!!!} I felt compelled to keep my Sunday free for a little "me time" that didn't involve running and w/ that the dye was cast....12 miler today!!
My new running shoes arrived yesterday just as Thursdays 6 miler ran my tally on the old ones to 395 miles so today felt as good as any day to brake the new ones in.
Out the door by 11.25am not sure of the official temps but lets just say I didn't need my Dublin knit hat,gloves or running tights today,shades,SPURS baseball cap,half zip and three quarter length bottoms were the order of the day.
Several bods out there getting their run on this lunchtime,I see two sides to that,where are you during the week when it's harsh? or good for you
I guess I fall into the category of being craven and driven enough to be out there in all conditions but this has all to do w/ the belief that no one will hand me a medal at Indoor Nationals in two weeks time, I have to want it and earn it.
An otherwise uneventful run..minus three dust ups w/ bellends on bikes which earnt a few well chosen black hearted Celtic Pagan outbursts and hand gestures.....what??? mess w/ the bull get the horns{and now you know why I sport either a knit hat,baseball cap or bandana......to keep the devil horns hidden!!!}
12 miler in the books,a 30 mpw under my belt as I continue ye olde taper AND I have the knowledge I don't have "the run" hanging over me tomorrow.....life may NOT be great right now but I continue to roll w/ the punches even if somedays it's all I can do NOT to throw them......
Yesterday was another prime example of work dictating and dicking me over,don't get it twisted I'm happy to have a job period much less one that keeps a roof over my head,food on the table,money in the bank and my pocket and allows me to pursue my passions,running,music,SPURS my love of the written word be it the books I read or my own writing.......but GOD DAMN IT!!!!
Bad enough I worked through lunch everyday this week,if you've met me you'll know I don't look like I can afford to miss many meals and or you've seen more meat on a butchers pencil but when I feel compelled to "see it through" to the bitter end and make sure not only that I go up to the dock and bail out my former co worker Chris cause he's on his "jack jones" all week and then return to the storeroom to put up ALL the days skids to the point I punched out at 4.40pm and not my regular 3.15pm.
Home by 5.20pm and unlike Wednesday when I was in a position to get out and get after it yesterday on top of being utterly "jacobsed" I also needed to go food shopping.
We all wage the eternal struggle "does our head rule our heart or does our heart rule our head" but now and then the stomach chimes in and as the "auld fella" often told me growing up "ye won't get far on fresh air sandwiches boy" so it was food shopping not the run that ruled the roost yesterday.
I had two options today,go to Temple and knock out a "Mo Farah" repeat and then take care of a six miler tomorrow for my required 12 miles to put me at 30mpw for the week...OR go long today at 12 miles and have my Sunday free.....
That old "all work and no play makes Jack a dull dull boy" adage has a ring of truth to it....but allow me to put my Paganesque twist on it "all work and no play makes Kevin an angry angry boy" and much like David Banner who became the Hulk when he got angry "don't make me angry...you wouldn't like me when I,m angry{a number of bods don't like me anyway angry or not....but feck them anyways!!!} I felt compelled to keep my Sunday free for a little "me time" that didn't involve running and w/ that the dye was cast....12 miler today!!
My new running shoes arrived yesterday just as Thursdays 6 miler ran my tally on the old ones to 395 miles so today felt as good as any day to brake the new ones in.
Out the door by 11.25am not sure of the official temps but lets just say I didn't need my Dublin knit hat,gloves or running tights today,shades,SPURS baseball cap,half zip and three quarter length bottoms were the order of the day.
Several bods out there getting their run on this lunchtime,I see two sides to that,where are you during the week when it's harsh? or good for you
I guess I fall into the category of being craven and driven enough to be out there in all conditions but this has all to do w/ the belief that no one will hand me a medal at Indoor Nationals in two weeks time, I have to want it and earn it.
An otherwise uneventful run..minus three dust ups w/ bellends on bikes which earnt a few well chosen black hearted Celtic Pagan outbursts and hand gestures.....what??? mess w/ the bull get the horns{and now you know why I sport either a knit hat,baseball cap or bandana......to keep the devil horns hidden!!!}
12 miler in the books,a 30 mpw under my belt as I continue ye olde taper AND I have the knowledge I don't have "the run" hanging over me tomorrow.....life may NOT be great right now but I continue to roll w/ the punches even if somedays it's all I can do NOT to throw them......
