Sunday, June 25, 2006

I knew it

It was only a matter of time until someone would start questioning the authenticity of my accounts of Cian’s misdemeanours. Well, I can assure you, I don’t make up anything, and I don’t exaggerate; it is simply not necessary with that boy. His stage of development isn’t called the Terrible Twos for nothing. I vividly remember the time when Lola and Shea were that age. Whenever Gaga would mention the Terrible Twos, I was never sure if he was referring to the twins or merely to their stage of development. However, Cian didn’t cause any significant damage since the last time. He caused a few minor mishaps, like pouring the Calamine lotion into his bath last night, but that’s hardly worth mentioning.

This weekend saw a massive meeting of Harley-Davidson’s in Killarney. Depending on which paper you believe, there were between 5000 and 10000 bikers there. As far as I can tell, the whole weekend passed off entirely peacefully, and all the bikers we saw on the road were driving extremely disciplined. But last night, two of them were killed in a collision with a car less than 10 miles from here. That’s terrible, and Niamh’s first words were that it must have been the car driver’s fault because the bikers were all so well behaved, but of course we don’t know what really happened.

Running seems to be the one topic I’m mentioning the least these days. That’s because there aren’t a lot of worthwhile incidents. I’m slowly increasing my mileage and I’m running more than ever before, and I feel great about it. Well, that isn’t entirely true, one or two days ago I felt a bit of a twinge in my right foot. I guess it’s a sign that my shoes are coming to the end of their useful life. I always alternate two pairs of shoes, and the older pair has nearly 400 miles on them. I guess it’s time for another retirement. Thanks to Cliff, who very generously donated a pair that he didn’t feel comfortable with (thanks again, mate), I already have a replacement ready. I might still get another pair, because I prefer to alternate between two different kinds of shoes, and the two pairs I have lined up are both Asics GT-1110s.

The predicted rain never arrived, and Friday’s 17 miles went without a hitch, as did the 9 miles today, with 4 miles at threshold pace. I think I ran the threshold run a bit too fast three weeks ago, so I slowed down a little bit in comparison. I still felt quite knackered towards the end, but, after all, that’s what you’re supposed to feel after such a workout.

23 Jun: 17.2 miles, 2:20, 8:08 pace
25 Jun: 9 miles, 1:11, 7:53 pace, with 4 miles at 7:20 in the middle

13 comments:

  1. I don't doubt your tales for a minute! With two kids it never ceases to amaze me what they get up to. Just today I took a drink from the 6yo's drink bottle which she had left on the floor only to find that she had filled it with mum's wine. Great job on the shoe rotation and increased mileage!

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  2. While the kids' antics are funny, I'm getting a kick out of the google ads at the top of your page. Most blogs have running-type adverts, but yours are all for excema etcetera. I guess if I had those they would mostly be for peptol-bismol with the way the kids throw up!

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  3. That's a pretty solid pace for 17 miles - is that an improvement on what you were running previously?

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  4. Very very good pace. A meeting of HD is always interesting; it is very sad what happened to those 2 drivers.

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  5. I have no problem believing what Cian gets up to - I hear about stuff like that at preschool all the time. The funny part is that I'm hearing it all from one person!

    Your training seems to be going really well - the miles and the times too. Keep it up!

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  6. I believe your stories too, I am one of 7 boys and we drove my parents abou t mad! We were a pretty rowdy bunch, thinks like wrestling in the living room and breaking furniture, pushing one another out the window (it was closed), throwing rotten tomatoes at passing cars, racing the farm tractors down the county road - boy stuff!

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  7. U make me think twice about having kids :D..j/k

    just glad i found those shoes a new home.

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  8. Oh yes the terrible two's has just started in our household too!

    Hey thanks for that recommendation, I'll definitely look into that Pfitzinger book.

    Great running. :)

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  9. We must have got lucky as I don't remember much about the terrible 2's except for emptying out cupboards of the dishes and having a party in the kitchen.

    Good running, your pace is up there! Must have the head down, right?

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  10. Nice job on the running lately. Your pace for the 17 miles is solid at this stage of the program. Of course that just means that we are going to expect a big PR out of you.

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  11. wait, the rain never arrived?! wow.

    so sad about the bikers killed.

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  12. Thnakfully my son is now 20, but boy can I remember his antics as a 2 year old - Maybe not quite as bad as Cian, but ......

    As for your running, you are blasting along. Great 17 miler, and at that pace you are either risking burn out and injury, or you will shatter your PR come October. Don't peak too early.

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  13. come on, of course we believe you! You'd have to be quite a good fiction writer to make up the stuff you report!

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