Under the weather...

Thanks for all the comments after my last post. Yeah I was happy with the time particularly on the hilly course. I was even happier when I plugged the time in to the 'age grader' and it said that 23:15 for a 37 year old is equivalent to 22:28min run if I was in my prime!! That's faster than the PB I ran back in 1994!! Not sure I fully agree with the science but it does give me a smile !! :)

After the race the sore throat that I had the night before came back (i.e. a bad head cold was brewing) with a vengeance and also a strange darting pain in my left hip/groin area turned up (particularly noticeable when I'm walking down stairs but seems to be settling now). So on Wednesday I went for a 'kill me or cure me' type recovery run. Not necessary at recovery pace but at a relatively even easy pace - 5.64miles in 39:50, i.e. 7:04min/mile avg @ 158bpm.

That run didn't quite kill me but on Thursday the head cold was certainly worse but the sore throat now replaced by coughs / sneezes etc so I thought the better of running and rested with lots of paracetamol, fluids etc.

I took Friday off work but I didn't run. At that stage the coughing had stopped by the sniffles were still bad.

Having skipped 2 days running and with my next race planned for the 29th I was getting a bit anxious about my training. So when I woke up early today with only a slight sniffle I decided to head out and test the water and try a 4 mile 'easy' run. It ended up being 5.08 miles in 37:13mins i.e. 7:20 min/mile @ 151bpm. Maybe it was the fact that I was running at 7:30am or maybe the head cold has taken something out of me but my legs felt a bit too heavy during the run but my breathing was fine and the heartrate doesn't seem to be elevated. On that basis I'll assume nothing too serious and I think I'll try and fit in an 'easy' 12mile run tomorrow.

After this mornings run it was up to my sister-in-laws for a big brunch followed by a trip to the pub to see France hammer Italy and England struggle with (but beat) Scotland in the Six Nations Rugby Championship. 3 hours plus in the pub was more than enough for the children which meant that I got to watch the Ireland v Wales game here at home. What a game (my nails will never be as long again and my children think that I will never be calm again!!) and what a result (17-15 to Ireland) giving Ireland not only the Six Nations Championship title but also a Grand Slam - the first since 1948. How sweet to win the Grand Slam in the last game of the Championship in Cardiff. Ireland is a great place to be tonight - no recession here!!

Stars in my eyes

Another image of the Venus, Jupiter, Moon occultation just like I saw it!

Star gazing in December

Last week ended on Friday - no running on either Saturday or Sunday for differing reasons. But I did have my first turkey dinner on Sunday courtesy of my sister. Thanks Margaret!! So the weekend wasn't a total write-off. I know, I'll probably be sick of turkey by the end of December but for now I'll enjoy it.

Week Total (24/11/08 - 30/11/08) - 4 sessions
26.10miles - 3:14:42 - 7:28min/mile - 160bpm

My lower left leg has been giving me trouble since my stumble last week but I don't think it's too serious and hopefully time will make it better.

Today I went for a lunchtime run, a bit later than usual so I cut it short. It ended up as 5.2 miles in 39:27 @7:35 min/mile @144bpm. My legs felt sluggish and heavy and I was a bit concerned about my leg so I took the second half slower than the first 7:45 vs 7:25. That's me being sensible!!

I wasn't too happy with missing my Saturday and Sunday runs so when I got the opportunity to get in a few extra miles tonight I jumped at it. I needed to drop in some forms to my kids future school (3 miles away) so that meant a 6miles out-'n-back opportunity.

The temperature has dropped again (<2degc)>10bpm higher than lunchtime. I wonder why? Assuming that my fitness hasn't deteriorated since lunchtime all I can presume is that it was the hilly route vs the flat lunchtime that I ran at lunchtime. Interesting though, a significant difference....



BTW... there was a beautiful sight visible in the skies above Ireland tonight - both Venus and Jupiter were visible as two bright stars alongside a crescent moon. The last time that Venus was visible in this way in Ireland was in the early 1980's and the next time will be in the 2040's. So given the probability that the skies won't be clear of clouds next time tonight's view was a true once in a lifetime opportunity!!