Recovery

14M double; recovery runs x2
7M am recovery run
7M pm recovery run

Two nice easy runs (to and from work) today. The one on the way home involved carrying a large shoulder of lamb and half a kilo of mascarpone with me over the . Made me realise I'm glad I'm not a fatty.

Great video of yesterday's race on eightlane (even if I don't feature until the finish... and may I emphasise that the camera angle is misleading - I look like I'm floundering on account of the finish being uphill). Oh how I love racing!

A PB in bad weather - I'm probably happy...

12M am incl Ribble Valley 10K race in 31.48 (39th)

I think I should be happy with my run today, and I probably will be with time. The conditions were atrocious, with 20mph wind and rain/hail. I compounded things by foolishly ditching all additional apparel before the start and found my arms and had frozen to an almost immovable state at 6K. I seemed to warm up from then and actually probably ran a pretty well judged race - I picked up 10 or so places in the second half. I had my Garmin on to stop me going off too hard, but actually didn't do it - the first half was a bit up hill to add to the weather, so the time to half way was pretty meaningless. There is the added bonus of me having actually managed a negative split for once.

I'll have to pore over powerof10 a bit more later, but looking at some of the other times, the race was a probably 30s slower than it might have been in good weather, with some people a minute or more down. Which is why I think I should be happy. I ran a 15s PB. It already takes me to something beginning with 31, which is a bit more respectable. And with a bit of luck, I'll get lower into the 31 bracket (and if I'm really on the money, even lower) at the Chichester Priory 10K at the beginning of February... my next road race.

Just two to stretch the legs

2M pm recovery run

Nice and slow, just to stretch the legs.

Rest

Planned abstinence...

... seven

7M pm recovery run incl 7x100m strides

I'm considering jumping in the car early, early on Sunday (30th) to drive up to the Ribble Valley 10K to smash my PB... so I'm tapering. I also deserve an easy week, so if I can't face the middle of the night start it will require, it'll still have been a good use of the week. It'll be a 500 mile round trip, so it's probably a stupid idea, but it's a fast race every year, stacked with people to chase and I feel in great 10K shape (better than ever I think)... I'm not sure I can resist the temptation to take advantage of it.

Today was just a gentle seven along the canal, through Regent's Park and back home via Primrose Hill and Parliament Hill. I added in some strides to get me feeling a bit lighter on my racing toes.

Eight

8M am recovery run

My legs are tired from yesterday (and probably before) and this mornig's run was a real trudge around the centre of Oxford. It was a good plan just to run once today.

Ten Christmas miles (with some surges)

10M am incl ~25min surge session

I treated mysef to a spin around Belmheim Palace for my Christmas day run. To be back for brekkie, I had to get up early and the start of my run was in close to full darkness. Just enough for me to see and divert around the flooded sections.

I included a fairly short but swift surge session. It had surges of 2min, 2 min, 2 min, 60s, 60s, 60s, 60s, 30s, 30s, 30s, 30s, 15s, 15s, 15s, 15s with the same duration of steady (~6.30min/M) running after each surge. Great setting and I had it almost entirely to myself.

Recovery (and some shopping on the way home)

15M double; recovery runs x2
7M am recovery run
8M pm recovery run

I needed today's recovery runs. The last week has been as hard as any since the spring. Some really good sessions. I just ran to and from work.

My evening run was a mile longer than planned due to the need for some last minute Christmas shopping up the hill in Hampstead. I'm not sure the Waterstone's queue enjoyed my sweaty, legginged look.

Summary of week ending 23/12/2012

Mon 17/12 - 6M am recovery run
Tue 18/12 - 18M double; 7M recov & 11M incl 10x~1K off 60s
Wed 19/12 - 17M double; 7M recov & 10M steady run
Thu 20/12 - 18M double; 7M recov & 11M incl 400-600-800-1K-1.2K-1.5K-1.2K-1K-800-600-400 off 60s
Fri 21/12 - 14M double; 7M recovery runs x2
Sat 22/12 - 11M incl 40 minute surge session
Sun 23/12 - 15M steady run
TOTAL - 99M

15 cruisy miles around Hyde Park

15M am steady long run at 6.45-6.00min/M

A nice cruisy run around Hyde Park this morning. Legs a bit tired, but I got moving ok after 8 or so miles. And I finished at roughly 6 minute miles.

A surge session along the canal

11M pm incl 40 min surge session

Today I ran a longer variation of the surge session I've done a few times recently. I warmed up for a mile and a half and then ran surges of 2.5min-2.5min-3min-70s-70s-70s-70s-40s-40s-40s-40s-17s-17s-17s-17s-9min and 2.5min hard. Most of them (bar the last couple) were followed by a similar duration of steady running at  about 6.30/mile pace. Hopefully a good little sharpener - I've been doing longer reps recently.

Two sevens

14M double; recovery runs x2
7M am recovery run
7M pm recovery run

My legs are as beaten up at the moment as they've been for a while. They're not threatening injury, they're just tired. I just about managed to drag a couple of recovery runs out of them - to work and then along the river from work before dinner in town (Brasserie Zedel - just what the doctor ordered).

A nasty little pyramid session up and down the river

18M double; recovery run & pyramid session
7M am recovery run at ~6.30min/M
11M pm incl 400-600-800-1K-1.2K-1.5K-1.2K-1K-800-600-400

I'm full of running still and my morning run ended up fairly brisk. In a drowned rat kind of fashion.

The evening run was close to cracking. It was the same session as last Tuesday, but run this time down on the North Bank in my usual Thursday evening location. It was pleasingly nasty. I really nailed myself on the first few... but managed to keep things together enough towards the end for it to be well judged pace-wise.

I was properly spent on the four miles home and treated myself to a spot of Chicken Shop for dinner.

Steady

17M double; recovery run & steady run
7M am recovery run at ~6.45min/M
10M pm steady run at 6.15-6.00min/M

My legs were full of energy today as well as feeling a bit odd after yesterday's session. So I went at a decent speed on my evening run.

K(ish) reps on the way home

18M double; recovery run & K rep session
7M am recovery run at ~6.45min/M
11M pm incl 1.2K-1.2K-1.2K-1K-1K-1K-1K-800-800-800 off 60s jog

My reps on the way home were going to be kilometre reps, but the first three ended up being longer than that because of where the tops of hills / crossroads were, so I changed the session a bit and ran the last three as shorter, sharper 800m efforts.

I felt like I was going well despite feeling distinctly flaky before I started. Perhaps it was the honour of winning Gurn of the Month (above - from Saturday) that gave me the self belief to pull a good session out of the bag.

Only six

6M am recovery run at ~6.45min/M

Just six easy ones in the morning near Chelmsford before clinic. No time for an evening run. But my legs will probably benefit from an easy day - my quads can still feel Saturday's race.

Summary of week ending 16/12/2012

Mon 10/12 - 12M double; 5M & 7M recovery runs
Tue 11/12 - 11M incl 400-600-800-1K-1.2K-1.5K-1.2K-1K-800-600-400
Wed 12/12 - 17M double; 7M recov & 10M steady run
Thu 13/12 - 14M double; 7M recovery runs x2
Fri 14/12 - Rest
Sat 15/12 - 10M incl ~5M Met League cross-country race
Sun 16/12 - 20M at 7.30-6.15min/M
TOTAL - 84M

An enjoyable 20

20M am long run at 7.30-6.15min/M

I really enjoyed today's long run. I ran the first 9 or so with the club group around the perimeter of the Heath (and all its extensions) and then headed on my own down the Regent's Canal to the west. The first half was nice and gentle and chatty. The second half was at a slowly increasing, but never crazy tempo. It was enough to make me feel pretty flaky all afternoon.

One of my best cross-country performances

10M incl 5M Met League cross-country race (28.44; 28th - 5th Highgate)

I was really pleased with today's run. It was the Ally Pally round of the Met League. I've been feeling in good shape and think I've lost a couple of pounds too which would have helped on the hill today. It was a funny course. One killer hill. One treacherous descent. And then a big fairly flat boggy loop. Three and a bit times. It was proper MUDDY cross country too. Within the first few hundred metres I was covered with mud from toe to mid thigh plus a good few splishes on my abdomen, chest and face (the latter, for some reason, more than other people were).

I set out at a fairly sensible pace and must have been in about 50th after the first few hundred metres, but then found a good rhythm (not put off much by the mud as it was pretty good footing through the surface slurry). And I slowly picked up places from there. The hill was bearable if taken cautiously but was still enough to make the steep descent a bit much for me to really fly down as I now can on a slightly more controlled down hill stretch.

