Dune and out in County Kerry

After an inauspicious start, the Christmas holidays turned out to be quite productive from a training point of view. After not managing a solitary mile during the first two days, I managed to rack up over 180 miles in the following 16 days. This was especially pleasing as I had only logged one 60 mile week since my last post. On a few occasions I had reached to 50+ by Friday only to be stuck on the same figure come Sunday evening, due partly to circumstance, and partly just not being in the zone. Since the beginning of December I have managed to knuckle down a bit knowing Christmas holidays would provide the perfect opportunity to get back into proper training.
After the initial two day hiatus I did get in a 17 mile long run to kick things off and a reasonable hill session in the Galtees. I followed this up with a race on the 26th with a belly full of turkey during which I thought I was going to die. As it was my first race since May I didn't know how it would go but had 18 minutes in mind. I managed 18.26 for 3rd place on a reasonably challenging
course.
After getting some social "obligations" out of the way that night I knuckled down again amd joined the club for their annual trip to Inch beach in county Kerry for a session on the infamous dunes. Well when I say knuckled down, the night before the session I had a few beers with an old work colleague in Killarney so I was ever so slightly under the weather setting off. The actual weather however was glorious so despite the dunes living up to the their reputation it felt great to let off some steam with some like minded individuals. (70miles total for week)

Inch Beach

The session was followed up with a return to the beach for a long run the following day and even though I felt I hadn't given it my all on the dunes I really struggled, especially when we encountered some soft sand. Rather than try and stick with the group I let them go and just pottered my way around for 11 miles. Felt knackered at the end so was surprised that my legs felt much better when we ventured out for another 30 minutes that evening. I guess that it was on tarmac may have had something to do with it.
The first session of the new week was back at the beach. As my Garmin battery had died I have no idea how it went but it felt ok as we went through 6x2minutes with 2 minutes recovery. As I was planning on racing on new years day (2 days later) I didn't want to kill myself. After returning home did an easy hour the following morning pre breakfast. Had planned on being in bed early but low and behold I ended up past midnight eating all sorts of rubbish before finally hitting the sack in the wee hours. Not an ideal way to prepare for a race or see in the new year for that matter.
The race didn't go great - never really got going and felt I was just going through the motions. Still it was a good workout (22nd in 29.52) and when I think I struggled to do 4 miles on the same day last year it was quite encouraging.
Did another double on friday (5miles am; 6miles pm) before another hill session on Saturday. Had hoped to get to the club hill session but a lack of transport meant I had to make do with the Galtees. Finished out the week with a dreary 70minutes on Sunday evening, was just going through the motions but of course that needs to be done too. (76miles total for week)

Hill session on the Galtees