The longest run yet - Week 14 River Moy Half Marathon Training.

• Monday April 18th Inferno Hot Pilates. 

• Tuesday April 19th Running Chicks group run 6.2 km at 35:23.

• Wednesday April 20th Inferno Hot Pilates.

• Thursday April 21st Running Chicks Group run 9.1 km at 55:31.

• Saturday April 23rd Strandurance21 Group Run 18 km at 110:17.

After taking a weekend off from running I was back with a bang for Mondays Inferno Hot Pilates class. I absolutely felt the benefits from doing 2 classes last week so I also booked in for Wednesdays class too. I really believe it has been these classes that have prevented me from getting injured so far and have helped with my breathing while running, and with the half looming in less than a month I am going to try to fit in extra classes. 

On Tuesday I met the Running Chicks for a nice easy short run in preparation for the West of Ireland Womens Mini Marathon  on May 1st. Apparently the run is a little hilly in parts but I think we have done enough that we won't be too overwhelmed. Once again I practised using the Alexander Technique and it seems to be making difference in overcoming tough stretches of road.

Isogel citrus

For my long run on Saturday we were told to bring some energy gels to keep us going. I was a bit apprehensive about taking them as I was worried they might upset my stomach or that they would be absolutely vile to take. 

So I did a test run on my short run just to see if it made a difference. I got the ISOgel in the berry flavour. It tasted fine and was more like a liquid texture than a gel and went down easy. Honestly I think I left it too late to take it and my run was too short to feel any benefits but at least I knew it didn't upset my stomach and I would know what to expect again.

Wednesday I was off again to Pilates for more punishment! It was my second time doing 2 classes in a week and it has definitely been a good move. Those tiny muscle aches are back but in a good way! And I have seen some definition emerging in my core and arms, all good! 

On Thursday we headed off to do our longest group run with the Running Chicks, we finished on just over 9 km and in pretty good time. I think most of the group are hoping for a sub 60 finish which I think will be manageable, we have done all the hard work now its amazing to see the progress in people who had started the programme doing zero running and now we will all do 10 km next week.

Moy Half Marathon May 14th 2016.

On Saturday I met up with the Strandurance21 group to do our longest run yet, a daunting 18 km. I honestly wasn't looking forward to it, it felt too close to 21 km which still seems impossible to me. We started off nice and slow and eventually 3 of us branched off into a manageable pace.
At around 9 km I took an ISO gel citrus with caffeine gel and I think it made all the difference.
I don't even remember the second 9 km loop, we were just chatting and away the whole time. I was so surprised to see we had done it in 1 hour 50 minutes as we had stopped a couple of times to take gels and stretch out a bit.

I was stoked as I would love to finish the half in 2 hours or under. The 18 km will be the longest run we will do before the half, the rest will be shorter 16 and 14 km. Absolutely thrilled with our progress as a group so far, there is even talk of a full marathon later in the year. Anything seems possible at this stage!

Taking a little break- Week 13 Half Marathon Training.

Always...

• Monday April 11th Inferno Hot Pilates.

• Tuesday April 12th Running Chicks group run 6.5 km at 41:21.

• Wednesday April 13th road run 16 km at 94:23 and  Inferno Hot Pilates.

• Thursday April 14th  Running Chicks group run 8.7 km at 56:11.

I decided to take it easy this week due to the severe effect dehydration had had on me last week. I started off on Monday with the Inferno hot Pilates class, as always it was tough going but there is always that high at then end when I have managed to hold a 2 minute plank or kept up with dead bug into press up moves not to mention the horrendous 8 round flutter kicks (questions sanity).

On Tuesday I met the Running Chicks ladies for a short 6.5 km run through Belleek woods. We always start our first run of the week doing a fairly low key short run just to get back into the swing of things. These group runs are so handy for getting in my shorter distances during the week and I always learn something new from the more experienced runners like the Alexander Technique where you focus your gaze to a pole or a sign in the horizon and visualize it moving closer to you. 