As well as a more controlled approach to pacing, a good run of training and a course that suited me, the eulogy about Mike Barratt on the start line gave me goose bumps and put me in the racing mood (though it probably did the same to everyone).

All in all, I was pleased. 28th is the same position I came in the Stevenage race a month ago, but I was higher up the club pecking order and just felt better too. I'll see if I can keep up the cross-country improvement in the next race in January. We seem still to be leading the team competition... just. So there should be another good turnout.

Rest

No running. In readiness for tomorrow's race.

Two sevens, easy

14M double; recovery runs x2
7M am recovery run
7M pm recovery run

No session today. I'm saving my legs for Saturday's race - Met League at Ally Pally. Looking forward to it. I'll rest tomorrow.

Easy/steady

17M double; recovery run & steady run
7M am recovery run at ~6.45min/M
10M pm steady run at ~6.15min/M

I think my legs are having a good week this week. I was nice and energetic today despite the cold. I'm going to treat myself to an easy second half of the working week so I can race hard (and hopefully fast) on Saturday.

Oof, a cold pyramid session in the morning

11M am pyramid sesh: 400-600-800-1K-1.2K-1.5K-1.2K-1K-800-600-400 off 60s jog

It was still pretty parky when I got up to run my session this morning. I can't imagine the Egyptians put up with this sort of crap when they were fashioning their pyramids. But I manfully survived what the weather was throwing at me and was pretty pleased with how I felt by the end.

I probably over-cooked the first couple of reps plus the longer ones, so I was really hanging on towards the end.

I didn't run in the evening - social engagements.

Easy does it

12M double; recovery runs x2
5M am recovery run
7M pm recovery run

Two easy runs today. Dead slow on the way to work. And a bit faster on the way to John Lewis (to pick up an Xmas present). My legs are feeling springy. Hopefully I'm heading into one of those high energy weeks that comes round once in a while.

Summary of week ending 09/12/2012

Mon 3/12 - 14M double; 7M recovery run x2
Tue 4/12 - 15M double; 7M recov & 8M incl 400-800-1K-2K-1K-800-400 surges
Wed 5/12 - 17M double; 7M recov & 10M steady
Thu 6/12 - 19M double; 7M recov & 12M incl 10x1K off 90s jog/walk
Fri 7/12 - 7M am recovery run
Sat 8/12 - 9M pm incl 9x1.3K Parliament hill reps in 4.52-5.04 off 90s
Sun 9/12 - 21M long run at ~6.45min/M
TOTAL - 102M

21 around town

21M am long run at ~6.45min/M

I went on my long run along a new route today: down the Regent's Canal to the Limehouse Basin, then along the river to Westminster and hack home via St James's, Green, Hyde and Regent's parks. All done nice and gently and wearing plenty of clothes. My legs were a bit heavy but didn't get worse as the run progressed.

Muddy Parliament Hill reps

9M pm incl 9x1.3K Parliament Hill reps in 4.52-5.04 off 90s

I've run this session a few times over the autumn with varying numbers of reps and with various conditions under foot. Today was 8 reps (longer than the usual 6) and was a bit sloppy slidey on the bottom field - though not too bad in my trail shoes. I got the pacing of the first two a bit wrong - they were my slowest - but the rest were good. Number 6 was my fastest and I had run hard enough that number 8 was hard work to bring in at 4.58.

Just seven

7M am recovery run

I just ran a slow one to work today. Legs need resting ahead of a rep session tomorrow.

Ten K reps along the river

19M double; recovery run & K rep session
7M am recovery run at ~6.45min/M
12M pm incl 10x1K off 60s very slow jog

I was a bit worried by the heavy rain forecast by the BBC for this evening... not sure I could face hard running in cold hard rain. But luckily they got their forecast wrong by a few hours and I managed to get home before it started. My legs were pretty good again today, I think. My morning run was quite an enjoyable dawdle.

My K reps were up and down the Thames bank by Temple tube again and felt not bad. I'm not sure they were totally even-paced (I went a bit hard on the early reps), but they weren't a disaster and my legs are now hurting pleasingly. Just what I like.

Steady

17M double; recovery run & steady run
7M am recovery run
10M pm steady run

Two fairly moderate runs either side of a busy (but fun) day at the office. My evening run was a bit speedier, even if my legs were a bit heavy.

Surge session on the way home

15M double; recovery run & surge session
7M am recovery run at ~6.45min/M
8M pm pyramid surge session with 400-800-1K-2K-1K-800-400 hard

I seem almost unaffected by my core session last night, which is a relief after the fuss my muscles made last week.

So my evening session was pretty solid. I slightly adapted the surge session I ran last Tuesday to make it fit with the length of my route home and to fit with the hills etc. I warmed up for a couple of miles and then alternated hard running (for 400-800-1K-2K-1K-800-400) with steady running (at about 6.30min/M pace) for the same distance. I like the feel of the session, it gets my legs moving nicely but has long enough segments to also give me a time to find a rhythm and the steady running recovery means that it feels a bit more like a race.

Easy and some exercises

14M double; recovery runs x2 & core strength exercises
7M am recovery run
7M pm recovery run
Core strength exercises (four cycles)

Just two easy runs to and from work plus some core strength exercises today. I was pretty ok energy levels-wise.

Summary of week ending 02/12/2012

Mon 26/11 - Rest
Tue 27/11 - 15M double; 7M recov & 8M 400-800-1K-2K-1K surge session
Wed 28/11 - 17M double; 7M & 10M recov runs & core strength exercises
Thu 29/11 - 17M double; 7M recov & 10M incl 8x1K off 90s jog
Fri 30/11 - 17M double; 7M & 10M recovery runs
Sat 1/12 - 11M incl 4x2M off 2 min jog
Sun 2/12 - 20M easy long run
TOTAL - 97M

20 miles along the Dollis Valley and back

20M am long run at ~7.15min/M

I joined Henry and co on the club long run again today. A really nice day and a good jaunt up the Dollis Valley out to Totteridge and back. My legs were not too bad all in all. Most of it was fairly easy-paced. Just what the doctor ordered.

2 mile reps in my dad's swimming trunks

11M incl 4x2M off 2min jog

I ran a good session today, having overcome my last few days of ache. I was in Oxford for the day and was marginally perturbed to find I had arrived without shorts or leggings. Not to be stymied, I found my dad's swimming trunks (a pastel plaid affair which nearly reach my knees) perfectly suited to my purposes.

I couldn't manage my normal route around Port Meadow as the west side (and the middle) was under water, but found a good section of the canal to run my 2 mile reps up and down. I was planning three reps but put in an extra one to get me home quicker. I ran the first two a bit hard and paid on number three. Which is probably what made me run the fourth rep.

Club long run tomorrow. In lots of clothes.

17 in all, but easy

17M double; recovery runs x2
7M am recovery run
10M pm recovery run

I was pretty tired today. Or, actually when I think about it, just still suffering the after effects of my first core session in an age. Day 2 is always worse. Hopefully I'll be in shape for a session tomorrow. Perhaps around Port Meadow in Oxford if it's not under water.

Chilly K reps along the river

17M double; recovery run & K rep session
7M am recovery run
10M pm incl 8x1K off 90s jog

Brrrr. It's a bit nippy out. I think I prefer warm and wet to cold. I wrapped up nice and warm for both my runs and didn't regret it at all

My legs (and especially my glutes) were beginning to ache by the evening after yesterday's core work, but it didn't seem to detract from my kilometre reps. I felt really good and springy. Up on my toes. And I think I got the pacing about right.

I feel like I'm in a really good block of training right now.

Steady (and some core exercises!)

17M double; recovery run & steady run & core exercises
7M am recovery run at ~6.45min/M
10M pm recovery run at ~6.15min/M

Nothing flashy. Nice and easy on the way in to work. And fairly steady on the way home (via the 10 mile route around the top of the Heath).

I also managed to do my first lot of core exercises since my injury in the summer. I have been slower than I should have to reintroduce them. But better late than never. I did five cycles of the following: single leg squats with 8kg (x15); single leg toe touches (x20); sit ups (x20); side plank (1 minute each side); anterior straight arm lifts (x20); plank with single leg raise (x20 each side).

Surge session

15M double; recovery run & surge session
7M am recovery run at ~6.45min/M
8M pm surge session with 400-800-1K-2K-1K hard (each followed by same at ~6.30)

My evening session was a surge session designed by Ron. It was fairly short and sharp. I felt pretty up for it after a rest day. My legs were back in the groove this morning and evening at the beginning of my evening run when I still had my pack (I had to run with it from my early evening meeting back to the office before I started the session proper).

