Irish Path to New York City

stats of the week: run 34km, gym 2h

I looked up my last year's preparation for the NYC Marathon and designed it the same way once again. Walking the Irish Coast and watching Dublin Marathon.

This is Dingle peninsula and its so called three sisters.

Russian Dimitry Safronow lead by 2 minutes at half way of the Dublin Marathon but finally he was down to 3rd rank and lost by 25 seconds to winner Eliud Too of Kenya.

3K too long

stats of the week: run 48km, cycled 35km, gym 3h

As expected I could not defend my last year's 3rd place at the 29K Teutolauf which is quite a tough hilly trail race. Finishing after 2:33:34 meant I was just one minute slower than last year. That's the regular aging downfall. However, I felt strong during nearly all the distance, it was just 3K too long for me because at the final stage I had no power left and merely staggered towards the finish line. I reckon if there had been a doctor watching me he'd have stopped me and taken out of the race. Anyway I missed the third place by just 9 seconds what was a surprise. The guy probably overtook me within the final mile. I didn't notice but that didn't matter as I wasn't able to resist.

The only thing scaring me is that next race is even 13K longer!

Intensive week, limited year

stats of the week: run 70km, gym 4h

70K means my most comprehensive week of running this year. This was intended to get ready for the oncoming two races. First is the 29K hillrun "Teutolauf" where I finished 3rd of my age group last year. A surprising result that I reckon is unrepeatable. It is now my second year in M60, and I estimate every year counts for 2 minutes at a distance of 29K.

However this year's mileage is somewhat limited and it's forseeable by now that I'll not reach the target of 2000K in 2014.

Second next event is my 8th New York City Marathon. But let's take it one by one.

Decent bike year at end of season

stats of the week: run 25km, cycled 413km

End of season saw us cycling relaxed on sunny and warm Majorca for just 3 days.

However, half of the week's mileage was done at home on a weekend tour with one sunny day out and one very wet day return. All this mileage made 2014 my 3rd best bike year ever, adding up to 4,299km by now.

Year's best 10K

stats of the week: run 31km, cycled 10km, gym 2h
stats of the week before: run 31km, cycled 126km, gym 2h

After 2 halves and one full marathon it was a time for low key jogging. But the fortnight culminated in a 10K race run at my very limits. Groaning for the final 2K I managed to clock 45:37 and was still disappointed at first because the last kilometer turned out to be too long. However, it was my year's best 10K, so no reason to moan.

Demure Scotsman

stats of the week: run 55km, bike 71km, gym 2h

My first full Marathon du Medoc was a special experience. It was a hot and sunny day, perfect party weather. Alas, I felt it a bit too hot for drinking pints of red wine, so I ended up again faster than scheduled. After 5:09 h I had 80% of the drinking pack behind me. The advantage was that the queue for the beer at the finish was shorter.

I have to do it again with more time and more red wine. And as a free Scotsman :-)

Sundays' experiment

stats of the week: run 48km, cycled 81km, gym 2h
stats of the week before: run 45km, cycled 50km, gym 5h

The experiment of 2 half marathons on 2 consecutive Sundays was successful. The first one was flat and planned as sort of exercise with restrained speed. However, I finished it slightly faster than scheduled after 1:53 h. Obviously it wasn't too fast as the second half marathon was faster than planned, too. I clocked 1:41 on a hilly, strenuous course and was ranked 2nd of my age group. This was just luck as there was only one really fast 60-year-old taking part.

A minor part of the experiment was to wear lightweight shoes on 21K, for a much longer distance than I usually do. Success again, no pain, no problems.