We finally made it to the finish line! After so many months of training and talking about it, it was great to just get out there and do it!

The run itself was tough going. We paced ourselves as much as we could, but it was hard to do that because you just didn’t know what was coming round the next corner. The scenery was amazing though, it’s really a gorgeous spot. Not a bad place to kick start your marathon career!

Went for dinner and a few drinks with the team on Saturday night to mark the occasion. Continued the celebrations with a homecoming party in Quin last night. Was great to get such local support, it really makes all the difference.

Back to reality now, but don’t think I will be giving up on the running just yet. I’ve been converted. I’m definitely going to keep up my 10km runs, figure the training will be good for my GAA career!

It was certainly a life changing experience, I would never have thought of myself doing something like this.

Overall, a brilliant experience, I made great friends, I reached a level of fitness that I would never have thought possible and I ran an Alpine Marathon! All of the pain, training and in my case needles- was worth it in the end!

Just goes to show what you can do with determination, hard work and a never say die attitude!

All the best,

Trevor

Taking it easy this week, just going to the pool and getting a few massages done to keep the body in shape. Still having a bit of hassle with the calves, had some more acupuncture done over the weekend and going to the physio on Wednesday to fix any remaining problems. So hopefully that should sort it.

Really looking forward to it now, just want to stop thinking about it and actually get out there and do it! Not overly anxious about it, I know we will get the opportunity to have a look over the course on Friday with Hannah so we can familiarise ourselves with everything, so that should help our confidence.

We have been getting brilliant support from everyone at home which has been a great boost. I guess now we have no choice but to do it because everyone knows about it, so there’s no escaping it!

I’m determined to finish regardless of what happens out there, I know it’s going to be a huge challenge but we haven’t come this far for nothing, so even if it means I have to crawl over that finish line –I’m gona do it!

Will let you know next week how we survived the Swiss Slopes!

All the best,

Trevor

Got some acupuncture done last night just to act as a quick fix for the few remaining niggles that I have with my calves.
Our physio reckons it’s probably from over training at this stage and that the muscles are fatigued, so I had to endure the needles in order to release the tightness of the muscles- not a pleasant experience but sure had to be done to ensure that I make it up those mountains!

Went for my last long run on Saturday, was in Killarney for the weekend so I went for a run in the National Park, probably would have been more enjoyable were it not for the torrential downpour I got caught in!

Taking it easy with the training this week. Trying to mix it up a bit now with some cycling, swimming and running in order to give the different muscles a break each day, have definitely toned down the pace from what’s its been in the last few weeks.

Have to say I’m really beginning to look forward to it now, the only thing I’m worried about is how the altitude is going to affect us.
We have all the running preparation done but we have no experience of the altitude. That remains the only unknown to us now, so fingers crossed it all works out!

Will check in next week to let you know how we’re set for take-off!

All the best,

Trevor

Just back to full training after a week of taking it easy after being struck down with a bout of the flu.
Dosed myself with some antibiotics to prevent it from getting any worse and on Hannah’s advice I took it handy with the training for the last few days just to make sure that I recovered properly.

Am back into the swing of things now in the gym and went back running last night.
Now that we are in the final stages of training we will probably do our last long run this weekend and then start the wind down next week with a few short runs just to keep the legs fresh.

Can’t believe that we are nearly there, I really thought this date would never come and now it’s here. It’s like we’re not just training for fun anymore, but we are actually going to do this for real in a few weeks!

I am looking forward to it though –it will be great to finally get up there and see what all the hype is about!

Will check in next week to let you know how we’re surviving the final few days…

All the best,

Trevor

I am still in recovery mode from the Mourne Way marathon but did get in a 10K run in 42 minutes so I was pleased enough that things are ticking over.

Took a complete break last weekend and headed to Slane for a great Oasis gig. As I’ve learnt through the Powerade involvement, preparation is everything and we decided to camp for the two nights, so missing all the problems getting in and out. At least my training would have set me up for a long walk but it wasn’t needed!

My trips to the physio continue and I had to bite the bullet and get some acupuncture on my hamstring last time. It does provide a quick fix but it is very uncomfortable and I am not a big fan. Give me massage any time but needles…

Into the final countdown now for the Alps. I’ll take a peek at the Tour de France next week for a sneak preview of what the mountains are gonna look like. Bring it on.

Trevor

That was savage. Even though we were well prepared, nothing can really get you ready mentally for a challenge like the Mourne Marathon. Still, that is my first full distance marathon done now and it means the Alps are a major step closer.

Myself and Angeline started off together and ran alongsides for about the first six miles. Then I kicked on a bit in company with a guy called Peter Ferris (Hi Peter!). He has run a total of 328 marathons, 100 of them in less than three hours and his next challenge after this will be to do seven marathons in seven days.