The session was good. It alternated hard running with the same distance at a steady state pace (about 6.30min/M) so it was a bit like the a longer version of the surge session I've run a few times recently. My planned final rep was 2K which I ran up Swains Lane (painful). To save me time on the way home (it was dinner time by then) I added an extra 1K hard to finish rather than run the final 2K all at steady state.

Rest

My scheduled rest day. (Still trying to take one day off every 2 weeks).

Summary of week ending 25/11/2012

Mon 19/11 - 14M double; 7M recovery runs x2
Tue 20/11 - 17M double; recovery run & 10M incl 400-1500 pyramid session
Wed 21/11 - 17M double; 7M & 10M recovery runs
Thu 22/11 - 13M double; 5M recov run & 8M incl 6x1M reps off 90s walk/jog
Fri 23/11 - 16M double; 7M recov run & 9M steady run
Sat 24/11 - 10M cross-country tempo run
Sun 25/11 - 20M long run
TOTAL - 107M

Feeling tired on a long run

20M long run at ~7.15min/M

I was tired today. A bit at the beginning. And properly tired by thirty or so minutes to go. It was another club long run, but my navigational inabilities meant that I ran most of it without most of the guys I set out with. Luckily, we managed to find a good route, similar to the one we ran last week.

Muddy cross-country tempo heaven!?

10M cross-country tempo run

I headed to the Heath for some cross-country tempo running this morning around a combination of the National course (two big laps) and London champs (one big lap).  It was way muddier than last Saturday's race and brought back memories of my National cross-country initiation at Alton Towers 18 months ago... though that might be overstating it a bit.

Anyway, it was a good session. Good, hard work from start to finish. And good practice for my city-dwelling, road-running legs.

Steady (in the East)

16M double; recovery run & steady run
7M am recovery run
9M pm steady run

Today was a Romford clinic day, so I had my pack full of computer and clothes to lug with me on my runs. I felt pretty sluggish in the morning and not sluggish but tired in the evening. Hopefully I'll be perky for a fairly rapid spin around the Heath tomorrow (training not racing - I'm having a break from racing 'til the next Met League cross-country after four in the last four weeks).

Mile reps down by the river

13M double; recovery run & mile rep session
5M am recovery run
8M incl 6x1M hard off 90s walk/jog

I ran a pretty good session down on the North bank of the Thames this evening between work and a nice meal out. I was spurred on by a minor altercation with a cyclist on the pavement during rep one. The rest of the session was probably about 5-10s faster per rep thanks to the adrenalin! I hit a really good rhythm despite the blustery wind. The recovery was meant to be jog, but half the time I was too spent to manage more than a stumbling walk.

I bought some new sets of spikes for my x-country spikes today. (Including a set of 15mm ones.) That should reduce the amount of wheel spin on slippy corners in my next race - I was particularly poor on one of the corners last week that must have lost 10-15s there over the course of the race.

Not too arduous

17M double; recovery runs x2
7M am recovery run
10M pm recovery run

My legs wouldn't have wanted to go anything but slow today. Which was ok. And probably understandable.

A pyramid session

17M double; recovery run & pyramid session
7M am recovery run at ~7.00min/M
10M pm incl 400-600-800-1000-1200-1500-1200-1000-800-600-400 off 60/90s jog

My legs were in good shape today I think, though the slippy rained-upon pavements took a bit of the edge off the shorter reps of my evening pyramid session. Having said that, it was far from a right off. I've found a good route home now which works well for this kind of session and I have enough pairs of shorts that fit my phone and keys etc so I can leave my bag at work. I got away pretty early today and I even a made it to the track to say hello to a few people before making it home in time for dinner.

I ran my reps off 60s jog recovery other than the middle three, which I followed with 90s jog. My new trainers (Brooks Adrenaline GTS 12) feel a bit firmer under foot than the old version (version 11). I'm still getting used to them, but I think they might be better for getting me into a race-type gate.

Recovery

14M double; recovery runs x2
7M am recovery run at ~7.00min/M
7M pm recovery run at ~6.30min/M

Just gentle running today. Nothing too taxing. My legs were feeling surprisingly good this evening. Really springy.

Summary of week ending 18/11/2012

Mon 12/11 - 17M double; 7M & 10M recovery runs
Tue 13/11 - 19M double; 7M recov & 12M incl 5x2K at 5.00-5.05
Wed 14/11 - 14M double; 7M recovery runs x2
Thu 15/11 - 12M am recovery run
Fri 16/11 - Rest
Sat 17/11 - 11M incl 10K cross-country race (34.51)
Sun 18/11 - 21M gentle long run
TOTAL - 94M

A club long run in the sun

21M am long run at ~7.30-6.30min/M

I joined in the club Sunday long run today for a trundle around various hilly and wooded corners or North London. I couldn't tell you exactly where we went, but it included a good amount of the Heath, the West Heath, the Heath extension, Highgate and Queens Woods and across to Finsbury Park and back. I ran for a total of a bit over two and a half hours, fairly gently most of the way. It was probably about 21 miles, but who knows. It was just what my legs needed after yesterday's race.

Another good cross-country race - the London Champs

11M incl 10K London Cross-country Championships (7th place)

I was really pleased with today's race. Last week was not bad for me as cross-country goes, but it was flat and about as tailored to my strengths as I could hope for. Today's race was the London Championships and was run at Parliament Hill. So it was hilly. Home turf. But no home advantage for me.

I paced it pretty well I think, though I could still have done with holding back a bit more early on. During the first of the four laps I moved through from about 15th to 7th and I kept that position to the end. By the beginning of the fourth lap, I was surrounded by a bunch of three who had come up on me, and each of whom came past me at some point. But I found enough over the last kilometer to finish ahead of them all. In fact, I finished just behind Ryan - though quite what he was doing at the end I don't know.

I'm stronger than I used to be on the up hills, but it's still my weakness in these races. My downhill running is good now and was the reason I could pull out a gap at the end.

And we won the team race!... with me in the scoring four. Tidy.

Rest

A day off, ahead of tomorrow's race.

Twelve gently

12M am recovery run

I went slow and a bit longer this morning on my way in to work. It was a bit chilly. No run this evening.

Easy

14M double; recovery runs x2
7M am recovery run
7M pm recovery run

Two recovery runs today. The old legs were even heavier this morning. But I enjoyed plodding along. The evening was similar, with Y for company.

Some good 2K reps around the Inner Circle

19M double; recovery run & 2K rep session
7M am recovery run
12M pm incl 5x2.06K in 6.26-6.32 (5.00-5.05min/M) off 90s

I felt pretty heavy legged today. Not sure why really. Maybe the strides yesterday? But probably just Saturday plus Sunday.

On my morning run, I was just going through the motions nice and gently. I felt pretty sluggish when I started my evening warm up. And I can't say I felt at my most dynamic as I flung myself around the Inner Circle on the first of my reps. It was my slowest. Numbers 2 and 5 were my (equal) fastest. I was really hanging on at the end and felt a bit dizzy on the way home. The sign of a solid session!

Despite my heavy legs, I think my times came out within acceptable bounds in the end. Taking the fact that the loop is just over 1K, I think they were 5.00-5.05min/M pace). I tried to concentrate on finding a good 10K-style race rhythm rather than thinking of them as reps. On keeping my stride length long (by pushing off well with my calves rather than over-striding) and keeping a good high cadence.

Easy. And some strides.

17M double; recovery runs x2
10M am recovery run
7M pm recovery run incl 10x100m strides

Nothing too much today. My legs felt pretty heavy this morning for the first couple of miles. A bit tight.

My morning run ended up being really enjoyable though. I looped through Sandy Heath and the Extension before heading home through the Heath proper. Autumnal running bliss.

My evening run was less interesting and included some strides.

Summary of week ending 11/11/2012

Mon 5/11 - 12M double; 5M & 7M recovery runs
Tue 6/11 - 7M am recovery run
Wed 7/11 - 17M double; 10M incl 6x1K hill reps & 7M recov
Thu 8/11 - 14M double; 6M am recov & 8M incl pyramid session
Fri 9/11 - Rest
Sat 10/11 - 8M incl 5M cross-country race
Sun 11/11 - 22M long run at 6.30min/M
TOTAL - 80M

Long and not too fast

22M am long run at ~6.30min/M

Plenty of miles nice and gentle again today. The same route as last week. Legs a bit worse for wear after yesterday, but still enough in them to keep ticking over nicely the whole way.