And it actually works! It is more for the mind than the body but its a good trick to get over a long stretch of road that you might otherwise become overwhelmed by.

Yoga lessons from a frenchie.

I had decided that I wasn't going to race the Easkey 10 mile with the rest of the Strandurance21 crew and instead have a run free weekend away to Belfast. My new hobby has seen me spend every weekend doing some form of training so I thought I would take a break and have some fun with the friends I've been neglecting since.

However, I still wanted to keep my mileage momentum going so I went solo on Wednesday morning to see how long it would take me to do 16 km. 

I repeated the cycle loop of the duathalon we had done the week previous. I started off fairly slow, my hamstring felt really tight and I was aware I was compensating my stride on my right leg to make up for it. Just 5 km in and I was already contemplating cutting the run short but I persevered. 

My leg loosened up a bit and I had hoped I might make it in under 88 minutes but I quickly realised that wasn't happening so I relaxed and just enjoyed the scenery and the quiet road despite my dads insistence that there were many a weirdo on those country lanes, thanks dad!

I ended up doing 16.4 km in just over 94 minutes (not a weirdo in sight)  with the intention of jogging the last stretch home but my poor legs had given up and the last hill was a no go, I walked the last 500 m home which was just as well because my hamstring was in bits once I stopped moving.

I did an excruciating foam roll session and then decided I would try the Wednesday Inferno class to see if the heat  would loosen my leg up. I usually stuck to 1 class a week but clearly I am a beast and it was actually worth the squats, bicycle kicks and burpess. 

2016 West of Ireland mini marathon.

I was back with the Running Chicks on Thursday for a longer group run. As we were missing one of the coaches we had to stick together for this run. I was happy with a slower pace as my hamstring was still bothering me slightly and it gave me a chance to chat with some of the other members. It was my slowest run in a long time but I had done relatively okay on my 16 km the day before so I wasn't too worried. As the Running Chicks end goal is the West of Ireland mini marathon at the start of May I am pretty confident I can match my Kinvara 10 km time or fingers crossed do slightly better.

Also a MAJOR shout out to the Strandurance21 crew on an absolutely stellar performances at the Easkey 10 miler on Sunday. I actually can't believe how far we have all come since January, I think its safe to say we are all addicted! 

Run Happy!

Too much running? - Week 12 Half Marathon Training.

Liquid Motion Try a Tri for beginners.

• Monday April 4th Inferno Hot Pilates.

• Tuesday April 5th Running Chicks group run 8.5 miles of hill work 80:16.

• Wednesday to Saturday succumb to dehydration. 

• Sunday April 10th Liquid Motion mini Duathalon challenge with the Strandurance21 crew                       run 2.5km, cycle 14.8km, run 4.9km at 82:46.

Another Monday, another Inferno Pilates class. Really enjoying these classes. They are extremely physically demanding but I always feel like I have accomplished something when I finish out all my reps successfully and I try not to complain too much when we move from burpees straight into mountain climbers (my absolute nightmare!). 

I had planned to go out on Tuesday night with the Running Chicks and then do hill work on Wednesday evening with Ann and some of the other Ballina A.C members. 

However when I got a text from Ann from asking me to switch to Tuesday for hill work I was game. Ann had said 8 miles at the back of the woods. Surely she meant 8km, right? What crazy person does 8 miles of hills? Me apparently. I was in such a rush to make it to the track for 5 I hadn't eaten properly that day and I definitely hadn't re-hydrated from the previous nights Inferno session. Usually I only eat a small brown bread roll before my long Saturday morning runs so I though I'd be grand.

5 of us headed of through the woods for a 3km warm up and then we hit the hills. I started off well enough  using the hill techniques Ann had advised and she would call me back if she thought I was pushing off too quickly. Again as I hadn't run this full route before I couldn't believe how slow the miles seemed to go. I was still feeling fine around 4 miles in, but my breathing was strained. I focused on long quick breaths as I did the uphills and this seemed to help. 

