The winter break is over…and an extended one I might add. Bar two outings in early January, not a yard was covered since November 26th after RunTheLine 13Km moutain race (http://runtheline.ie/). A great race but at that stage I was finished after a grueling season. According to my Runkeeper app, I clocked up 98 sessions in 10 months. I left that day worn out and ready for some well needed downtime.

I usually take January off. Don’t know why really. Is it the fact that I don’t want to be tagged as one of those “New Years Resolutioners” or probably because I know what the coming year has in store and rest is just as important as training. Either way, its probably a touch of laziness.

I personally, like to throw myself into the deep end when i get back into it. Always kind of felt from a young age, that if you don’t feel a tad wobbly/ lightheaded/asthmatic or nauseous at the end you haven’t put it in. Unfortunately as the sands of time have passed, i do not need to wait that long for any or all of the aforementioned to rear their ugly heads.

I felt I needed a nice challenge this morning to push me so i tackled the Hell Fire Club Assent in the Dublin mountains up past Firhouse. All the gear was laid out last night, so there would no excuses come 6am when I woke. So gingerly I crept around the house, trying not to wake the sleepers and off i went. 10 mins in the car and I arrived in the dark of early morning.

The route itself is about a 4.2km round trip with an assent/decent of 350ft(107m) both ways on a gravelly surface.  So I did that twice which I was over the moon to be able to finish. It took 43:57 mins in total which was much quicker than i thought i would. You can view my stats >here.

One reaching the summit the first time I was greeted with glorious views of Dublin asleep. Always makes the hard slog that little bit easier. There is something very self satisfying about early morning or late night running…a kind of one upmanship on everyone who is in the land of slumber.  On my return trip to the summit, I was greeted with a thick cloud of fog and mist and daylight, like everyone had woken up and had a good auld yawn…

Maybe the time off had rejuvenated me. i definitely felt the hunger again. I have, with 14 other friends and colleagues signed up for the Quest Glendalough race on April 8th. A race that has 3 disciplines…kayaking, cycling and hill running. I have signed up to the 41km route. It was my first ever multi-sport/adventure last year and I cant describe the buzz I got out of it. I completed it in 3hrs 31mins. My training was a tad naive, not putting in much hill time but I learned. I have set myself a mammoth task but as the say..If your goals don’t scare you, they are not big enough. The training and the hours I will have to put in over the next 9 weeks and 5 days definitely does scare me but I cant wait…

Roll on Quest, Roll on the Pain, Roll on the Endorphin’s, Roll on the unparalleled sense of accomplishment when I cross that line sub 3 hrs.

Signing out of my first blog and training day#1

PS I would really appreciate if you could please please share this blog out folks…It makes the miles and hills that little easier 🙂