Friday, February 19, 2016
Embracing The White Noise
Yesterday was meant to be a joyful occasion,the six month anniversary of Candice and I dating......however fate being the fickle hearted whore that it is decided otherwise and I was faced w/ the prospect of getting through the day w/ a heavy heart and and a dragging butt following my 10 hour shift on Wednesday and having to get up a tad earlier to be at work by 6am........still the sound of my butt dragging behind me all day would help drown out the sound of my fragile heart shattering into tiny pieces.....
They say "God works in mysterious ways" and on a day when you can imagine I was raw as fuck under the circumstances all I asked for was one brain dead individual to give me the slightest excuse to go off and vent my spleen.......it would've seemed an affront to my lord and saviour to have turned this down when he handed it to me on a silver platter and while I can't speak for the sad sap who got both barrels straight between the eyes at lunch I felt a bit better about myself......I guess "Cus" will think twice about where he leaves his coffee cup next time and who he speaks to......count yourself arsehole lucky pal you weren't wearing the coffee when I was done tearing a strip off you....
Despite being "tired and emotional" when I got home by 4.10pm I still needed to get out and get my run on,again knowing I only had to log 6 miles made it an easier sell but having done so at 5.20pm on Wednesday it would have been some what of a ballbuster at 4.10pm yesterday to have said nah,not feeling it today.
Conditions were remarkably sunny but chilly 35 degrees so Dublin knit hat and gloves were the order of the day again,rumour has it Saturday we could be looking at temps in the 60s which leads me to think that'd be the better day to hit the track for my second to last "Mo Farah" workout.
By then I should also be rocking new running shoes my present pair are closing in on 400 miles,out w/ the old and in w/ the new I guess.
Two weeks to go till Indoor Nationals one more week of taper
They say "God works in mysterious ways" and on a day when you can imagine I was raw as fuck under the circumstances all I asked for was one brain dead individual to give me the slightest excuse to go off and vent my spleen.......it would've seemed an affront to my lord and saviour to have turned this down when he handed it to me on a silver platter and while I can't speak for the sad sap who got both barrels straight between the eyes at lunch I felt a bit better about myself......I guess "Cus" will think twice about where he leaves his coffee cup next time and who he speaks to......count yourself arsehole lucky pal you weren't wearing the coffee when I was done tearing a strip off you....
Despite being "tired and emotional" when I got home by 4.10pm I still needed to get out and get my run on,again knowing I only had to log 6 miles made it an easier sell but having done so at 5.20pm on Wednesday it would have been some what of a ballbuster at 4.10pm yesterday to have said nah,not feeling it today.
Conditions were remarkably sunny but chilly 35 degrees so Dublin knit hat and gloves were the order of the day again,rumour has it Saturday we could be looking at temps in the 60s which leads me to think that'd be the better day to hit the track for my second to last "Mo Farah" workout.
By then I should also be rocking new running shoes my present pair are closing in on 400 miles,out w/ the old and in w/ the new I guess.
Two weeks to go till Indoor Nationals one more week of taper
Thursday, February 18, 2016
Baby Needs New Shoes.....And Daddy Needs Coldplay Tickets!!!!
When I recently switched roles at work from the Loading Dock to the Storeroom one of the things I gave up was alot of PC access,not the wortst thing in the world given left to my own devices I could spend all day on Facebook,Amazon and You Tube......
However this also means I don't check my work related emails as much as I used or...or should evidently I missed the recent memo that Matthew Kelly is the new CEO of the hospital.......he must be cos these feckers are "Game For A Laugh"!!!!!
In at 6.15pm,out at 4.22pm w/ no lunch oh and they want me in early on Thursday to clear the dock of skids b4 7.30am when two feckin' Hill Rom 18 wheelers show up w/ 50 beds.....
It's a testimony to my desire to get my miles in that inspite of a 10 hour work day and not getting home till 5.10pm I still got out of my work clothes into my running gear and back out the door by 5.20pm to run.
