Pre-work longish tempo

17M double; medium-long tempo & recovery run
14M am incl 12M crescendo/tempo
3M pm recovery run

I ran a slightly shortened version on my usual medium-long tempo, cutting out the warm down so I arrived at work on time.

It started off pretty sluggish as usual and I didn't really get going really smoothly until I was over half way around Hyde Park (5 or 6 miles into the tempo section). Initially sub-6 and then 5.45 felt like a push. But by the end I was cruising at around 5.20mun/M pace without killing myself. The last mile was up hill and through traffic, so I didn't get the chance to really step on it and pull out a final mile closer to 5.00 pace. Still, this was my best run so far in this block of training.

There was only time for three rainy miles on my way home to pick up Hana.

Steady

13M double; steady run & recovery run
10M am steady run
3M pm recovery run

I ran steadily to work around the top of the Heath this morning and then nice and easily home.

Lots of K reps

23M double; K rep session & recovery run
16M am incl 15x1K off 90s jog
7M pm recovery run

I got up at 6 this morning and ran 45 laps of the track (15 K reps alternating with 200m jog). They weren't the fastest I've run, particularly the first couple, but I hit a good rhythm and its the kind of session that will sort me out fitness-wise.

I then jogged home and on to work (via a bit of Hana time).

I ran a super-easy 7 miler home.

Six, easy

6M double; recovery runs x2
3M am recovery run
3M pm recovery run

I was on nursery drop off and pick up both end of the day today. No time for extra miles.

Fairly steady

13M double; steady run & recovery run
10M am steady run with pack
3M pm recovery run with pack

I ran around the top of the Heath and on to work via Regent's Park this morning. I took it at a steady pace, despite my legs feeling fairly dead. They were more tired by the evening, but I only had to drag myself the three miles home.

Summary of week ending 27/01/2013

TOTAL - 86M

Twenty, sluggishly

20M am slow long run

I ran really slowly this morning. My legs felt terrible at the beginning. And if anything slightly better at the end.

Hard cross-country miles at the Southern Champs

13M incl 15K Southern Cross-country championships

I felt that I was heading towards some kind of fitness, but today probably came a bit too early. I felt pretty rubbish if I'm honest. I think I cam out in the low 100s position-wise and was going slowly backwards from the second lap (probably losing 20 places overall, so not exactly a disaster).

There must have been as many different types of mud out there as types of snow the Eskimos have. I wasn't a fan of the sticky type that stopped me dead in my tracks even when I was going downhill.

Whatever the performance, it was a good tempo session.

Nine to Stratford

9M am steady run with heavy pack

I ran fairly briskly to Stratford this morning - I was running late after dropping a milk bottle on the kitchen floor. My legs aren't bad considering the last two days' exertions.

A surge session

12M double; surge session & recovery run
9M am incl 32 minute surge session
3M pm recovery run

I ran a slightly lengthened version of the surge session that Danny taught me last year. It alternates hard running with similar length blocks of steady (not easy) running. Today's version had the following length blocks of hard running: 2min-2min-2min-2min-90s-90s-90s-90s-1min-1min-1min-1min-30s-30s-30s-30s-15s-15s-15s-15s. Good pre-race sharpening I hope. And my legs were surprisingly up for it after yesterday.

A long K rep session

16M double; K rep session & recovery run
13M am incl 12x1Kish
3M recovery run

I ran a kind of K rep session this morning. In the end (due to traffic lights etc) I ran reps of 4min for the first four and 2min30s for the last four, so I was slowly accelerating. I can tell my legs are in need of this  sort of session.

Easy Tuesday

6M double; recovery runs x2
3M am recovery run
3M pm recovery run

I was on nursery drop off and pick up both end of the day today. No time for extra miles.

Ten miles on a Monday

10M double; recovery run and 3M tempo

7M am recover run

3M pm hard

I took it easy on my way in to work this morning - still feeling a bit ill. But I was up for some fast running by the evening and gave it everything on the three miles home.

Summary of week ending 19/01/2014

TOTAL - 71M

Rest

I'm ill.

