Let’s take the first steps together…

Looking for a reason to get fit and healthy? Been thinking about running but don’t know where to start? Lost your mojo for exercise and don’t know where to start looking?

We have the answer for you starting in 2 weeks time. Just like the groups we have previously introduced to running we promise to take you from Zero running to 5k in just 8-9 weeks.

Don’t think you can do it? Then we challenge you to do just the first weekend with us, if you don’t like it or don’t enjoy yourself or don’t think that you can be a runner AFTER just 1 session with us we’ll be amazed!

Of course the session are all FREE. You don’t need anything fancy or new, just yourself and a desire to get a wee bit fitter.

Up for it? Of course you are!! Pop your details in the Eventbrite link below and we’ll get details out to you.

[IMPROVERS] #AskAKW Marathon Plan – The Final Countdown

Edit: Sorry had drafted this and hit the ‘Save’ rather than ‘Publish’ button.

“You are almost there!”

“”Just around the corner”

Phrases you gotta get used to hearing! 🙂 In 4 weeks it is all you will be hearing as you float around the 26.2 miles of Dublin Marathon.

For now we want to get you through the next 2 weeks before settling in with some tapering workouts and advice. The next few sessions are all about honing and focussing on your marathon pace (Mpace) so your body knows just what to do on the day.

Here we go:

This week 28th September-

Monday – REST

Tuesday – 10k steady

Wednesday – 16k with 5k at Mpace

Thursday – 10mins easy, 20mins @10k pace, 10 mins easy (8k)

Friday & Saturday – REST or easy, easy 5k / 30mins trot to loosen legs

Sunday – 34k with km 20-32 at Mpace

Sunday is particularly tough but you will finish this feeling good. Trust me.

Next week 5th October

Monday – 5k / 30mins easy loosener

Tuesday – 10k steady

Wednesday – 14k with 5k at Mpace

Thursday – 10mins easy, 30mins @10k pace, 10 mins easy (10k)

Friday – REST

Saturday – easy, easy 8k / 40mins trot to loosen legs

Sunday – 32k with km 20-30 at Mpace

These two Sunday runs are very important!

Time these as if they were race day. If you are travelling to the race start on 28th October, treat these Sunday’s as your dry runs. If you need to get up for breakfast on 28th at 6am, do it on these Sunday’s too. Figure out how much breakfast you can handle, do you need more gels to allow for ‘waiting around’ time? Start your run at the same time as your wave start for Dublin Marathon.

Any questions, pop them into the comments or #AskAKW on Twitter 🙂

Good luck!

[Beginners] #AskAKW You’re into the Home Strait now!!

How awesome do you folks feel right now?

4 weeks until you tackle your first marathon!!! WHOOP WHOOP!! 😀 😀

There are just 2 more weeks of ‘big’ miles and then you are into what is known as “Taper mode”. Contrary to what you may be lead to believe tapering is not an excuse to stop running and start eating cake! I will have more advice on how to taper properly in the next piece.

For now, keeping it simple this week 29th September:

Monday -REST

Tuesday – 8k EASY

Wednesday – 10-12 Steady pace – easy warmup and cooldown

Thursday – 10mins easy, 20mins Steady, 10 mins easy (8k total)

Friday & Saturday – Rest

Sunday – 32k Easy as a Sunday morning!!

And next week 6th October is going to be exactly the same:

Monday -REST

Tuesday – 8k EASY

Wednesday – 10-12 Easy pace – easy warmup and cooldown

Thursday – 10mins easy, 20mins Steady, 10 mins easy (8k total)

Friday & Saturday – Rest

Sunday – 32k Easy as another Sunday morning!!

These two Sunday runs are very important! Time these as if they were race day. If you are travelling to the race start on 28th October, treat these Sunday’s as your dry runs. If you need to get up for breakfast on 28th at 6am, do it on these Sunday’s too. Figure out how much breakfast you can handle, do you need more gels to allow for ‘waiting around’ time? Start your run at the same time as your wave start for Dublin Marathon.

These things you need to know and race day is the wrong day to discover that you need more fuel on board. Or that the scrambled eggs are not the right start to the day that you thought!!

Best of luck 🙂

Fancy a project? Building a hut with a kiln-fired tiled roof.

If you are looking for inspiration for a project to carry out for yourself or to co-build with kids to encourage a spirit for adventure, this blog is amazing!!

The attention to detail, the skills involved; building a kiln, firing clay tiles and innovations like underfloor heating in a primitive hut are ingenious.

So, so impressed with his work and a blog well worth following if you are interested in developing outdoor skills!!

Source: Building a hut with a kiln-fired tiled roof, underfloor heating and mud pile walls.

 

There used to be only one in every village, now look how many of them there are…..

I got to thinking last night about back when I was younger (25 odd years ago) interested in pints and hanging out with the lads; there was a fellow in our village who was always ridiculed when seen out in public.

Can you help spread the words?

 

 

Into the last 8 weeks of training!

Fingers crossed you are all seeing the benefits of the plan and are feeling a bit zippier in your running?