It probably helped I only had to log a 6 miler,could've squeezed in an 8 if need be,10 might have been pushing it but the fact was I did it,sure these days my mantra seems to be "what's my rush to get home,I'm in no hurry and there's nobody waiting for me when I get there" but kudos where they're due I could've said feck it I'm tired and hungry.....but I didn't.
As for the 10 hour day lets just say I already have two extra hours on my cheque from last week when I stayed late plus I've worked through lunch Monday,Tuesday and Wednesday already this week w/ the prospect of having to do so again today........dropping "two bills" on a floor seat for Coldplay in August at The Linc doesn't seem to be such a financial burden now.....
However this also means I don't check my work related emails as much as I used or...or should evidently I missed the recent memo that Matthew Kelly is the new CEO of the hospital.......he must be cos these feckers are "Game For A Laugh"!!!!!
In at 6.15pm,out at 4.22pm w/ no lunch oh and they want me in early on Thursday to clear the dock of skids b4 7.30am when two feckin' Hill Rom 18 wheelers show up w/ 50 beds.....
It's a testimony to my desire to get my miles in that inspite of a 10 hour work day and not getting home till 5.10pm I still got out of my work clothes into my running gear and back out the door by 5.20pm to run.
It probably helped I only had to log a 6 miler,could've squeezed in an 8 if need be,10 might have been pushing it but the fact was I did it,sure these days my mantra seems to be "what's my rush to get home,I'm in no hurry and there's nobody waiting for me when I get there" but kudos where they're due I could've said feck it I'm tired and hungry.....but I didn't.
As for the 10 hour day lets just say I already have two extra hours on my cheque from last week when I stayed late plus I've worked through lunch Monday,Tuesday and Wednesday already this week w/ the prospect of having to do so again today........dropping "two bills" on a floor seat for Coldplay in August at The Linc doesn't seem to be such a financial burden now.....
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
At Sixes But Not Sevens
Felt good to back out running again yesterday after a four day hiatus,Friday got shot to shit when I didn't get done work till 4.15pm,given this was my first Friday downstairs in the Storeroom puting up skids{I'd had the previous four Fridays off due to my race schedule!] I was in for somewhat of a culture shock at the sheer volume of work I had on my plate,not to worry another hours overtime for "The Kid" ......gotta pay for my Coldplay ticket somehow right???
The weekend got away from me too,it was beyond Brass Monkeys out there to begin w/ and maybe not healthy to run 10 miles in such harsh conditions,plus I am on my taper afterall so trading in longish runs to talk on the dog and bone w/ both my Sisters back in Blighty might not have been the worst thing in the world,it's good to know even w/ the proverbial hitting the fan here of late that family has my back....
Monday it was snowing and again "caution the better part of valor" lead me to sit one out, I've worked too hard for too long to knawls it all up now w/ just under three weeks to Indoor Nationals and besides I knew the rain was going to wash away said snow by Tuesday.......
Gotta fess up and say I needed to run yesterday was getting that "bouncing off the walls" feeling which is never good....especially when I start to earmark the individuals at work I'd like to "bounce off said walls".....uh oh.........off w/ the horns and on w/ the running shoes me thinks!
Six miles across the board this week as I look for a 5 day 30mpw nice out and back to Lloyd Hall and Boathouse Row,out the door by 4.30pm a little gray though the "currant bun" did stick it's head throught the clouds towards the end of the run,at 5.01pm Peco Tower read 54 degrees,by the time I hit the South St bridge at 5.12pm it was down to 48 but anything was better than that 26 degrees I ran 10.5 miles in on Thursday.
The weekend got away from me too,it was beyond Brass Monkeys out there to begin w/ and maybe not healthy to run 10 miles in such harsh conditions,plus I am on my taper afterall so trading in longish runs to talk on the dog and bone w/ both my Sisters back in Blighty might not have been the worst thing in the world,it's good to know even w/ the proverbial hitting the fan here of late that family has my back....
Monday it was snowing and again "caution the better part of valor" lead me to sit one out, I've worked too hard for too long to knawls it all up now w/ just under three weeks to Indoor Nationals and besides I knew the rain was going to wash away said snow by Tuesday.......