Easy miles

13M double; recovery runs x2

6M am recovery run with buggy

7M pm recovery run

We had a family run on the Heath this morning. Very civilised. It ended with a burger from the farmers' market.

18 before work

18M am cresecendo run

The Garmin was out of power again, so I don't know how fast I was. But this was another fairly swift long crescendo run. I ran it on my way to work. It included two laps of Hyde Park.

Ten

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

Nothing flashy today. Gently to work via Regent's Park. And gently home the direct route.

Early morning medium-long

18M double; medium-long tempo & recovery run
15M am incl 12M crescendo
3M pm recovery run

I ran hard and fairly long this morning. And short and easy this evening.

Only six

6M double; recovery runs x2
3M am recovery run
3M pm recovery run

I was on nursery drop off and pick up both end of the day today. No time for extra miles.

Easy

6M double; recovery runs x2
3M am recovery run
3M pm recovery run

Just to and from work today. No time for extra miles. I'm torn between running and hanging out with Hana...

Summary of week ending 12/01/2014

TOTAL - 86M

My first timed long run of the year

22M am crescendo long run at 6.45-6.15-5.45min/M

I was a bit scared about today's run. Fast long runs are always intimidating, but I was more nervous today because I had no clue how my legs would respond. As it turned out, they were fine stamina-wise. They didn't tighten up at all. But they were predictably lacking in zip. I was running at least 15s a mile faster than this per mile in the autumn. Still, I was chuffed that I held it together. I had a bit of a stitch in the last two miles.

Easy

6M am steady run with buggy

We ran on the Heath this morning. It was faster than sometimes. I'll call it steady.

Medium-long tempo

18M double; medium-long run & recovery run
15M am incl 12M crescendo
3M pm recovery run

My Garminwas out of juice, so I don't know how fast it was, but I ran what felt like a solid 'medium-long' tempo run on my way to work. It's the session that made the difference last autumn I think. 

Easy

9M double; recovery runs x2
6M am recovery run
3M pm recover run

I took it easy today. I have a hard run planned for the morning...

A solid session on the way to work

11M double; rep session & recovery run
8M am incl 8x4min hard off 90s-180s jog
3M pm recovery run

I ran a good rep session on the way to work this morning. Twelve hours on I can still feel my legs grumbling about it (in a good way). The reps were 4 minutes. Between a couple of them I had to take longer recovery because of traffic issues etc, but most of them had 90 second recoveries. I was really spent by the end.

I also adjusted my usual route to work to allow more hard running. I usually leave Regent's Park at Baker Street and have the last 2 miles or so along pavements. My adjusted route keeps me in the park to Great Portland Street and leaves only a bit over a mile along pavements, which works well as a short warm down. I think this route on my way to work will work well for sessions with my current work pattern.

Recovery

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

Two easy ones today. I'll run a good length session in the morning.

A few 800m reps

10M double; recovery run and 800m rep session
7M am recovery run
3M pm incl 5x2m30s hard off 90s jog

I ran my evening three miler as a rep session today - I ran the same session quite a few times last year after Hana was born and I was hurrying home from work the most direct route. I went pretty hard, but these three mile runs are too short for a proper session. I'm going to change my days to run hard in the morning when I tend to have more time.

Rest

I didn't manage a run today. Partly from being miserable that I have work tomorrow...

A steady run around Oxford

7M pm steady run

I went for a steady run around the centre of Oxford this evening from my parents' house. No dramas.

Another short tempo

9M double; recovery run and 3M tempo run
6M am recovery run
3M pm hard

Another day like yesterday. Short and sharp in the evening.

Back to work

10M double; recovery run and 3M tempo
7M am recovery run
3M pm tempo

The new world of working plus parenthood has dawned. I'm not sure what my pattern will be. For the next 10 days, Hana has someone (else) at home with her while she settles in at nursery. After that, Yasmin and I will be juggling pick-ups and drop-offs. It's hard to know how that will meld with my running... Today, I had plenty of time in the morning but hurried back in the evening by way of a 3 mile tempo run to relieve my parents of grandparenting duties.

Rest

Not the best way to start the new year. But I was miserable because I have to go back to work tomorrow after two months at home (and running around) with Hana.