However once we were about 2 miles from the finish my breathing became extremely laboured and I started to see stars in my eyes. For the first time since week 5 I had to stop for a rest mid run. I took a minute to catch my breath and then continued on.

I felt so much better after that quick rest and we made it back to the track having done over the 8 mile goal. 

I can't believe how fast the dehydration hit me. I was fine one minute and the next I was down. I felt nauseous, dizzy, and unable to gather any strength. I had the worst headache, it felt like someone had punched me in the face and I had to lie down in the dark as the light killed my eyes. I was getting sick and unable to keep down water.

 Luckily I had bought electrolyte tablets after we had chatted about supplements on our group run the previous Saturday. I bought the PowerBar brand in raspberry flavour from Holland and Barrett and thank God they didn't have the salty taste that electrolytes usually have. 

I had to force myself to slowly sip down 2 of the tablet drinks throughout the night. The next day I felt so much better, but I still felt weak and exhausted. I couldn't face doing any other  exercise for the next few days.

Fortunately by the time Sunday rolled round I was feeling much better. Barry our coach from Strandurance21 marathon group organised the run/cycle duathlon with the Liquid Motion Triathlon group. When you meet all these positive people who are exceedingly PERSUASIVE and tell you that you can achieve anything you tend to believe them (not unlike a cult!).

Before the race.

As I have no cycling experience I was borrowing a bike and helmet from a friend on the day and had no time to practice but I saw it as more of a fun morning than a serious challenge.

To make us more confident the race was handicapped so that our Strandurance21 group would go out first and the fastest Liquid Motion athlete would go last. That way we would hopefully all end the race in or around the same time. I did well on the first run, as I knew it was short and wouldn't pose a problem for me. 

The bike however was a different story. It took me at least 5 km to get comfortable on it, it was a lovely bike to ride but I could feel every bump and dip in the road. I couldn't believe how quickly the LM guys were able to catch up on us, its amazing just how fast they were. I  kept my head down and tried to enjoy the the cycle stretch. By the second loop I was flying along and I knew where to avoid certain lumps and bumps in the road. 

Getting off the bike for the last run was the worst! I couldn't shake the jelly leg feeling and I couldn't tell if I was running fast or slow, it felt like I was in slow motion. I was constantly overtaken by other runners who offered words of encouragement and told me to keep pushing on. 

The last incline to finish line was tough, I could feel the toll the cycling had had on my legs and I struggled to keep a steady pace. I had to remind myself to breath properly and I was delighted to round the corner to the finish line! Our group had done amazingly well, we all finished and with smiles on our faces. 

The event was organised brilliantly and the LM crew could not have been more welcoming, there was tea, coffee, cakes and fruit after and we got a lovely little carby goodie bag afterwards. And a special shout out to the kids who cheered us on at the finish line who then went on to do their own event, it was wonderful to see such young children interested in these types of races.

I was so elated after finishing that I agreed to do the LM Try a Tri event, a taster for beginners interested or coerced into doing a triathlon for the first time. Luckily the swim is taking place in a lovely warm hotel pool, I don't think I could face getting into a lake or river at this time of year yet!

All in all an eventful week, ups and downs. But I have learned my lesson about drinking enough, fueling properly and taking some supplements to ensure I don't have to miss anymore training sessions. 

Onwards and Upwards!

Getting there- Week 11 Half Marathon Training.

There are no hills...repeat..there are no hills.

• Monday March 28th Inferno Hot Pilates. 

• Tuesday 29th Running Chicks group run 7km at 37:12. 

• Saturday April 2nd 14km at 80:24.

• Sunday April 3rd Running Chicks group run and hill work 7km at 39:54.