Gotta fess up and say I needed to run yesterday was getting that "bouncing off the walls" feeling which is never good....especially when I start to earmark the individuals at work I'd like to "bounce off said walls".....uh oh.........off w/ the horns and on w/ the running shoes me thinks!
Six miles across the board this week as I look for a 5 day 30mpw nice out and back to Lloyd Hall and Boathouse Row,out the door by 4.30pm a little gray though the "currant bun" did stick it's head throught the clouds towards the end of the run,at 5.01pm Peco Tower read 54 degrees,by the time I hit the South St bridge at 5.12pm it was down to 48 but anything was better than that 26 degrees I ran 10.5 miles in on Thursday.
Friday, February 12, 2016
Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before......
So I had to sit out Tuesday and Wednesdays scheduled 9 and 8 milers respectivly...so much for getting back to a Monday thro Friday schedule this week!
Tuesday work was a ball buster and between skipping out on lunch and working 50 mins late by the time I got home at 4.45pm the prospect of said 9 miler wasn't too bright....in fairness had I not missed out on lunch I think I could've had at it but frankly I was Hank Marvin and a 9 miler when your stomuch thinks your throat has been slit is a tough sell......looks like someones's gonna have to run on Saturday now??!!
Wednesday went to the wall as a "time sensitive" chore cropped up unexpectedly,my hands were tied on that one but the old adage "money talks,bullshit walks" was apt for Wednesday as I wasn't about to see $240 slip through my fingers period muchless because "the run" had to take pole position.....besides I still had Sunday to handle my business of a 5 day 40mpw.
One up side of Wednesday my left heal had been giving me jip since Tuesday,I drew the conclusion that this was my bodys way of reminding me it was time for new gel heals in my shoes.....and what do you know since buying said new gel heals Wednesday afternoon.....no more feckin' jip in said left heal.......
Time to crack on yesterday a scheduled 10 miler as I was thinking that'd give me 19 miles,6 on the track Friday{25} and 10 on Saturday would put me at 35 w/ an easy 5 Sunday...40mpw no worries....... he said!!!!
Well "starter for ten" it was Brass Monkeys out there yesterday AND it's due to get feckin colder as the weekend arrives...yada yada yada "best laid plans of mice and men"
A few miles into my run I realized there was NO WAY I could hit the track tomorrow it was 26 degrees and frankly running was one thing,running shorter intervals and then standing around for three mins to recover b4 the next repeats was NOT happening ....SO on the fly I switched upto 10.5 miles last nite w/ another 10.5 on tap for Friday and I will brave the arctic conditions on Saturday{they're calling for a "high" of 18 degrees!!!!} for a tenner to give my 40mpw....
Granted I'm losing out on a repeat but I'll get my 40mpw in....roundabouts and swings I guess??!!
Good news w/ two layers of everything on last nite I got through my 10.5 miles in a windy as fuck 26 degrees,bad news even w/ two pairs of gloves my finger tips were numb a few miles in but I managed to "gut it out" the prospect of "more of the same" this evening and tomorrow lunchtime isn't exactly filling me w/ glee but it needs doing so let it be done.....days like these I wish I'd been an avid Chess player in high school and not a track runner.....hey ho!
Tuesday work was a ball buster and between skipping out on lunch and working 50 mins late by the time I got home at 4.45pm the prospect of said 9 miler wasn't too bright....in fairness had I not missed out on lunch I think I could've had at it but frankly I was Hank Marvin and a 9 miler when your stomuch thinks your throat has been slit is a tough sell......looks like someones's gonna have to run on Saturday now??!!
Wednesday went to the wall as a "time sensitive" chore cropped up unexpectedly,my hands were tied on that one but the old adage "money talks,bullshit walks" was apt for Wednesday as I wasn't about to see $240 slip through my fingers period muchless because "the run" had to take pole position.....besides I still had Sunday to handle my business of a 5 day 40mpw.
One up side of Wednesday my left heal had been giving me jip since Tuesday,I drew the conclusion that this was my bodys way of reminding me it was time for new gel heals in my shoes.....and what do you know since buying said new gel heals Wednesday afternoon.....no more feckin' jip in said left heal.......
