Early morning long run...

It's 05.30 as the alarm clock switches on dragging me out of a place I really wanted to be. The radio muttered in the background, it was difficult to make out what was been said but I didn't really care. I knew I had to get up but I just needed another minute, maybe two.

It's 05.45 and the second alarm sounds, this one is an annoying buzzing noise that demands attention. It's silenced immediately, I get the message.

It's 05.55 before I finally drag myself out of bed. It's dark outside, probably cold too but there are 12 miles of parkland to be covered and I'd better get on with it. It takes a couple of minutes for my Garmin to lock onto its' satellites so I sit on the doorstep while putting my trainer on, still mucky from last run.


With trainers on and satellites found I took off. As usual, my pace was far too fast at a little over 7 minute miles. I tried to slow down but am hopeless at regulating my pace. After a few minutes I got it down to 8 minute miles and eventually to a reasonable 9 minute mile but not before I felt exhausted.

To save my knees I ran on every scrap of grass I passed until I got to the Curragh, by that time the sun was up and it was turning into a beautiful morning.

I ran towards Donnolly's hollow and after 5 miles I finally got my pace down to my marathon target pace of 9.30. I Connolly's circled the monument, took a gel pack and some water, and ran towards the golf course. I wasn't sure if I could run around the golf course but I ran up to the club house anyway where I met some of the groundsmen who were busy getting the course ready for the day.

After a short break I doubled back and ran cross country towards the main Curragh village. After a circuit of the large field next to the motorway I had covered over 10 miles and it was time to return home. By this time the town had woken up and everyone was busy getting somewhere.

As I approached the bridge that marks a mile from home I had covered a little under 12 miles and I decided to take a little detour to add a little more distance. I turned into what I thought was a lane, it turned out to be the house for the Parish priests and as luck would have it one of them was leaving in his car. Thinking I was looking for assistance he rolled down the window to ask what he could do. I explained that I was out for a run and wondered if this lane was a dead end. While it was definitely a physical dead end, I was assured that it was by no means a spiritual dead end.

By the time I reached home I had covered 13.29 miles in 02:15:23. That's an average pace of 10:11, a little over my marathon target but with 7 weeks to the marathon I'm happy with that.