Diary of a Rubbish Marathon Runner

There seems to be an impression that I don't like following advice. Not sure where that comes from, maybe from my irrational hatred agai...

Everything is going to be different from today on. Ireland is voting for radical change. According to the media this is the most important d...

There is not much to report because all I have been doing since the weekend were a few recovery runs, not because I overdid things but becau...

So said Kathryn as our paths crossed on Sunday in the pouring rain. I was just past the 12 mile point and working too hard to give much of a...

Shea had gotten up early and subsequently had half an hour spare after breakfast. He asked me what to do and did not fancy reading, writing,...

Shea just learnt a lesson about electronic equipment and water the hard way, but somehow he seems determined to blame it on his mum. A bit l...

I can sleep easily again. The coach’s verdict was not as damning as feared. Since this was my first back-to-back workout under his guidance ...

It’s Sunday afternoon, I'm knackered and I am left in no doubt that, yes, I am training for a marathon. For the first time since startin...

Just a couple of minutes after setting off I noticed a car slowly approaching from behind. As I'm running on public roads, that’s nothin...

I was a bit apprehensive before Tuesday’s hill workout because I did not know how much effect Sunday’s long run would have on my legs. There...

I made it through the first week of the Transition phase without injury and with 2 intact, if slightly sore, legs. Doing this for the first ...

Maia might be right, I’m really old. At least I feel it now. There is a picture on my desk, showing me with the twins just a few months old....

And to think I was looking forward to that ... After weeks and weeks of base training that consisted of mainly running well within myself at...

You might not know that, but Niamh is as obsessed about baking as I am about running. She produces mountains of the stuff and it is all jus...

There is one thing I did not mention about Tuesday’s school evening, though it was very much on my mind. Niamh noticed it as well, and that’...

For most of my base training phase I have been feeling very, very good. Even though my fitness clearly improved it felt like I was not reall...

The coach sent me a quick email, telling me not to be too hard on myself as the last evaluation had been very good. He also told me to relax...

Someone in the office got the idea to get a group of us running the Cork marathon as a fundraiser for Cancer Research , in honour of a colle...

From what I’ve gathered so far, base training is all about recovery and ensuring that you get enough of it. Accordingly I made doubly sure t...

Back in October, at the start of training, the coach sent me an email containing a slightly cryptic message: “This is good: 10 at 7:13 pace,...