9 Weeks To Go

This is Tuesday 14/08/2012... on Thursday I will have 9 weeks until I start my challenge, taking to the road through Ennis, Co. Clare for my first of 32 half marathons. My God the weeks haven't been long counting down and I can only imagine how fast the rest of the time fly's by.

I have devised a new training plan right up to start day, I can only assume its the right kinda training as its what my gut is telling me to do... and I always trust my gut feelings. I am eating like a horse at the moment, I have never eaten so much wholewheat pasta and brown rice in my life... the meals are not glamorous at all but they are what I need at the moment for this kind of intense challenge. The only supplements I am taking are Whey protein for muscle recovery and Magnesium in liquid form, again for recovery and for endurance.

The IT band problem I was having seems to have eased a lot, I managed a 6 mile run without the strap however I will wear it in longer runs and always have it to hand. my physio Sean and yoga instructor Brenda have been instrumental in aiding that recovery and I certainly don't miss the dry needling at all!!! I only have a few tweaks at moment...  an annoying sciatic nerve in my left glute which really only flares up whilst sitting or driving and my back is a bit tight at moment but a few nights sleeping in a caravan would do that! I am tired a lot lately but that's to be expected.. getting out of bed every morning at 6 is kinda tough, although when I had my plastering business I was up at 5.30 every morning... getting old(er) :)

I had a meeting last Thursday in Dublin with Kate and a few of the girls in Aware we discussed the progress of both training and fundraising along with trying to get funding from businesses for running (excuse the pun) costs... gear, supplements, accommodation, food etc aren't and wont come cheap... I would like to thank Ennis Swimming Pool  for very generously sponsoring me use of their facilities for the duration of the training.

So here is the training schedule for the rest of my training:

I will have yoga 3 times a week too and on the days I don't, I will do the core workout at night that my Physio Sean devised.

So there you have it... a very busy 9 weeks (including normal work and cake making) up until my very very busy 2 weeks running challenge. :)

Calso Cooks On The Run........ The Schedule

I have managed to get 10 minutes away from training and cake making to do a quick post. I spent sometime in front of a HUGE map of Ireland trying to figure out my route through all 32 counties in 12 days.
I am going to try and hit a main town in each county, however some were just not within reach of my route.

So this is the route I have come up with, I'm sure there are more straight forward but this routes but this is the one that suits me best.....

This may be subject to a small bit of change but nothing major.I'm hoping to get some people to run a few miles here and there with me (numbers will be limited). I can forward on a sponsorship form to anyone interested to help reach the €20,000 target for Aware.

Training is going ok at the moment, I'm just coming back from an IT band injury (runners knee). But thanks to my physio Sean O'Meara from Excel Physiotherapy, who has been donating 2-3 session free per week, its on the mend.

I would also like to thank Brenda from the Ennis Yoga Studio who again has very kindly been donating 2-3 classes per week to get my body nimble for the long road ahead.

I'm starting to clock up miles again on the road, but have been keeping my fitness up by through weights work outs, core work outs, boxing, cycling and swimming, and of course clean eating :)

Sorry for the shortness of the post but there will be a bigger update when I get more than 10 minutes to spare.