Great day out in Stevenage

8M incl 5M Met League cross-country race (28th; 6th Highgate; 27m35s)

My first proper cross-country race since the National, and a really great race. Mainly for the team performance - we won on the day, moved to the top of the league and all sorts of other exciting jazz! It was another reggae-tastic, megaphone-assisted bonanza of a day out in the mud with the Highgate troops. A pretty unbeatable way to spend a Saturday afternoon. If you like that sort of thing.

I think my race was not bad either. I definitely paced the beginning about right and was gaining places from half way through the first lap until the beginning of the third. From there I lost a couple and would have liked to be pulling through better.

Rest

No running today - my once in 2 weeks day off. And I'm racing tomorrow.

A pyramid session (along the Thames)

14M double; recovery run & pyramid speed session
6M am recovery run
8M pm incl 400-600-800-1000-1200-1000-800-600-400 off 60s jog

Another speed session today, 36 hours after yesterday's - the best I could do given Tuesday's business and the race I have on Saturday. This time I ran it down on the North Bank of the Thames between Blackfriars and Westminster. It's only a mile from work. And is wide and quiet enough for a proper session.

I ran a Ron-prescribed pyramid session and was pleased with how it felt - fast and painful.

A perfect prelude to dinner with Hugh at Great Queen Street.

A Parliament Hill session

17M double; hill rep session & recovery run
10M am incl 6x1.35K up-down hill reps off 90s
7M pm recovery run

I caught up with yesterday's delayed evening session with a trip to the Heath before work this morning. It's the third time I've run it now (though the first time I ran nine reps rather than six). I was slowed on the ups compared to my last running of the session by the slippy slideyness of the bottom field (my ups took 2m54s-3m00s) but my overall splits were actually faster (4m58s-3m10s).

My evening one was a gentle one with Yasmin and co. Plus a little bit extra on my own at either end.

Less than I would have wanted

7M am recovery run

The day ran away with me today and I could only fit in one run today. A gentle one. To work.

Recovery

12M double; recovery runs x2
5M am recovery run
7M pm recovery run

I was up late last night and was glad just to plod to and from work today. Nice fireworks here and there on the way home over Primrose and Parliament Hills.

Summary of week ending 04/11/2012

Mon 29/10 - 13M double; 5M & 8M recovery runs
Tue 30/10 - 17M double; 5M recovery & 12M steady runs
Wed 31/10 - 15M including 9x2K hard off 90s jog
Thu 01/11 - 15M double; 7M recovery & 8M incl 20min surge session
Fri 02/11 - 17M double; 7M recovery & 10M kind of steady runs
Sat 03/11 - 6M including 5K cross-country race
Sun 04/11 - 21M gentle long run
TOTAL - 104M

A gentle 21

21M pm long run at ~6.30min/M

I ran a long gentle one this afternoon. Two and a quarter hours, looping around Hyde Park and back up again. I wrapped up warm in long socks, leggings and long sleeved top - just write - and set out with mild trepidation given the long gap since my last long one.

But, as I soon remembered, I love a long slow run and before I knew it, I was cruising along at a nice speed while putting various thoughts about the world, work and life in general in order. A cracking use of a late Sunday afternoon.

Turns out, I've run 104 miles this week! First time in a while.

Fun at the National cross-country relays

6M incl 5K cross-coutry relay leg in 17.04

I had great fun today at the National cross-country relays in Mansfield. It was my first day back in cross-country spikes since the National on Parliament Hill in March and I was grateful it was fairly easy under foot, making it a gentle reintroduction.

I ran the final leg for the Highgate B Team and tried to pace my effort better than I seem prone to doing. It felt like I did a fairly good job, though I was a bit disappointed to be 7th fasted of 8 on the day. Especially as last weeks 10 miler tells me I'm clearly in pretty good shape. Room for cross-country improvement.

Still, we are improving as a team. The A team managed a stunning 10th and we managed 35th (out of 150 odd).

The highlight of my day was watching the Highgate kids teams running hard for some good placings. It made me remember the funny relationship I had with racing as a kid. I would get horribly nervous before races, run ill-advisedly hard at the beginning so my arms got so heavy I couldn't pump them as I ran up the hills, vomit as I crossed the line and have a paralysing bellyache all the way home. But I loved it!

Nice and easy

17M double; recovery & probably a steady one
7M am recovery run
10M pm kind of steady run

Nice and steady today. A clinic day in Romford, so my morning run was to Liverpool Street and my evening run was from Romford to Stratford.

A bit of a session

15M double; recovery run & surge session
7M am recovery run
8M pm incl 20min surge session

I wanted to squeeze in another bit of speed this week but wasn't sure of the best timing. I delayed my first session until yesterday (and it was a HARD one). And I'm running a (short) cross-country race on Saturday.

So I ran the 20 minute surge session again (the one I did a few weeks ago for the first time with Danny). I ran it under the floodlights at the track so I could see where I was putting my feet. And ran 90-90-60-60-60-60-30-30-30-30-15-15-15-15 surges. It's a good compromise session to use in weeks I can't fit in my normal pattern.

My legs were surprisingly up for it after yesterday.

For the endorphins

15M pm incl 9x2K off 90s jog

No time for a morning run today - a talk to finish and give - but I made up for it with a cracking evening run.

I ran it in my racers as I didn't have space for my clumpy normal trainers in the bag I took to work. I wonder whether I should do this more often as it feels so different that it must use different muscles. I've shied away from them other than when racing to avoid injury. I'm not sure what's best...

Anyway, I ran the 2K session I've been doing recently. As usual, I was Garmin-less, so ran 6mins 40s to ensure I was going far enough each time. Nine reps off 90 seconds jog recovery. I felt like I was really moving even though I struggled to make my legs really sting.

My breathing was good, despite being a bit more than a breath in and out with each set of 4 strides (my preferred racing rhythm). I think I should try to make sure I get more comfortable with this. I wonder if it has restricted my comfortable cruising speed.

I am now glowingly-full of endorphins. Hard drugs or running? Running seems cheaper. And with the luminous and Scotch-brited tabard I bought today, it may also be safer.

Steady

17M double; recovery run & steady run
5M am recovery run
12M pm steady run

My legs still ache after Sunday, but not in a dangerous way. They were fine churning out a good number of steady miles this evening (extended a bit to go meet Y who was running home from work by the time I was finishing).

I'm trying to work out the best shape for my running week... A session tomorrow (Wednesday) evening and then maybe something fairly arduous on Thursday ahead of a short race on Saturday hopefully.

Recovery

13M double; recovery runs x2
5M am recovery run
8M pm recovery run

My calves, glutes and hamstrings are all reassuringly sore after yesterday. So I kept it pretty short and easy today. Despite the pain, my legs still seem to have some springiness in them though. A funny combination.

A great day & a good performance - with room to improve

13M incl 10M Great South Run in 52.01 (PB; 26th; 5m12s/mile)

I think I'm pleased with my run. I've had 52 down as my target for a while. But looking back at the race, I'm sure I could have done a bit better. It was a bit of an odd one.

I was really up for it - having Abel Kirui and Tariku Bekele in the elite tent and warming up with you is pretty cool. I ran without a watch and (perhaps as a result) misjudged my pace a bit at the beginning. My first 5K was 15.36 and I dropped off the back of the 2nd group a bit before that. I was a bit hesitant to drop off them early on as there wasn't a 3rd group and it was a bit windy. In retrospect, I should have kept things a bit slower.

I suffered a bit the 2nd 5K (on my own) and ran it in 16.18. Which meant my 10K split was faster than my 10K PB! I was unaware of my times at any point until the finish line (there were no clocks on the course), so actually I was feeling pretty pissed off with my performance. After 5K my legs were hurting.  By 10K it wasn't my legs, but my breathing felt out of sorts - partly a bit stitchy, partly just poor in terms of rhythm.

From there, I was picked up by a couple of guys and tucked in behind them. And though my 3rd 5K split was my slowest, my race actually improved. It was only a little slower, at 16.20. We were catching the guys ahead of us by then and it finally felt better.

At the end, I lost out on the sprint to the guys with me and (more annoyingly), I just missed breaking 52 minutes. I reckon

Afterwards, I continued to be awestruck by he others in the elite area. Kirui in particular was really nice and quite chatty. Tariku was nice too and was excited I'd been to train in Bekoji with Coach.

A good running day. The sort of day that is well worth all the hard sessions.

And the fact that I feel a bit disappointed is actually really encouraging. I'm still improving.

Rest

Tomorrow is race day...

Rest

Rest... ahead of race day.

