Nice and easy week of running this week, with just three 60' sessions, 1 light hills 12 x 30", and a 90' and 120' as my medium long and long run. I didn't wear the garmin once and it was nice just to run for fun. Siobhan celebrated a significant birthday and her parents took the kids away from Tuesday, so for a little while we got to a small reminder of what life was like pre-kids. Everyday after work we went for our run, had a quick swim in the watershed pool and went for dinner...we even made it to the cinema last night to see inception. What a great film. We're off to Spain for two weeks next week where it's roasting by all accounts.

After the race last Friday; I've had a pretty easy week of running -
Saturday and Sunday were just 45' and 75'. The week kicked off with a rest
day on Monday before 50' with 8 X Diagonals (12.5k) on Tuesday, 20k in about
90' on Wednesday and then 50' today (11.5k). I've switched back to morning
running (out on the road between 6.30 - 7.00 and back by 8) and it is
suiting family and work life much better. In terms of work i'm finding
myself much more productive in the mornings but struggle to keep energy
levels up towards the end of the day. I wonder is there a nutritional
solution to that? We had a great off-site day today, plotting the course for
the business over the next few months; exciting times ahead.

I had a total change of sporting pace on Tuesday evening, playing in the
club foresomes golf competition with my brother. I know the game is often
derided (and sometimes with justification) but there is very little that
compares with absolute buzz of matchplay golf - we had an epic win on 21st
hole on Tuesday against a much fancied pair, leaving us in the 3rd round.
The beauty of golf is that on any given day, the underdog can win - whereas
with running you tend to perform within certain defined parameters and its
hard to cross those. I like both of them for that reason.

The beauty of morning running is when i get home from work, my time it free
to spend dossing around with the kids on bikes etc.

I have a tough session on tomorrow with 3 sets of 4' X 5km pace (3:24 pace)
+ 1.5' of 1 mile pace(3:07) with 3' of recovery between each set. I haven't
run mile pace before and i've learned over the last few months that any
session for the first time tends to be a bit of a shock to the system. I'll
probably head to the track where i find it easier to run intervals. Saturday
and Sunday are just two nice 40' and 90' steady.

My next race is on the 11th, a 5k road race in the beautiful seaside village
of kilmore quay, www.kilmoreac.com in wexford. There is a seafood festival
on the same weekend - so i hope to wrap up my summer races with a meal and a
drink or two.