Thursday, June 07, 2012

More Media Outings


I didn't mention it in my Cork race pace report because it had nothing to do with the race itself, but the Irish Times ran a piece on running on Monday after I had been interviewed by Shane Hegarty late last week. It was in the print edition, and their website features it as well:

http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/bodyandsole/2012/06/04/how-to-beat-the-post-race-blues/

(not sure how long they have articles available for free before archiving them behind a pay wall)

No, I don't usually get mentioned in the same sentence as Vinny Mulvey. It's well worth reading, and no, I'm not saying that because of my own modest contribution.

I knew about that one. The other one came as a surprise today. And highly flattering it is, too.

http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/bodyandsole/2012/06/06/non-rubbish-runners-man-vs-horse-a-freakishly-fast-marathon/

For some unknown reason I'm really racking up media appearances all of a sudden. There was me in the news about the Connemara Ultra (twice!), my photo in the Irish Times after Limerick, I was in the highlights video for both Limerick and Kildare and now those two articles. My kids are definitely starting to get impressed (not an easy feat, believe you me).

When they started bringing in the pink pacer balloons on Monday morning, there were a few comments about the colour. My own immediate reaction was "Brilliant, Maia is going to love this!", and so it proved. As big as the support was from the Cork spectators, I received my biggest cheer when I arrived home with a big pink balloon. "Daddy, you won a pink balloon!!", which to her is just the best price possible, ever. Niamh was slightly less enthusiastic ("the last balloon you brought home has only just deflated!"), but you can't please all of them all the time.

My own recovery is going exceedingly well. I had absolutely no soreness in the legs whatsoever, not even when descending that flight of stairs at the office. I had to slow myself down on Tuesday time and time again because the legs felt like going much faster than I was prepared to let them. On Wednesday I gave in a bit more and ran 5 miles on autopilot.

This morning, Thursday, I wore a backpack to test it out for Saturday's adventure race. I know I left it rather late, two days before the event is not the best time to start experimenting with new equipment, but it went very well. I could feel the extra weight from the water bladder, but it is perfectly fine for running and doesn't bounce, not even at higher speeds.

As well as I am recovering from the marathon, obviously I won't be at my best on Saturday, but that's okay. I'm doing this purely for fun, and for a nice training effect to boot.
5 Jun
5 miles, 39:23, 7:52 pace, HR 141
6 Jun
5+ miles, 38:14, 7:33 pace, HR 145
7 Jun
8 miles, 1:00:18, 7:32 pace, HR 148

4 comments:

  1. Congrats on your media attention, best of Luck saturday, sounds like your 'truckin'.

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  2. You certainly deserve all that in the media. I am really inspired by what you are doing. Have a super weekend!

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  3. it's obviously the blog thomas. i was watching you and the other pacers lining up for the start of the cork marathon and the number of people who went up to you and said hello and/or got a photo of you was gas. never saw that before- it even prompted me to go up and say hello to you!!!

    personally i think you should collect and put your blog marathon/running adventures into a publication. there is defintely a thread of a good story there."austrian- kerry man goes from running 4.36 marathons to running sub 3 marathons and ultras by sheer force of will and holding down a busy personal and work life"- i tell you man there's money in it. Ian o'Riordan can even ghost write it for you ;-)

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  4. Cathal, and the publisher will offer a bonus if he can keep it under 200 pages ;)

    So I take it you're borrowing a kayak for the adventure race? Sounds like fun!

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