Just six

6M pm recovery run

Just one run today - in the evening. I felt much better than yesterday.

Some strides

14M double; recovery run & steady run with strides
7M am recovery run
7M pm steady run with 10x100m strides

I felt rubbish on my morning run. Slow legs and generally muzzy. And the beginning of my evening run was similar. My strides seemed to pull me out of torpor and the second half of it felt pretty good. I'm tired of running up and down the same patch of uninteresting canal now.

Steady along some canals

17M double; recovery run & steady run
7M am recovery run
10M pm steady run

Two not-too-taxing runs today. My calves can feel yesterday's session a bit and I'm back to feeling normal (rather than well rested). I ran up and down the canal again. In the direction of the Man City ground along the Rochdale Canal. Too many cobbles for my liking.

Back from holiday with some 800m reps

17M double; 800m rep session & recovery run
11M am incl 8x800m off 60s
6M pm recovery run

I'm back from four very restful days away. No time for running, but a fair bit of hill walking. And a good deal of pizza.

I got up EARLY to run my session before work. I am now away in Manchester for 3 nights and knew I'd only have time for some easy miles along the canal in the evening.

In the morning, I plumped for 800m reps - eight of them off 60s recovery in the misty murk. I could see enough of what was ahead of me for it not to slow me. And I felt great after the days of rest. My splits were ok if not great - 2.29-2.34.

Six days to the Great South Run... Looking forward to it. Abel Kirui and Tariku Belele are racing too.

Another surge session

17M double; recovery run & surge session
7M am recovery run
10M pm incl 7K surge session

We're off on a long weekend away tomorrow, so I did another session this evening. Yesterday's was in the morning, so it wasn't too tight and my legs felt ok.

I plumped for a repeat of Danny's surge session that he taught me a couple of weeks ago. I added one extra 90s surge because I couldn't do maths. It ended up as surges lasting 90s-90s-90s-60s-60s-60s-60s-30s-30s-30s-30s-15s-15s-15s-15s with each one followed by the same length section at cruising pace. It was good. My short ones felt properly fast.

The morning run was just a gentle one to work via the usual meanderings.

Fairly long tempo

19M double; longish tempo & recovery
12M am with at ~6.30min/M (0-5M), 6.00 (5-8M), 5.40 (8-10M) & 5.20 (10-12M)
7M pm recovery run

I managed (with a bit of encouragement) to get out of bed early this morning to squeeze in a pre-work crescendo/tempo session. I ran it around the perimeter of the Heath, down to Primrose Hill, through and looping around in Regents Park and then the usual route from Baker Street to Russell Square.

It felt ten times better than I was imagining while lying lazily in bed. The Garmin told me I found a decent amount of zip in my legs towards the end - even with a bit of dodging through the traffic over the last couple of miles. Quite pleased.

My evening run was just a gentle one home.

Recovery

14M double; recovery runs x2
7M am recovery run
7M pm recovery run

Just a couple of easy ones today. I felt pretty full of running in the morning and got sucked into racing the cyclists from Baker Street to Tottenham Court Road. They were hindered by traffic jams. An easy win for the legs over wheels today. My legs were a bit more jaded in the evening - perhaps as a result.

Hill reps

15M double; hill rep session & recovery run
9M am incl 6x1.35K up & down hill reps off 90s
6M pm recovery run

I headed to the Heath for another go at the full Lido to the top of Parliament Hill session I ran a couple of weeks ago. This time, I kept it to six reps, so I could give it a bit more. Though I was alone, so it was harder going. I tried to focus on putting it all into the up - doesn't seem much point in saving anything for the down as the top bit is too steep (and was too full of dog walkers, pram pushers and kite fliers) to keep the foot completely to the floor.

The session seemed pretty good. My splits were something along the lines of 2m50s-2m54s to the top and 5min4s-5min9s for the reps overall.

A nice easy run in the evening - with my legs feeling close to great.

Recovery and some strides

10M double; recovery run & recovery run with strides
3M am recovery run
7M pm recovery run with 8x100m strides

We went for a really nice slow run around the Heath this morning - just what my sore legs needed.

My evening run might have been longer, but I felt better for it and the strides are good to include in my weekly routine.

Oof - another 2K session

22M double; 2K rep session & recovery run
16M am incl 9x2K off 90s walk/jog
6M pm recovery run

I thought I might have felt a bit more rested after a rest day yesterday and recovery the day before, but I felt pretty rubbish right from the off. Sluggish. The reps (run around the track) came out at 6m37s-6m51s with most being 6m40s. Not very fast and only partly mitigated by the wind. Still, I didn't fall apart til the last couple and it was a good long session that should have done me some good.

Just a gentle recovery run for my second one.

Rest!

A scheduled rest day - one every other week is what I'm aiming for.

Recovery

14M double; recovery runs x2
7M am recovery run
7M pm recovery run

Not much on the running agenda today. Not much juice in the tank either.

Ten before work, fairly fast

15M double; tempo run & recovery run
10M am first 5M at ~6.30min/M second 5M at ~5.30min/M
5M pm recovery run

I ran my session on the way in to work this morning - dinner guests in the evening... aubergines to griddle and the like.

I felt pretty good on my run, even though I was carrying my (light) pack. We'll see how long this full of beans patch lasts... I'd better not push my luck.

Easy (full of beans)

14M double; recovery runs x2
7M am recovery run
7M pm recovery run

I'm in another one of my high energy weeks. But I kept it fairly easy today nevertheless. Just a couple of gentle seven milers. To and from work. Via Parliament Hill etc.

Summary of week ending 07/10/2012

Mon 1/10 - 12M double; 5M & 7M recovery runs
Tue 2/10 - 22M double; 7M recov & 16M incl 9x2K off 90s jog
Wed 3/10 - 6M recovery run
Thu 4/10 - 19M double; 7M recov & 12M pm incl 20min surge session
Fri 5/10 - 17M double; 7M recov & 10M steady
Sat 6/10 - 6M recovery run incl 6x100m strides
Sun 7/10 - 12M crescendo run at 6.30-5.20min/M
TOTAL - 94M

12 mile crescendo (with Kebede and others as inspiration)

12M pm crescendo run at 6.30-5.20min/M

I ran another sharpish 12 miler today. This time along the Regents Canal to the West.

It was nothing too crazy, but a nice crescendo effort. I felt really nice and easy in my running despite a little bit of achiness from yesterday's strides. I was intending to go out nice and gently and then pick it up more gradually, but I headed out at 6.30 pace for the first couple of miles. From mile two to mile six I picked it up to six minute miling. Again, I felt pretty easy. From mile six to mile ten I started pushing it a bit more - at 5.40min/M pace. This felt more natural - pushing off better - even if I was beginning to breath a bit harder. From mile ten to the end I went pretty hard. Along the canal, I kept it fast but not all out - 5.20min/M. From the canal home (the last mile and half) is up hill and I gave it the full treatment - which came out at 5.40min/M with the hill and various road crossings.

I've not been running with my Garmin much recently and I was chuffed how easy the different speeds felt. I've probably been going better than I had thought.

I was probably also sped up today by the spirit of the Chicago Marathon. I really enjoyed Kebede's victory. Though not quite as much as his battle there with Wanjiru in 2010. Or Salazar's duel in the sun in Boston in '82 which I found myself dragged into reliving. Cracking stuff. NYC marathon next weekend.

Oh and I used my morning to bake some more tasty offerings. This time it was fougasse. I think they came out a bit chubby. But that didn't detract from their yumminess.

Just six - with some strides

6M pm recovery run incl 6x100m strides

Just some gentle running today. Though, for the first time in absolutely ages (almost since I started running properly) I included some strides. I only really use them in warm up for sessions. I am newly resolved to include them in this kind of session.

Steady in the rain

17M double; recovery run & steady run
7M am recovery run (last mile at 6.00min/M)
10M pm steady run at ~6.15min/M with pack

My legs were aching all night and most of the day. But somehow, when I was running today, they were full of energy. I ended up going pretty hard at the end of my morning run, trying to keep up with a bike I was chasing from Oxford Street to Russell Square. By the end he was probably expecting me to pull a knife on him. It was quite a fun little chase. Especially with musical accompaniment from my beloved phantom railings.

The rain made it a bit chilly on my evening run. But the running itself was good. Partly due to my legs being in the mood and partly due to the adrenalin rush of having a heavy door slam on my hand as I left work.

