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!