Tuesday 29MAR2022

 Enough pix over the last couple of days that I'll do a daily post when it makes sense.  In the AM I got out for a foggy slow 3 miles.

In the evening, I decided to take advantage of the good weather and went in search of a neighbor's deceased father's boyhood farm.  Some looking around on a map made me determine I could get to it on a run, and possibly even hit the Charleville castle along the way.  

The castle was about 2 miles away.  It was fenced off, closed apparently due to COVID but even the limited outside views were impressive.

I tried to determine if I could easily / legally cut through the grounds of the castle to get to the other side  - to shorten my trip to the farm.   I wandered around a bit but kept hitting the ends of roads, or sheep fields.  Short cuts make for long delays.

So I added probably another two miles messing around the grounds, only end up going back out the path that I had entered on.  I found my way to Lynall - over another 3 or so miles.  I was looking for the Lynall Church and Cemetery ruins, and the surrounding farm.  

I had to navigate a couple of "off roads" but nothing problematic in regular day light.  

And then they were visible.  

You can see in the lower left of the shot below the Ballycowan castle that I ran to last night.  That is on the confluence of the Tullamore Canal and River.  

The location was truly beautiful.  I didn't take the chance to go to the ruins themselves so I only observed them form about 50 yards away but it was a gorgeous spot.  The smell, well, that could take some getting use to, but the location was incredible - maybe one of the most beautiful places I have ever run to.

Having accomplished the mission, I soaked it in for a bit and then started the task of getting back, another four miles to return to the hotel.  

But along the way, I found the Tullamore Harriers Athletic Club training ground so I did a round on their facility and then beat feet before I got kicked out.  

Ended up with 10.7, and managed a solid average pace after picking it up a bit towards the end.  

Monday 28MAR2022

Monday AM - back down to the Tullamore Canal, but the other direction in the dark.

That set me up with about 5k in the AM.  A bit sore from yesterday but I guess that is good.  

In the evening got out for another seven something.  I say something because I stopped the phone watch accidently for some period of time, guessing about a quarter, before correcting the error (and I still got seven).  More of the path.

Week ending 27MAR2022

Monday - 5.3 miles around practice in the morning (kids are on Spring Break)
Afternoon - 3.8 with GW and IW on Ridgeview

Played the open mic at Odde's Grill.

It was a quiet Monday night and SP drew me out. It was supposed to be a singer/songwriter original mic so I decided it was time to get past that hurdle.  I scribbled the words to "Sad Bastard Songs" and took a crack at it.  It is not polished but it worked.  More to come on that front.

Tuesday - complete wonk of a day.  No miles.  Meh.  

Wednesday - AM practice.  Jumped in some of the threshold stuff the kids were doing, and I ended up getting quarters and halves at 6:10 pace for a bit.  10.1 miles.  Got windy towards the end.  Good run.

3 more with GW in the afternoon along the ditch.  

Thursday PM - shirtless day on a warm afternoon. 9.3 miles.  A bit rough at time but got it done.    

Friday AM - cooler but trending warmer enough that I got away with shorts for an early AM run.  7 miles over to practice and then with GW and RT.  

Saturday - 5.2 miles easy before heading off to the airport.

Sunday - a bit knackered from the trip over to Ireland.  Tullamore.  Got out in their afternoon along the local canal for an out and back run of 8 miles.  Was moving pretty well - sea level is nice and averaged in the mid sevens (haven't seen that in a bit).

Ended up with about a 55 miles week over 6 days of running.  

Oh yeah ... 

Week ending 20MAR2022

Monday - 1 mile.  Yup.  1 mile at the start of practice and that was it.  Busy day.

Tuesday - AM, 10.4 miles easy.  Afternoon - 2.1 miles to the track and back with some strides.

Wednesday afternoon - 6 miles.  A little later to practice:  another 3.5.  Weather degraded from t-shirt and shorts on the early afternoon to a cold rain in practice.  

Thursday - 9 miles around practice.  Also played at the Rails St. Patty's Day mic.  

Friday - over at the Brighton meet all day and only got in like 5k.

Saturday - warming up with kids and some miles with Huen over at the Windsor meet.  9.4. miles.

Sunday - something now wrong with my neck.  I am going to have to come to terms with just something feeling jacked every week.  Today the neck.  Last week the knee.  Before that the Achilles.  Meh. 

Teller Farm today, 9.2 miles and it kicked my ass.  I was beat when done.  So that means I need to get back to that more often.  It has been too long since I have been out there.  

Managed another 50 something week, which is the baseline minimum I have established in my head.  It doesn't feel enough for a PPM effort but it is a "getting ready to get ready" threshold that I think I need to hold now.  This week it came with four miles total over two days, so there is some thought that I got the 50 off of five days ish.  

Off to a road trip for three weeks at the end of next week so its going to be a stretch to continue to hit that I think.

Week ending 13MAR2022

Monday - 6.3 miles around practice.  Pretty cold. 

Tuesday - pressed on the day.  4 miles.

Wednesday - stupid cold and snowing.  8 miles dumb slow.

Thursday - right knee upset about something today.  8.3 miles. Still cold but a lot better than yesterday.  

Friday - knee a bit better but still irked.  8 miles.

Saturday - 4 miles with GW before heading to Coyote-Panther Invite to coach (at the Centaur track ...)

Saturday night was an incredible gig.  Huge crowd, folks dancing, what a blast.  

Sunday - 11.8 miles.  Nice day so felt compelled to get a little longer, also to make sure I got at least 50 on the week.  

Week ending 06MAR2021

Monday AM - GW came by and we did 4.6 miles along the Ditch, etc in a loop.  Nice morning.  Cooler but not kick you in the face sorta cold.  

PM - first day of official 2022 track practice.  3.5 easy while the kids did a workout.

Tuesday mid morning - 5.3 miles.  Woke up early and signed up for the September 18 Pikes Peak Marathon.  So there is that.  

PM - 5.5 miles around practice.

Wednesday - 7 miles around practice.

Thursday - 8 miles around practice.

Friday - 8 miles around practice with Aaron and Greg.  Took a good spill on a prairie dog hole.  Haven't done that in a bit.  

Saturday - 9 miles total, most around practice with 20 minutes in the middle at bit less than threshold but quicker than I have been running (helping kids out).  If I can keep stuff like this consistent I ought to be moving in the right direction for Pikes.  

Sunday - 9 miles in a snow storm so slow.  I was completely spent, and didn't want to run but was okay once I got out there.  

60 plus on the week.  Without a doubt, the nicer weather made that a lot easier.  

Gig Saturday evening.