6.30 am – 6 undulating miles in the Kerries. 50 mins – 8.20 pace.
Enjoyed this morning’s run. It felt more like a sub threshold 10 – back in my day. Yesterday, the running guru – Sean - suggested the route. ‘The rolling hills and the scenery will do you the world of good,’ he said. ‘Instead of taking a right out onto the Fat mile, take a left and head out on the Fenit road and take a left up into the Kerries. The boreen will bring you back onto the Fenit – Tralee road. You’ll do a 5.6 km loop. The run’s tough enough, but it's a beautiful 6 miles.’
Then he pulled out a strange contraption that looked like a piece of dead bark.
‘What’s that?’ I said
‘This lad,’ he said, holding it up. ‘Is my hobbledeegook. It’s worth millions and one day, it might just be yours.’
‘Go on then,' I said, humo[u]ring him. 'What’s it all about?’
He pointed his hobbledeegook at the floor and then it happened. Now, this might surprise you: I’m prone to a bit of exaggeration, but the veracity of what I’m about to tell you is unquestionable – Zeus strike me down where I sit typing, if I spin a yarn.
'Japers and jaspers, I'm always one for afters,' he said. 'Sean, Sean, the all singing, all dancing, leaping leprechaun wants home.
And then, a portal appeared, hovering in the middle of the room.
‘Step in with me,’ he said, showing his toothless mouth and pointing to the portal. ‘There’s nothing to be afeard of.’
‘Where will it take us?’ I said.
‘My home. The secret valley of leprechauns, where I reside, alone,' he said. His green eyes glowed and wispy hairs dangled from his nose. 'You will hear the shifting susurrations of a thousand mountain springs sluicing pebbled beds. Like a mother’s whispered hushes and shushes in a once upon a time lullaby, words of wisdom will come to you. You will drink from a special spring and cleanse your palette. By sipping from the spring of truth, you’ll be ready to begin your journey,' he continued and stood. 'A journey you must undertake if you are to save my life and bring back the magic to the Emerald Isle. Furthermore, if you run the sub 2.23 at the 2013 Cork marathon and therefore save my life, I will give you my hobbledeegook and all its secrets. The hobbledeegook will offer you riches beyond those found at the end of rainbows.’
‘You're full of it, kidda.' I said. 'Anyway, the wife'll be home soon and she'll have a savage hunger on her; she'll need a powerful feeding. But just so that I know, will I find out about your revolutionary 10 by 10 marathon training thingymabob?’
'For sure,' he said, winking. 'Come on and I'll show you your training group and many more things that will bedazzle you.'
I stood and for a moment tried to think of an excuse. You see, the wife's always giving out to me for going walkabout.
'Okay, but we better not be long; she's mighty fierce if she's not fed,' I said.
Tomorrow, I'll tell you what I saw...
RHR 58
| 