Time to crack on yesterday a scheduled 10 miler as I was thinking that'd give me 19 miles,6 on the track Friday{25} and 10 on Saturday would put me at 35 w/ an easy 5 Sunday...40mpw no worries....... he said!!!!
Well "starter for ten" it was Brass Monkeys out there yesterday AND it's due to get feckin colder as the weekend arrives...yada yada yada "best laid plans of mice and men"
A few miles into my run I realized there was NO WAY I could hit the track tomorrow it was 26 degrees and frankly running was one thing,running shorter intervals and then standing around for three mins to recover b4 the next repeats was NOT happening ....SO on the fly I switched upto 10.5 miles last nite w/ another 10.5 on tap for Friday and I will brave the arctic conditions on Saturday{they're calling for a "high" of 18 degrees!!!!} for a tenner to give my 40mpw....
Granted I'm losing out on a repeat but I'll get my 40mpw in....roundabouts and swings I guess??!!
Good news w/ two layers of everything on last nite I got through my 10.5 miles in a windy as fuck 26 degrees,bad news even w/ two pairs of gloves my finger tips were numb a few miles in but I managed to "gut it out" the prospect of "more of the same" this evening and tomorrow lunchtime isn't exactly filling me w/ glee but it needs doing so let it be done.....days like these I wish I'd been an avid Chess player in high school and not a track runner.....hey ho!
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Just Call Me Bob Geldof......Cos I Feckin' Hate Mondays!
You'd have thought given my less than sunny disposition I'd been foolhardy enough to "bet the house" on the Carolina Panthers winning Sundays Superbowl.......I have my faults but rest assured one of them isn't gambling......NEVER bet on something you can't control the outcome of.
No my less than "Susie Ray Of Sunshine" attitude came from work,amazing how I could take Friday off only to return on Monday and find my job done in a typical half arsed fashion which was enough to set me off at 6.30am and pretty much dictate the tone for the day.
Surfice to say getting home and getting stretched changed and out the door for a run felt like a good thing comes 4.20pm and even though my total was only 9 miles it felt good to be out running and blowing off some steam.
Conditions were overcast but 42 degrees,however there's talk of snow in the forcast,once again the "weather whores" at at it again the other day it was 1'' to 3'' inches now it's upto 2'' to 4'' but hopefully it shouldn't effect me too much.
One plus of my taper, since I was out the door by 4.20pm and home again by 5.40pm I was able to complete my first evening run in eons in daylight......I could get used to that and coupled w/ the fact by the time I start to rebuild my mileage back upto 50mpw post Nationals the clocks will have gone forward and Spring will be upon us.....almost enough to put a smile on my face......almost......
No my less than "Susie Ray Of Sunshine" attitude came from work,amazing how I could take Friday off only to return on Monday and find my job done in a typical half arsed fashion which was enough to set me off at 6.30am and pretty much dictate the tone for the day.
Surfice to say getting home and getting stretched changed and out the door for a run felt like a good thing comes 4.20pm and even though my total was only 9 miles it felt good to be out running and blowing off some steam.
Conditions were overcast but 42 degrees,however there's talk of snow in the forcast,once again the "weather whores" at at it again the other day it was 1'' to 3'' inches now it's upto 2'' to 4'' but hopefully it shouldn't effect me too much.
One plus of my taper, since I was out the door by 4.20pm and home again by 5.40pm I was able to complete my first evening run in eons in daylight......I could get used to that and coupled w/ the fact by the time I start to rebuild my mileage back upto 50mpw post Nationals the clocks will have gone forward and Spring will be upon us.....almost enough to put a smile on my face......almost......
Sunday, February 7, 2016
And So Onto Phase Three.....
12 miler at lunchtime to round out my fourth and final week of Phase Two four weeks of 50 mpw based around my four pre Indoor Nationals races......check that off the list!
Not much to report run wise,out the door by 12pm home by 1.48pm overcast conditions but unlike yesterdays cock up on going sans gloves I made sure to keep my hand covered up and warm....it's easier to flip feckers off and make lewd hand gestures w/ warm mitts......or so I've been told.....a mild manner laid back soul such as my goodself wouldn't know anything about THAT kind of thing.........I tried but I just couldn't bring myself to type that w/ a straight face!!!!!
