Before The Storm

I was wrong about the hurricanes - I thought we were already experiencing the remnants of Hurricane Katia this weekend, but the weather lady told me otherwise. Ex-tropical storm Lee must have taken a shortcut and arrived here before the lady, and the gale-force wind driving the rain horizontally at times were his doing. Katia is going to hit us tonight and tomorrow, with wind speed of well over 100 kph. Three ex-hurricanes/tropical storms in 5 days. Interesting.

However, with my first step yesterday I decided I was going to enjoy the conditions instead of moaning about them. Running in those conditions gives a certain feeling of hard-core training. I do get a kick out of the knowledge that 99% of the population will take one look at this and shudder at the mere thought of going outside. Alas, the sun came out halfway through the run and took half the fun away (the gale force wind remained). Never mind, there's plenty more where that weather came from.

Getting out of the door was a bit of a struggle. During the week it takes me only 15 minutes to get from bed to door. Yesterday I was just about to leave when Maia woke and I had to make her breakfast, as well as a little chat. Then I was just about to leave when Shea woke, looking for some books, toys and breakfast. Then I was just about to leave when Cian woke, asking for breakfast as well. When Niamh woke I decided she was old enough to make her own breakfast and left, otherwise I would never have gotten out.

I seem to have overcome that damn cold that had me in its grip for 6 weeks. I did my last cough halfway through the Dingle marathon, and no problems since. Niamh is still a bit afflicted, which means the difference between us must have come from the healing powers of the marathon. Unfortunately, something else has crept up; Shea had a sore tummy yesterday and Maia was coughing heavily all day yesterday as well as last night, which made for another interrupted night of sleep. Real life isn't going away just because you're a runner, I suppose.

I'm still feeling fine, though. The 10 miles this morning were my first double-digits since the marathon last Saturday. I'm not sure how long the deeper effects of 26 mile last but I can't believe how quickly I have recovered from this. Running a marathon used to be tough, you know.

Today is of course the anniversary of 9/11 and the mood is rather sombre. I didn't know anyone personally, though the London office of Castor-Fitzgerald were customer of the company I was working for at the time and they were of course utterly devastated. It's a time to appreciate your own family more than ever.

10 Sep

8 miles, 1:02:20, 7:47 pace, HR 144

11 Sep

10 miles, 1:17:39, 7:45 pace, HR 145