He kept me going (and inspired) through 20 miles up hill, over rough terrain, and then I hit the wall. The last six and a bit miles I was running on empty. Angeline came past me at about 21 and seeing Reg and Hannah at each of the last couple of stations was just enough to keep me going.

Done now though, and after that anything is possible. I’ll check back in later in the week with an update on how my body is recovering and where we go to next…

All the best,

Trevor

Hit 18 miles last week in 2 Hours and 50 minutes. It was a great feeling going further than I’ve ever done. Not quite so great when I got out of the car after driving home. My legs were in bits.

I was with the physio in the week and am back there again today to strap me up in advance of another big run tomorrow. I’m going back to Cratloe Woods and aiming to get near 20 miles in three hours.

It’s just gotta be done with the Mourne Marathon looming ever closer.

Hannah has been texting to check on my calves, as if she didn’t have plenty to worry about herself with her broken ankle. She is in great spirits though and hopefully she will be able to still be a full part of our team.

Reg was good enough to send me through a picture of his Leinster Jersey and tickets for the Murrayfield game during the week. Good luck to him and them. I’ll be back from my run in time to catch it on the telly.

I went to my own big game as a spectator this week. My former and future team mates on the Clooney/Quin Senior Hurling Team had a great win in the first round of the Clare Senior Hurling Championship. It was tough watching rather than playing but we have a bye in the second round and hopefully I will be back (on the bench), with a Swiss Alpine Medal in time for the next game.

Off for that strapping now.

All the best,

Trevor

What is the story with all the dogs in Clare? Every time I go running, they start chasing me and nipping at my ankles. You would swear that the guys in Powerade have somehow instructed all the Clare canines to ‘hound’ me (excuse the pun) when I am training.

Bloody hell, as if this wasn’t hard enough already!

Luckily, I am getting faster, and they are starting to realise that now and are giving up the chase pretty quickly. The main problem I have now is building up my stamina for the Mourne Way Marathon on June 13th.

I ran down in Cratloe Woods on the Clare-Limerick border during the week and I’ll be back there this Saturday for a 2 hour 40-minute session. The woods are beautiful and there are plenty of hills and trails to run on. The army train down there regularly so it will be a big test for the legs.

Now, if you are reading this and want to get fit, prepare for a race, or just get back training, but lack the motivation, then Powerade has the answer. Do you think you could kick-start your own challenge with a certain Paul O’Connell egging you on? I thought so.

You can sign up for Paul’s training programme on the Powerade website today and he will send you regular training advice. So, if you want to know what it feels like to be challenged by a Lions captain, then visit then visit Paul O’Connell and let him know your goal. .

All the best,

Trevor

Well, have you seen the new ad? If you fancy a sneak preview before it is broadcast on television, then log onto http://www.youtube.com/user/2008NeverGiveUp.

It’s well worth a look, even if yours truly does an awful lot of talking in it. I finish off by saying something like the Alpine Challenge is ‘going to be cruel’. I just know already that that phrase is going to follow me around for the next few weeks!

The run up in the Wicklow Mountains that day wasn’t too bad, but all the easy days are over now. I received my training schedule for the next six weeks from our Powerade coach Hannah during the week and all I can say is that it’s, well, cruel.

I think we might have one day off a week, but the other six will be taken up by long runs, hill running and tempo, or speed sessions. A friend of mind has already identified a big hill out in Ballyea at home in Clare and that seems like the place where I will be sweating blood and tears for the next month or so.

Next stop is the Mourne Way Marathon on Saturday, June 13. That means we will be running a marathon in exactly 36 days.

36 days! Help…

Trevor

It’s been a mixed May Bank Holiday weekend to say the least. The running went well and spirits were high on Saturday evening until…well, you know what happened next.

I was devastated to see Munster beaten and it will take me some time to get over it. A certain Powerade teammate and big Leinster fan wasted no time rubbing it in of course.

To be fair, they deserved it. They wanted it more and they were good for their win. Not even our new pal Paul O’Connell could do anything about it. Hmm, maybe I will ask him to put some manners on Reg the next time we meet up…

I say mixed weekend as I completed a 16-miler earlier the same day at home in Quin.
It is the longest distance I have run yet. It felt great to finish it as I was nervous about whether I would be able for it the night before. Having said that, I got a bad stitch over the last four miles which made it very tough. Something to investigate.

I’m due to receive my new training schedule from coach Hannah today and I believe that it’s pretty brutal. This is what we have signed up for though. Pain, more pain, ‘Never Give Up’ and success.

Munster may have failed in Europe this year. I won’t.

Trevor