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.