A Danny Russell-shaped surge session

19M double; recovery run & surge session
7M am recovery run at ~7.00min/M
12M pm incl 20 minute surge session

Another good Thursday session at Regents Park tonight with Danny and Tom. Danny prescribed his Saturday morning favourite from Oz - a twenty minute surge session alternating 1K rep pace (a bit over 3.00min/K pace) with cruising pace of ~6.00-6.30min/M. The surges lasted 90s-90s-60s-60s-60s-60s-30s-30s-30s-30s-15s-15s-15s-15s with each one followed by the same length section at cruising pace. It sounded ok before we started. And even felt ok at half way (after the second 60s section). But then the lactate levels rose and the misery started. It was pretty brutal by the end.

All a bit different from my nice gentle tootle in to work in the morning.

Just six

6M am recovery run

Only time for one today. My legs were pretty tight after the reps yesterday and were pleased not to be asked to do too much.

Another killer 2K session

22M double; recovery run & 2K rep session
6M am recovery run at ~6.45min/M
16M pm incl 9x2K off 90s jog

I ran a real killer day today. I got up early to run my morning run 'packless' - I'm trying to do this as much as possible nowadays. It was a nice little saunter around the perimeter of the Heath.

I left my pack at work and came home with my phone and some other essentials in my back pocket so that my evening session could be as close to unhindered as possible. I ran to the Inner Circle at Regents Park and used it for 2K reps (one lap is around a kilometre). It's a good length of rep for me. And the length of the session is just about manageable.

My little legs will hurt tomorrow.

Recovery

12M double; recovery runs x2
5M am recovery run at ~7.00min/M
7M pm recovery run at ~6.30min/M

Just two easy ones today. Five miles to work and then seven to Canary Wharf for dinner and planning with Ron.

Summary of week ending 30/09/2012

Mon 24/9 - 12M double; 5M & 7M recovery runs
Tue 25/9 - 17M double; 7M recov & 10M 2M fast-1M slow session
Wed 26/9 - 12M double; 7M & 5M recovery runs
Thu 27/9 - 17M double; 5M recov & 12M incl 6x1K off 60s jog
Fri 28/9 - 17M double; 7M recov & 10M a bit more than steady run
Sat 29/9 - Rest
Sun 30/9 - 13M incl 12M cross-country tempo
TOTAL - 88M

Three laps of the National course - hard

13M incl 3 laps of the National Cross-country course hard

Instead of a long run today, I ran a longish tempo on the National course on the Heath. I was in the mood for going for it having watched the Berlin marathon on a dodge live stream online channel. And I had the added incentive of a large focaccia for my lunch (above) in the oven - which I had been lovingly preparing while watching the marathon.


I ran a bit of a look around the south part of the Heath and then headed off on the course proper from the Lido. I ran the three laps pretty even in terms of effort (not sure about the times). I was pretty spent by the end. In the kind of way that meant that when I stopped I felt like there was a conveyor belt below me. And two hours later I realised I had to lie down and go to sleep.

Rest day

No running. Just a haircut and some shopping.

Ten a bit more than steady

17M double; recovery run & steady run
7M am recovery run
10M pm at 5.45-6.00min/M effort (with a big pack... so actually slower than that)

I was pretty tired this morning still after yesterday's kilometre reps. And most of the day my legs were a bit on the reasuringly achy side. But come home time, I managed to coax a pleasing amount of spring out of them and hit a good pace. Despite my heavy pack. (I was running back into town from Romford.) I kept it not too long and stopped at Mile End.

A tidy little session at Regents Park (in a rain storm)

17M double; recovery run & K rep session
5M am recovery run
12M pm incl 6x1K at ~3.08-3.15min/M off 60s jog

My legs are aching (positively) after this evening's session. It felt good. Even if I was trailing in Danny's wake as per usual.

Tom, Danny and I met at the Hub and ran six kilometer reps on the grass with a minute jog recovery between them.

Like Tuesday, I felt like I found a rhythm and could think about staying relaxed and holding good positive, long-striding form. My splits weren't that great. But I was pleased with them - it was on grass, pissing it down with rain and headlong into the wind for parts of the lap.f

Another gentle twelve

12M double; recovery runs x2
7M am recovery run at 6.40min/M
5M pm recovery run at ~6.45min/M

Nice and easy today in the end. I was thinking of doing something faster this evening, but have rejigged my week to run it tomorrow. Probably more sensible. I felt great this morning.

Fairly swift

17M double; recovery run & 10M fast and slow session
7M am recovery run at ~6.45min/M
10M pm run alternating 1M at ~7.30min/M and 2M at ~5.30min/M

Today was a semi-hard day. Tomorrow is going to be more full on.

For my evening session I alternated one mile segments run slowly with two mile segments run not far off marathon pace. It felt really good. Fast enough that I could get my teath into it. But calm enough that I had time to think about my form - something I think I should do more of. I was trying to concentrate on keeping my stride long by pushing off well rather than overstriding.

Inspired by this article in Running Times that Shaun pointed me in the direction of, I also counted my cadence. I often do this just to keep my concentration when running hard - particuarly in races - but rarely do at an easy pace. I came out with about 176/minute at easy running and 198 running hard. Pretty high. Hmm. Food for thought...

Twelve nice and gently

12M double; recovery runs x2

5M am recovery run

7M pm recovery run

Just two easy runs today. My legs are a bit sore, but at the same time relatively full of beans. A session tomorrow...

Back racing!

8M pm incl ~6K road relay (19m47s)

It's SO good to be back racing. I was really buzzing on the start line... even if about 400m in I could tell the legs aren't quite there yet! Still, it was great to be out there. The conditions - pelting rain - added to it. And so did the Highgate team spirit.

I'm not sure I've ever seen a barbecue used as an aid to the athletic warm up routine, but it seemed to work.

Can't wait for the next one.

Six and six

12M double; recovery runs x2
6M am recovery run at ~9.00min/M
6M pm recovery run at ~6.45min/M

Recovery today. Very gently in the morning with Y around the Heath. And then more speedily around the perimeter roads in the evening.  I'm pretty sure I ran past Dave Bedford, but resisted the temptation to stop and embarrass myself (and him).

Mile reps

13M double; recovery run & mile rep session
5M am recovery run
8M pm incl 5x1M off 2mins recovery

I avoided the long slog back from Romford with my pack today to save my legs for the weekend. It's always pretty heavy going. Instead, I ran in to Liverpool Street first thing and then headed to the Heath after work for some mile reps. I didn't feel that speedy. Legs a bit sluggish. But I churned them out.

Looking forward to racing the Southern 6 Stage at the weekend. It's my first race since May. Not sure where I'm at fitness wise, but I'm dead excited to be toeing the line again.

Rest

No time for running today. Just a fine curry with a pair of running brothers. One of them shortly to run Berlin in under 2h30m judging from his training.

And it turns out that if you want to eat curry out of a foil swan, Croydon is the place to go.

Five and five

10M double; recovery run x2
5M am recovery run
5M pm recovery run

Two gentle runs. To and from work. Pretty shattered after yesterday. Though I slept LOTS last night which might have mitigated things a bit.

More of Ron's 2K reps. Nine of them.

20M double; recovery run & 2K rep session
6M am recovery run
14M pm incl 9x2K off 90s jog

I kept on kidding myself during the day that I wasn't going to run this session. But I did manage to get out there and do it in the end. I found a pretty decent if somewhat undulating course to run it over. But more importantly, I was in the mood for it once I came to it. It's a pretty tough session. Fast enough that each rep hurts. But long enough that the end of the session seems a long way away even at half way. A good start to the week.

Recovery

6M am recovery run

A nice gentle one this morning to mull over some work (I was involved in a public debate this evening and not particularly relishing the prospect).  My quads could feel Sunday's hills still.

Killer hill reps (with some help)

11M am including 9x1.35K up & down hill reps off 90s

This is the first time I've run this session so it was a bit trial and error. The aim was to find a 1K long hill that I could run hard up, turn, run hard down and then recover for 90 seconds before repeating. In the end the best I could easily find in the Heath was the run from the Lido to the top of Parliament Hill. It measures at more like 700m up. But the steepness of the hill felt like it made up for what it lacked in distance.

I was joined by Henry and Svenja who both seemed admirably eager to join in my Sunday morning masochism.It definitely made it easier to push myself through the session and I even had them split the task of pacing me up different sections of my final rep. Which was highly effective but did not prevent me from being effortlessly overtaken by yet another Highgate-ite as I stumbled the final few metres.

It was a cracking session. As proven by the mild headache and limb ache that I still have as I write this 10 hours later.

Rest

A busy day. No running.

Easy on a Friday

5M am recovery run

The last couple of days have swung me back from full of beans to pretty shattered. (Which is probablby appropriate.) So I took it easy today. I'm feeling in need of a nice relaxing, sleep-filled weekend. And some hill reps.