So ten weeks and two phases in the books I hope and pray the next three weeks of tapering will go w/out illness or injury as I look to reduce my miles per week,40 this week,30 the week after,20 the following week.
Being the feckin' poster child for Irony it should NOT come as any great surprise my recent indoor mile and 800m times are the fastest I've ran since 2011....the year Indoor Nationals were last held in Albuquerque.....I sat out that year to focus on Worlds in Sacramento and Outdoor Nationals in Ohio.
Another interesting sidebar,for reasons best known to only the organizing committee this year it's the 1,500m and not the traditional mile....fine by me period but I should point out after a 4th place finish in the Olympic 1,500m in 76 in Montreal and a 2nd place finish in the 1,500m in Prague in the 78 European Championships Eamon Coghlan won his first major championship in Vienna in 79 in the Indoor European Championships....over 1,500m.......as good an omen for himself as he aims to win his first Indoor National Championship if ever there was one......
Not much to report run wise,out the door by 12pm home by 1.48pm overcast conditions but unlike yesterdays cock up on going sans gloves I made sure to keep my hand covered up and warm....it's easier to flip feckers off and make lewd hand gestures w/ warm mitts......or so I've been told.....a mild manner laid back soul such as my goodself wouldn't know anything about THAT kind of thing.........I tried but I just couldn't bring myself to type that w/ a straight face!!!!!
So ten weeks and two phases in the books I hope and pray the next three weeks of tapering will go w/out illness or injury as I look to reduce my miles per week,40 this week,30 the week after,20 the following week.
Being the feckin' poster child for Irony it should NOT come as any great surprise my recent indoor mile and 800m times are the fastest I've ran since 2011....the year Indoor Nationals were last held in Albuquerque.....I sat out that year to focus on Worlds in Sacramento and Outdoor Nationals in Ohio.
Another interesting sidebar,for reasons best known to only the organizing committee this year it's the 1,500m and not the traditional mile....fine by me period but I should point out after a 4th place finish in the Olympic 1,500m in 76 in Montreal and a 2nd place finish in the 1,500m in Prague in the 78 European Championships Eamon Coghlan won his first major championship in Vienna in 79 in the Indoor European Championships....over 1,500m.......as good an omen for himself as he aims to win his first Indoor National Championship if ever there was one......
Saturday, February 6, 2016
No Fuss,No Fanfare,No Thrills,No Fireworks,Just Miles
Back tracking to yesterday a lunchtime 10 mile recovery run following Thursdays 800m and also setting me up nicely at 26 miles so far for the week for back to back 12 milers over the weekend and another 50mpw.
Out the door by 12.10pm today compared to the 1.50pm from yesterday.....that had more to do w/ yours truly setting his alarm for 9am this morning to allow breakfast b4 the 10am Spurs kick off than anything and following a tidy 1.0 victory which puts us 2nd in the table I was out the door....w/ a song in my heart and and smile on my face.....C,mon you SPURS!!!!
Slight miscalculation on my part re the temps,according to the local news the temps would be in the low to mid 40s so I left my gloves indoors and ditched Dublin knit hat for SPURS baseball cap.....ber!!!!
Note to self since I intend to be on the road earlier tomorrow for my repeat 12 miler said Dublin knit hat and gloves will be worn,.....once bitten,twice shy!
Roughly 1.50 for the run which keeps me w/in the 9 min mile pace I look for on these runs at this stage it's about the miles not the speed.
Tomorrow will feel somewhat sad as it's the last of my planned double digit runs till post Indoor Nationals but after a fourth week of 50mpw it's time for the taper,lower miles,no races but three final scheduled repeats as I hope to hone things for Albuquerque in four weeks time.
Out the door by 12.10pm today compared to the 1.50pm from yesterday.....that had more to do w/ yours truly setting his alarm for 9am this morning to allow breakfast b4 the 10am Spurs kick off than anything and following a tidy 1.0 victory which puts us 2nd in the table I was out the door....w/ a song in my heart and and smile on my face.....C,mon you SPURS!!!!
