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.