Much needed recovery

12M double; recovery runs x2
6M am recovery run
6M pm recovery run

My last two days have caught up with me. I'm tired now. Hopefully I'll be back to full energy tomorrow for another killer rep sesh from Ron.

I think a lack of sleep might also be playing a part. I have been in bed late every night this week.

Andy Murray started it. I got into bed at 11.30 on Monday night but foolishly got up again when I realised he was only a set away from victory and I wouldn't be able to sleep anyway. Three hours late, I was still listening to Radio 5. But glad I did. I'd never previously taken in the level of endurance required for a full on five setter.

Still full of it

16M double; recovery run & 2K rep session
5M am recovery run
11M pm including 9x2K rep session

Still full of beans...

I ran Ron's killer 9x2K rep session this evening on the way home from work (late). I got out of work at 9 and was lucky that the rain had passed. I left most of my stuff at the office, so I only had my phone, keys and my credit and swipe cards in my shorts' pocket.

I ran the reps off 90 seconds recovery with 3 minutes between sets of three - i.e. between rep 3 and rep  4 and between 6 and 7.

The main disadvantage of starting it so late is that I ended up going to bed still totally full of Thai curry.

Back to it - feeling full of energy

17M double; receovery run & steady run
7M am recovery run
10M pm steady run at ~5.45min/M

I was probably brewing this yesterday without noticing, but I was full of energy this morning. I think it's going to be one of those weeks where I'm full of it.

Anyway, I was having to slow myself down on my way in to work this morning (around the Heath for four miles and then straight down through Kentish Town and past St Pancreas.

On the way home I was intending to keep things fairly sedate while testing out my buttock. But it felt fine and I seemed to wanted to push the pace. So I did.

The phantom railings are fun at high speed.

A precautionary rest day

A precautionary rest day

I'm still a bit sore after yesterday. Better. But still can feel it. So I'm taking this week's rest day today to let it settle down.

Long (but not too arduous)

18M am long run (easy)

I took a bit of a risk this morning on the run. My right buttock, as I said yesterday, was a bit sore... who knows why... I had ony run gently on Friday morning. It seemed to appear in the middle of the night.

Anyway, it was feeling better by mid-morning today. So I decided to give my planned long but gentle run a go. I'll know tomorrow if it was a bad idea. I'm a bit tight sore right now, but less so than yesterday. I should think it'll be ok...

My route today was a new one... down to the Regent's Canal, along the canal to the A40, then back to Regent's Park and up across Primrose Hill to the Heath. I then ran a few loops around the Heath - finding my way to new (for me) corners. Like Sandy Heath. And the West Heath.

It all added up to 18 miles. At about 7min/M pace.

Taking it easy again

5M am recovery run

My legs are tired in patches at the moment... feeling great for a couple of days and then a bit ragged for a couple.

Today was the latter. Plus a bit of a buttock twinge, so I avoided a second fun and stuck with the one nice and gentle one with Yasmin around the Heath in the morning. Cracking running weather. And I'm finally learning my way around the further corners of the Heath.

Just seven

7M am recovery run

Just seven this morning. Dinner with Ron and co in the evening. Hope the hangover isn't too bad...

At least this time I'm not running the Dartford Half in the morning.

Regents Park reps

15M double; recovery run & 1.3K rep session
5M am recovery run at ~6.45min/M
10M pm incl 5x1.3K hard off 60-90s recovery

Another solid speed session. Not quite what I had scheduled, but the invitation to a session on the grass at Regent's Park with Danny and his troop, plus a relatively early getaway from work made it one not to miss...

What's more, it turned out to be a real Highgate bonanza with the Pochee Memorial 5K Stakes taking place alongside our session. They had a steel band and everything. Marshalls in luminous socks. You get the picture.

Anyway, the session felt good. Danny was kind and cruised the first one at a pretty much perfect pace for me - 3min8s per K on grass in my clompy trainers is more than acceptable. He sped off for the remaining reps, but I kept my pace pretty even. Other than the last one, which was 5 or so seconds slower.

Nice to be back in the Highgate fold!

Ten, steady

17M double; recovery run & steady run
7M am recovery run
10M pm steady run at 6.30-5.45min/M

My legs were not in the best mood this morning after yesterday's session, but they loosened up nicely on the gentle run Yasmin took me on around the Heath before I headed to work.

My evening run was swifter, but not hard... ready for something a bit more full on tomorrow. I ran at a fairly steady pace the whole way, keeping my breathing under control but quite hard. My legs felt good the whole way and enjoyed the rhythm. Even on the hills.

2K reps along the canal back from the Paralympics

16M double; recovery run & 2K rep session
6M am recvovery run at 6.30-7.00min/M
10M pm incl 6x2K hard off 2min recovery (and 5 min easy in the middle)

I went to the Paralympics today with my family. There was no Mo, but it was still a great atmosphere and pretty moving in parts. But then I'm just a sporting soft-touch and anything gets me welling up.

I ran my recovery run around and through the Heath again in the morning. Really good conditions again. I ran my second run, sweating like a pig, back along the canal from the Olympic Park. The canal is pretty good for long reps and tempo running I think. But I wouldn't want to do shorter reps careering under the bridges with cycles coming the other way.

The reps today were 2K and off 2 minutes recovery. I ran them in two blocks of three with five minutes of easy running between the blocks (which worked well as it was the segment between Upper Street and the re-emergence of the Regent's Canal heading West). My legs are in a nicely painful state and my lungs a little bit raw in a way that tells me it was a good session.

Recovery

7M am recovery run

Just one today. A nice easy recovery run around and through the Heath. I really need to get a grip and learn some good routes through the Heath - I spend too little time there given where I live. And too much time running on the rounds circling it. It was a cracking morning for a run. A good start to what turned into a great day.

A pyramid rep session around Port Meadow

7M incl 800-1000-1200-1500-1200-1000-800 off 90s

My stomach was still full of the large amount of food I had eaten yesterday (for mum and dad's ruby wedding anniversary celebrations), and I wasn't sure how it would react to these reps. It quite often objects to hard, short reps at the best of times. But I got away with it and probably had the best rep session in this block of training. It was nice doing it around a circuit, so I had somwhere to strive to get to. And it was also good have a couple of companions to chase after (who were taking a shorter route)... even if they did get to the Wolvercote Canal Bridge before me.

Rest

A scheduled rest day...

Ten - steady

10M am ateady run at ~6.00-6.30

My legs weren't at their freshest this morning. As there was no time for an evening run, I just bashed out ten miles steadily - around the perimeter of the Heath and then to work.

A solid evening session and some tasty chicken

14M double; recovery run & kilometre rep session
6M am recovery run
8M pm including 9x1K reps off 90s job

I got up early early for a gentle one around the Heath so I could amble in to work unflustered for clinic with Yasmin. Very nice.

The day was the usual long one at the moment and I wasn't full of energy and enthusiasm for an evening session. I ran it a bit funny (but like I used to do a lot of my sessions a year or so ago) with a very light pack on the way home from work. The route works pretty well for kilometer reps after the first couple of miles of warm up. There are a couple of irritating fiddly bits or down hill sections, but otherwise it wasn't bad at all. And it was definitely better than not getting a session in at all.

I was dying for hunger when I finished. Until I stuffed my face at Chicken Shop. The crinkle cuts are particularly fine. So is the bronwie. And the chicken. And the 'slaw.

Recovery again (and some cool phantom railings)

10M double; recovery runs x2
7M am recovery run
3M pm recovery run

Work is pretty busy at the moment and I didn't have the time or energy for a hard run this evening. Hopefully I'll get a good one in tomorrow despite clinic.

The morning run was improved by running past this sound sculpture on Malet Street. I make a point of running past it as often (and fast) as possible. It's supposed to sounds like you are running a stick along some phantom railings.

Recovery

14M double; recovery runs x2
7M am recovery run
7M pm recovery run

Just a couple of nice and easy runs to and from work today. The usual route: Parliament Hill, Haverstock Hill, Primrose Hill, Regent's Park, down Baker Street and across to the hospital. I was slow in the morning and felt fairly brisk in the evening.

10 at close to tempo

10M am run at ~5.30-5.45min/M

This was meant to be yesterday's run. It felt good. I found a really good rhythm again and was moving nicely. I headed out and back along the Regent's Canal to the West as far as the bit where the A40 hangs over it. That bit wasn't so glam, but the rest is a combination of scenic, flat and quiet.