Slight miscalculation on my part re the temps,according to the local news the temps would be in the low to mid 40s so I left my gloves indoors and ditched Dublin knit hat for SPURS baseball cap.....ber!!!!
Note to self since I intend to be on the road earlier tomorrow for my repeat 12 miler said Dublin knit hat and gloves will be worn,.....once bitten,twice shy!
Roughly 1.50 for the run which keeps me w/in the 9 min mile pace I look for on these runs at this stage it's about the miles not the speed.
Tomorrow will feel somewhat sad as it's the last of my planned double digit runs till post Indoor Nationals but after a fourth week of 50mpw it's time for the taper,lower miles,no races but three final scheduled repeats as I hope to hone things for Albuquerque in four weeks time.
Friday, February 5, 2016
The Show Must Go On
Life is full of surprise for example last Thursday I won my first race in 17 months and shaved 11 seconds off my 1,000m pr I was on top of the world.....untill I left The Armory and on the journey back to Philly my relationship w/ Candice came to a crashing halt......the moral of this cautionary tale folks,enjoy lifes highs,you never know when the next low is lurking around the corner.....but also don't wallow in lifes lows as the next high could be a heartbeat away.........
Back to my beloved Armory for my fourth and final race in my build up to Indoor Nationals in four weeks time,having logged a pair of 4.50/4.47 miles and a 2.40 1,000m what could I do over 800m???
I seeded myself at 2.12 using the 33 sec per lap blueprint as my guideline,alas the deadline for entries for Albuquerque was at midnite so given my current bad luck streak and ending up on a Megabus back to Philly sans Wi Fi I felt it prudent to tackle my entry pre race and used my best indoor time from last year Winston Salems 2.13.19..............
Seeded 7th in heat #3 I took my place on the starting line w/ 14 others 10 of us on the starting line w/ 4 more on the next line further up the turn.
Not my best reaction to the gun it must be said but I recovered and grabbed a place on the rail at the back of the field going into the first turn and slowly mauouverd my way through the field on the back straight moving into 3rd or 4th as we came through 200m in 31 seconds.
Ok so 2 seconds faster than I planned but I was feeling "my oates" so to speak and continued to plough along....
62 seconds at 400m in 2nd.....fuckin' ada when did I last go through 400m of an 800m in 62 seconds indoors.......????
I still felt comfortable and confident and rather than dread the always tricky third 200m of an 800m I continued to chase the leader....1.35 at 600m a 33 second split.
Granted the uneven nature of my splits is far from text book but frankly I didn't plan to go thro 400m in 62 seconds...but I'm glad I did,I'm also glad I opted to "race" rather than be coy and tactical #timeandplace
#1 seed Herb Heffner went by me as we hit 100m to go and while I didn't have the closing kick I've had in my previous three indoor races I continued to drive up the home straight to the finish line......
Third in 2.09.94.....I haven't ran this fast for an Indoor 800m since 2011.........
Clearly the 50 mile training weeks are paying dividends and I hope after I wrap this week up w/ the required 34 miles I need to log another 50mpw that I can avoid both illness and injury over the coming four weeks leading up to Indoor Nationals in Albuquerque,I relish my final three "Mo Farah" repeats to put the finishing touches to my prep......
Back to my beloved Armory for my fourth and final race in my build up to Indoor Nationals in four weeks time,having logged a pair of 4.50/4.47 miles and a 2.40 1,000m what could I do over 800m???
I seeded myself at 2.12 using the 33 sec per lap blueprint as my guideline,alas the deadline for entries for Albuquerque was at midnite so given my current bad luck streak and ending up on a Megabus back to Philly sans Wi Fi I felt it prudent to tackle my entry pre race and used my best indoor time from last year Winston Salems 2.13.19..............
Seeded 7th in heat #3 I took my place on the starting line w/ 14 others 10 of us on the starting line w/ 4 more on the next line further up the turn.
Not my best reaction to the gun it must be said but I recovered and grabbed a place on the rail at the back of the field going into the first turn and slowly mauouverd my way through the field on the back straight moving into 3rd or 4th as we came through 200m in 31 seconds.
