At last, its 16 weeks to go to Florence Marathon, and after 6 months of shorter, faster stuff, and a very lazy holiday its time to refocus.  I'm shifting down a gear and starting to build base for what will be a 12 week programme that kicks off at the start of september. The instructions from JB this week, was just to use the time to get fresh again after the summer races and nothing to exceed 4:30 km pace. I tried to wear the soft garmin HRM, but it is a piece of sh1t - it spikes at the start for the first mile and then starts to spike again ( from the technical fabric) after about 6 miles - its back in the drawer again.

Monday 9th August: Rest Day

7:00am Tuesday 10th August: 76' Steady / 16.1k / 4:43 pace /
I took a route on country roads, down towards goresbridge, through Connolly's Redmills and back again. Kept the pace very light, felt good to run at this pace.

6:45am Wednesday 11th August: 96' Steady / 20.65k / 4:40 pace
Pace the same as before - just ran on the soon to be opened motor way.

7:05am Thursday 12th August: 50' Steady + 10 Diagonals (total 68') / 14.33k / 4:46 pace
More of the same, with the added diagonals done on the local hurling pitches.

6:40am Friday 13th August: 76' Steady  / 16.65k / 4:37 pace
Same route as Tuesday

8:40am Saturday 14th August: 50' Steady with 12 X 30' Hills (Total 75')  / 16.65k / 5:07 pace

8:25am Sunday 15th August: 126' Steady /  25.8k / 4:55 pace
This was the highlight of the week, woke to glorious sunshine in the morning and headed straight out the door and up towards the quarry - its pretty much 6k of hills onto a ridge that overlooks the valley. The route then levels out for 2k, before dropping down again over the next 5k. I stopped for water in old leighlin and then headed on out into the country from there, turning around just after the hour mark - cruised home.

Week totals: 108k / 8hrs 39' / 4: 48 pace average.

This week is more of the same; except my long run will be a progression run.