Once again I started my week with a punishing Hot Pilates class at Strand Fitness. I am constantly torn between how hard the classes are but also how addictive it can be. It is the best feeling to finish all the reps and not give in to the heat and my spindly arms that almost refuse to hold my body up during planks, push ups and mountain climbers. Yet I've noticed that I'm not as sore as I used to be after class, so it seems I am getting stronger as I progress! Barry has also opened a new gym beside the existing Pilates studios and I had been toying with the idea to join his bootcamp but the half is priority right now I'll have to survive that first!

Strand Fitness website

On Tuesday I did my  group run with the Running Chicks through the woods. I love these runs as it gives me a chance to get my short runs done during the week in preparation for my weekends long runs. Michael and Ann are amazing coaches, they are so knowledgeable and are constantly offering advice and support. My favourite tip from Ann is the runners blow, for getting rid of the snot buildup (so ladylike)  in your nose! (TMI? GROSS!). 

I didn't go out again until Saturdays group run, where we were doing a 14km loop of town. This time I had a couple of the girls to keep me company. We decided to try a different route with a mixture of back roads and on the main road. I am not a huge fan of new routes as I always feel like I have run longer than I actually have, when we realised we had only done 7km we were devastated! We philosophied that we were half way home and pushed on! 

Along the way we chatted about pre workouts and protein supplements. Since I have been taking neither of those things and I am also vegetarian I got some good advice about plant based protein like spirulina, chlorella and some vegan options, I also got some good advice regarding electrolytes which turned out to be a life saver in my week 12 training.

We finished up with track laps absolutely exhausted and I was stoked to have lost almost 3 minutes off my 14km time the week before. Progress!

On Sunday I met up with the Running Chicks again, this time to do some hill work at the back of the woods. We started off on a 3km warm up before moving onto the hills of doom. 

To be fair it wasn't as bad as I thought. I had been doing the hills a couple of times a week a couple of months ago so I knew what to expect. Ann gave us some great tips including using our arms and our core moreso than our legs to drive up up the hills and I have to say it made a huge difference, my legs weren't as fatigued and I wasn't breathing as heavily as I would usually would on hills. I left the session feeling swamped with information but optimistic! 

Week 12 includes my experience with dehydration, because I'm an idiot!
Stay tuned! 

Going further- Week 10 half marathon training.

• Monday March 21st Inferno Hot Pilates. 

• Tuesday March 22nd Running Chicks group run 6.5km at 36:38.

• Thursday March 23rd Running Chicks group run 5km at 31:26 and 2.3km at 12:07.

• Saturday March 24th Strandurance group run 14km at 82:41.

 I met the running chicks ladies on Tuesday evening for a quick road run down to the quay and back. It is fantastic to see all the different groups using the track for training and we were joined on the road by the operation transformation group and the fitforyouth girls. This route was fast and flat although there were a few potholes to watch out for but it was definitely a nice change to be off the track.

I also joined the running chicks on Thursday night for a nice easy 5km through town, I still needed a couple of kms in order to reach my goal miles for the week so I finished the night with just over 7km altogether. I was going to run home but laziness got the best of me! 

On Saturday we were missing our 2 coaches and some of the other runners as there were a couple of different events going on over the weekend. I started off with the rest of the group but found myself pulling away. I find that I need to run at a particular speed otherwise I burn out too quickly from going too slow. I ran the route we usually do but backwards so as not to interfere with parkrun,  along with an extra few kms of the Killala road. It was  quite tough on my own as I don't have a pace function on my fitbit so I couldn't tell how fast I was going. At some stages I felt like I was just crawling along and then I would get a second wind and I felt like I was flying it. 

I really had to push myself, as the week before we had done 12km in 68 minutes I thought I would manage the extra 2km at 80 minutes (reaching)  but by the time I did a small loop of the soccer club I was totally exhausted and dreaming of water and a nap. My legs were on fire and I was totally out of breath and finished almost 3 minutes over my predicted time. But it was the furthest I have ever run and I didn't have any niggles or need to stop. An achievement!