Ok so 2 seconds faster than I planned but I was feeling "my oates" so to speak and continued to plough along....
62 seconds at 400m in 2nd.....fuckin' ada when did I last go through 400m of an 800m in 62 seconds indoors.......????
I still felt comfortable and confident and rather than dread the always tricky third 200m of an 800m I continued to chase the leader....1.35 at 600m a 33 second split.
Granted the uneven nature of my splits is far from text book but frankly I didn't plan to go thro 400m in 62 seconds...but I'm glad I did,I'm also glad I opted to "race" rather than be coy and tactical #timeandplace
#1 seed Herb Heffner went by me as we hit 100m to go and while I didn't have the closing kick I've had in my previous three indoor races I continued to drive up the home straight to the finish line......
Third in 2.09.94.....I haven't ran this fast for an Indoor 800m since 2011.........
Clearly the 50 mile training weeks are paying dividends and I hope after I wrap this week up w/ the required 34 miles I need to log another 50mpw that I can avoid both illness and injury over the coming four weeks leading up to Indoor Nationals in Albuquerque,I relish my final three "Mo Farah" repeats to put the finishing touches to my prep......
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Broken Hearted But Not Broken,Far From It
Ok so I was a tad coy w/ some of my entries of late re my "social standing" and rather than perpetuate things I'll just come out and say that as of Thursday Candice and I are no longer together.........
I feel the Blogisphere nor Social Media are the arena to air ones "dirty laundry" so respectfully to what Candice and I had and could have continued to have I will retain a dignified silence on the issue saying only that it is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all and w/ that I wish Candice all the very best for her life as we close the chapter on the "Kevin & Candice" chronicals and move forward w/ our lives......
I skipped Mondays scheduled 8 miler due to the rain which felt somewhat metaphorical as the sky wasn't the only one crying but took full advantage of yesterdays 44 degree temps and cained a 12 miler.
It's possible heavy rain today is going to knacker any chance of miles ergo why I bummped my prepossed 8 miler to 12,w/ 4 on tap Thursday I'll enter the weekend on 16 miles needing
34 to complete a 4th and final week of 50mpw* ok last week was only 45 but the week b4 was 55 so get off my feckin case!!!
After a week or so of feeling the collective weight of the world around my boney shoulders it felt good to get out and run unincumbered yesterday,granted in life one can't run away from ones problems but putting some miles between them sure helps and while I'm less than thrilled at my newly found single again status at least for the time being should I need the weekends to log my weekly miles I have that option.....though I'm not looking to make that a regular fixture,one of the many facets of being in a relationship w/ Candice I enjoyed was waking up on the weekend and NOT having to go out and log miles so don't look for me to devaite too far from the recent Monday thro Friday schedule I'd gotten used to.
I feel the Blogisphere nor Social Media are the arena to air ones "dirty laundry" so respectfully to what Candice and I had and could have continued to have I will retain a dignified silence on the issue saying only that it is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all and w/ that I wish Candice all the very best for her life as we close the chapter on the "Kevin & Candice" chronicals and move forward w/ our lives......
I skipped Mondays scheduled 8 miler due to the rain which felt somewhat metaphorical as the sky wasn't the only one crying but took full advantage of yesterdays 44 degree temps and cained a 12 miler.
It's possible heavy rain today is going to knacker any chance of miles ergo why I bummped my prepossed 8 miler to 12,w/ 4 on tap Thursday I'll enter the weekend on 16 miles needing
34 to complete a 4th and final week of 50mpw* ok last week was only 45 but the week b4 was 55 so get off my feckin case!!!
After a week or so of feeling the collective weight of the world around my boney shoulders it felt good to get out and run unincumbered yesterday,granted in life one can't run away from ones problems but putting some miles between them sure helps and while I'm less than thrilled at my newly found single again status at least for the time being should I need the weekends to log my weekly miles I have that option.....though I'm not looking to make that a regular fixture,one of the many facets of being in a relationship w/ Candice I enjoyed was waking up on the weekend and NOT having to go out and log miles so don't look for me to devaite too far from the recent Monday thro Friday schedule I'd gotten used to.
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