Recovery

8M am recovery run

I didn't manage my scheduled harder run today. Just some recovery.

Just a couple of sixes

12M double; recovery run x2
6M am recovery run
6M pm recovery run

My legs are surprisingly untired after the last couple of days - I felt pretty light on my legs once I had warmed up this morning and didn't take long at all to get going this evening.

I suspect it was the restorative effect of the Dirty Burger I had for dinner last night.

Or perhaps the fact that I've signed up for the Great South Run and am unnecessarily excited about making my 10 mile PB respectable.

Eighteen, nice and gently (from Romford)

18M pm long run at ~7min/M with pack

I was back in Romford again today - a month on from Olympic opening ceremony day. I took the same route home, via Stratford and the canal.

After yesterday's session, I kept the pace relaxed. It felt pretty good.

Another solid session

16M double; recovery run & pyramid rep session
6M am recovery run
10M pm incl 800-1000-1200-1500-1200-1000-800 off 90s

Another rep session along the Embankment this evening. I felt really good in my running today, I had a really good rhythm and felt really light on my feet... The session was my best for a long time - since the kilometer rep session I nailed before the marathon. I'm loving my running right now.

A day off!

Just an nice work home from work today. No running. Good for my little legs.

Flip, that was a decent session

14M double; recovery run & kilometer rep session
5M am recovery run at ~7.00min/M
9M pm incl 9x1K hard off 90s recovery

I'm repeating last week's schedule to get a bit more speed in my legs before moving on to Ron's next offering... so today I headed to the Embankment again for some kilometer reps. I was definitely faster than last week. Partly, I just felt faster. And partly, I could push myself harder. I was plenty pained and tired by the end of number nine.

Recovery around the Heath

12M double; recovery runs x2
6M am recovery run
6M pm recovery run

Two recovery runs either side of work. Nice and easy. I felt really sluggish as I started both of them, but warmed up ok. By the end of the second one I was feeling great and holding myself back.

Summary of week ending 19/08/2012

Mon 13/8 - 17M double; 7M recov & 10M incl 9x1K
Tue 14/8 - 12M double; 7M & 5M recovery runs
Wed 15/8 - 17M double; 7M recov & 10M steady runs
Thu 16/8 - 6M recovery run
Fri 17/8 - 14M double; 7M recovery runs x2
Sat 18/8 - 10M incl 800-1000-1200-1500-1200-1000-800
Sun 19/8 - 10M at 6.00min/M
TOTAL - 86M

10 at 6 minute mile kind of pace

10M am at ~6.00min/M

I had a really cracking, easy but briskish run this morning along the canal to Little Venice this morning. I was just a bit quicker then six minute miling and felt really nice and smooth. Cruising along nicely.

Some early morning reps

10M am incl pyramid rep session

I meant to do these last night. But a long day at work and the heat meant that I got up early today to squeeze it in. I ran it on the track: 800-1000-1200-1500-1200-1000-800 off 90-120s rest. I ran it without a watch to let myself just relax and push it rather than struggling to be as fast as I was before my injury. It felt pretty good. It was HOT though. Nice gentle few miles around the Heath after the reps.

More recovery

14M double; recovery run x2
7M am recovery run
7M pm recovery run

Two easy runs. Flippin hot in the evening. Sweaty.

Recovery

6M pm recovery run

Just recovery today.

Steady

17M double; recovery run & steady run
7M am recovery run
10M pm steady run at ~6.15min/M

I'm clocking up a decent mileage this week. My legs can feel it. They are generally a fair bit more tired than they've been. But I've not had any niggles return. Today was just a good number of miles, with the evening 10 miler run steady

Recovery

12M double; recovery runs x2

7M am recovery run

5M pm recovery run

My legs can feel testerday's rep session, but only in a reassuring mild ache of a way. My recovery runs weren't the slowest.

K reps along the Embankment

17M double; recovery run & K rep session
7M am recovery run
10M pm incl 9x1K off 90s

Now this is more like it! I headed down to the North Embankment after work and bashed out what felt like pretty acceptable kilometer reps this evening off 90 seconds recovery. Nine of them. Who knows how fit I am at the moment, but at least I'm heading in the right direction.

Recovery (not a marathon)

6M am recovery run

Just a really gentle one today. I was planning a long one... but overslept. I sacrificed it for the chance to watch the Olympic marathon.

Tempo again

9M am incl 5.5M tempo

The usual tempo run again this morning. Around the Heath. And then gently to work.

Twelve, steady

12M pm steady run

A bit of a filler day, but still a decent one. Twelve miles along the river to Tower Bridge, back to Westminster and then home. Something harder in the morning methinks. Perhaps I'll smack out an 800m in 1.40.91 or something of that ilk.

A morning session

9M am incl 5.5M tempo

I was TIRED (in a sleep sense) this morning. Not enough sleep recently. But I did have time to wake myself up with a cracking tempo run before work. I ran my recent favourite - clockwise around the roads that run the perimeter of the Heath, including Swains Lane. My legs are letting me really go for it now. I could feel the after effects most of the day. Good stuff.

Busy busy

5M recovery run

I've been busy with work recently. I ended up staying up 'til past 4 this morning and then had a long day at work. As a result, I've shifted my session to Wednesday morning.

Recovery

11M double; recovery run x2
5M am recovery run
6M pm recovery run

Nice and gentle today. My hamstrings were a bit tight after yesterday's effort - nice not to be thinking about my calf any more. Though it was pretty heavy going. I was lighter on my feet by the evening.

Summary of week ending 05/08/2012

Mon 30/07 - 10M double; 7M & 3M recovery runs
Tue 31/07 - 12M double; 5M recovery run & 7M steady run
Wed 1/08 - 13M double; 9M incl 6M tempo & 4M recovery run
Thu 2/08 - Rest
Fri 3/8 - 12M incl 5M tempo
Sat 4/8 - 9M steady run
Sun 5/8 - 15M hard
TOTAL - 71M

15, hard

15M pm with most of it at tempo

I wasn't sure how much energy I had for a longish hard run today, but I was still excited after yesterday that it ended up pretty quick. I ran the same route as a couple of weeks ago, to take in some of the central London Olympic venues - Parliament Hill, Primrose Hill, Regent's Park, anti-clockwise around Hyde Park, past Buckingham Palance, down Birdcage Walk to Whitehall and home.

My legs felt great from the off and they got better as I went. I didn't have a watch, but could feel that i was going really nicely. I was pushing pretty hard from early on and was really flying once I turned for home up Whitehall. A good use of Olympics-related excess energy.

Steady 9 to Stratford for the men's 10,000

9M pm steady run


I ran along the canal to Stratford this afternoon. I thought it'd be an appropriate way to get to the stadium to watch the (my) highlight of the games.

It was absolutely amazing to see Ennis and Rutherford win gold. I had a great seat - 14 rows back at the beginning of the home straight.

But that was just the warm up. I was almost shaking with excitement just seeing (Kenenisa) Bekele warming up. I was a bit over excited and got a few odd/disapproving looks when I stood up to give him a clap and a cheer. I wasn't even sure before it started who I wanted to win to be honest.

But I soon found out I was in it for Mo. The whole thing was unreal. To see these superheroes in the Olympic final. The noise was crazy each time they came round. And for the last three laps it was deafening the whole way round. I'll never experience anything like it again.

Tempo (to the river) then Dibaba

12M am incl 5M tempo

I ran hard down tot he river this morning with may pack. It's the hardest tempo run I've run since my comeback. I was really huffing.

After a little pause, I then ran seven or so more miles more steadly up and down the South and North banks via a trip to Tower Bridge to see the Olympic rings.

That wasn't it for the running day though... we had tickets to the athletics this evening. Really amazing to see Tirunesh Dibaba destroy the field for gold in the 10,000. Especially having trained in her hometown this year and hearing how much they all love her there.

(Planned) rest

Rest

I'm trying to take a day off every couple of weeks (at the moment). It's what sensible runners do the whole time, so the least I can do is try it for a bit while getting back into things.

A morning tempo run

13M double; tempo run & recovery run
9M am incl 5.5M tempo
4M pm recovery run

Yes, I'm still sticking to tempo running for my faster sessions for now. I'll get some more variety before long, but I feel like I'm making good progress for now... plenty of fitness to regain, so improvements are still coming fast.

Did I mention that I've forked out for tickets to the Women's and Men's 10,000m finals? Friday and Saturday. Can't wait. I might try a 10K tempo (again) on Friday morning to get myself in the mood.

In the mean time... go Wiggo!

I added in a 4 or so mile evening recovery run home.