Friday, January 27, 2006

Birthday

I’m 36 today, and what better way to celebrate your birthday than to get up at 5:15am and run 15 miles? Actually, I was woken up at 4:45 by Lola. She’d had a “bad dream” and wanted to sleep in our bed. For the next 30 minutes she was tossing and turning, kicking and hugging me, shoving Teddy into my face, telling me about the toys her friend Molly had in her room, and generally making it absolutely impossible for me to get back to sleep. I was actually relieved when the clock showed 5:15, because it meant I had a reason to get up rather than fruitlessly trying to get some more sleep. I had gone to bed at 9:15 in the evening, so I was well rested by that time anyway.

The rest of Europe is shaken by a very nasty cold snap at the moment, but in Ireland we’re getting off lightly. It is a good bit colder than usual, alright, but no worse than –3C/26F or so. Still, I was glad for the long sleeves and gloves. I was in my shorts, but long pants might have been acceptable today. When I stopped at our driveway after 10 miles for a drink and a gel, I was steaming like an old steam engine - it looked quite funny in my headlamp. Never mind, the 15 miles went by fine. I was a bit more tired than I should have been, whether I was still tired from the intervals two days ago or from the fact that I have cut down my mileage over the last two weeks, I can’t tell. The achilles tendon is not as well recovered as I had hoped, because it is quite sore again. I’m still convinced that I’m on the mend, just not as well recovered as I had thought I am. There is yet another 20 miler on next week’s schedule, which sounds a bit taunting at the moment, but I’m sure I will be fine by the time it comes by (Tuesday or Thursday, I’m not yet sure).

I’ve just realised that it is less than two months to the marathon, and I’m starting to get those butterflies in my stomach whenever I think about it. I haven’t decided what time to aim for. It is a tough course, much more demanding than the 3-country-marathon I did in October, and a PR would be a great achievement. I guess I will have to wait and see how the training goes. If I can stay relatively injury free from now until March, I should be in good shape. Otherwise, well, I’ll still run it and hope for the best.

Jan 27: 15 miles, 2:07, 8:28 pace

13 comments:

  1. Happy b-day Thomas.

    This year, I am riding 200 km for my b-day. Oh the joy :).

    Here is to your injury free training and PR in March.

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  2. Thomas! Happy Birthday! I just had mine too, now I'm 27, and your 36, and that's just dandy being that they're both divisible by 9. Heck yes.

    What pace/time are you shooting for at the marathon?

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  3. Happy Birthday!
    15 miles, woo hoo!

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  4. Happy Birthday!
    Those butterflies... the race comes close, how excitement.
    Complete book of running says stop running, grrrr out massage with heat inducing cream or oil rubbing semicircles in all directions away from the knotted tissue three times a day. Run when you can do toe raises without pain.
    Hate the not to run part.

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  5. woohoo! happy birthday, thomas!

    at that temperature, add in some wind (and no leggings, just shorts) and you're asking for a nasty case of weiner bite!

    glad you dodged the frozen 'friend'!

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  6. Happy birthday to you...happy birthday to you! That is my favorite way to celebrate my birthday - go for a run! What better way is there to celebrate another year of living! Great run!

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  7. Happy birthday Thomas! Nice work on the 15 miler. Before you know it the 20 milers will be routine as well.

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  8. Happy Birthday Thomas!!!

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  9. HAPPY BIRTHDAY YOU!

    Tell me, how is it possible to get to bed at 9:15pm? I read that a lot in runners' blogs. I would love to get up very early but it's impossible. I'm regularly still at work at 9pm! Totally different lifestyles I guess. Wish I had one more like yours!

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  10. Another b-day boy on a list. Congrats!

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  11. Belated happy birthday greetings Thomas! 26F and shorts?! In Dallas, that sight would beat the steam coming off the top of your head! Over here shorts start disappearing around 50F (I think, unless I'm the only wimp out there ...)

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