This last week was a straight continuation of the week before. I am still getting on well with being up early and getting my runs in before work. The only downside is a bit of an energy slump around 3pm, but I think that is just the increase in mileage and should pass.  My routine in the morning is pretty well established, fall out of bed half asleep, into running gear, grind ariosa coffee beans, drink coffee and eat two rice cakes with our yummy homemade natural energy spread, quick slurp of water and out the door. The pace is nice and slow, so i can run, breathe and think all at the same time! 

So all the days were good, except for the long run on Sunday - and I normally eat up long runs for fun. I hooked up with friends just home from Spain and Thailand and we ended up having a rather late night of it, left the car in town and got home at 3ish and after waking around 9, forced myself to run back into Kilkenny to pick up the car along the unopened motorway.  I started off feeling ok, but by the time I had gone half way through my marathon pace segment, i was parched, running into a headwind on a four lane motorway - it didn't feel great at all.

I arrived into Kilkenny City at the end of the marathon pace part of the run and then suprisingly only struggled a little through a 15'

at faster than marathon pace - because i was out of the wind and I knew the hard bit would soon end.  It just shows what an obstacle the wind can be. 

Monday 16th : rest 

7:04am Tuesday 17th:  77' Steady /  16.68k / 4:37 pace

6:36am Wednesday 18th: 93' Steady / 20.24 / 4:36 pace 

Listened to the MarathonTalk.com episode with the interview with Charlie Spedding. I have read his book in the past and it was interesting to hear about his training methods - especially those to simulate surges in racing - doing 1' - 5' hard surges through a long run with 5' rest between each one.

6:47am Thursday 19th:  71' Steady including 12 X Strides  / 14.76km / 4:43 pace

6:49am Friday 20th;  79' Steady / 16.51k / 4:43

7:31am Saturday 21st: 72' steady including 10 X Strides / 13.46km / 4:49 pace

This was the same 50' run as usual, I just stopped to take some photos of the countryside which was looking fab - and then forgot to restart the garmin so lost a K or so.

10:42am Sunday 22nd: 128' Steady with 60min at 4:00 and 15' at 3:48 / 27.61k / 4:20 pace 

Week totals : 109km / 8hr42'  / 4'36" Average Pace