6:41 per kilometre. That was the pace on this morning's canal run, and it felt exactly where a Friday run should sit.
Resting heart rate was 52 when I checked it before getting up — one beat above Wednesday's, which is fine. Sleep was 6 hours 40 minutes, which is less fine. The alarm went off at 5:50 and I lay there a few minutes before moving. By Friday the school week has its full weight on, and this week had a swimming trip with the junior infants on Wednesday and parent-teacher letters to draft yesterday evening. The legs on the canal felt heavy in the first kilometre, then settled.
Session log:
- Easy run, 7 km, 47 min, PE 3/10
- Strength (evening): goblet squat 3 × 10 at 16 kg, Romanian deadlift 3 × 10 at 22 kg, single-leg calf raise 3 × 12 each side, plank 3 × 45 s
The Achilles was quiet this morning. I noticed that deliberately. Two weeks ago it was clicking on the first kilometre, enough to make me shorten the stride and turn back early one session. I've kept weekly mileage flat since then — 38 km last week, 37 this week — and that seems to be holding it. I'll leave the mileage flat next week regardless of how it feels on Sunday, because that is what flat means.
The evening strength session was deliberately unambitious. PE 4/10. Friday strength is maintenance, not stimulus. The point is to arrive at Saturday's ride with something left in the tank.
Tomorrow is the Enniskerry loop: 62 km, roughly 900 metres of climbing. Forecast says 14 degrees and overcast, which is good riding weather. Porridge at 6:30, leave by 7:15, two bottles and two gels for the back half. The one adjustment from last Friday: lights out at 22:00 tonight. One hour earlier. That is all.
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