17 in the snow!

17M - double; recovery run & speed session
5M recovery run at ~6.30min/M with pack
12M speed (and recovery) incl 10x600m with 45s recovery

A couple a good snow facials today. Surprisingly un-cold somehow - I was much colder walking to Sainsbury's after dinner.

I kept my run this morning to just 5 and took it gently as I was planning my first trip to the track this evening. But the snow intervened and the track was shut. So I did a speed session along the river and around Battersea Park instead. I had my pack and no Garmin, so I did it as 10 sets of 2 mins (probably about 600m) with 45s jog recovery. I felt good. And pleasingly tired at the end. Just about enough energy to squeeze out five more steady miles.

Three hours later, my legs are taking on a healthy ache. It's my first short rep session in 6 or so weeks, so I expect to be a bit sore tomorrow. Hip was fine though. Nothing. And no other niggles.

A triple (thanks to the tube strike)!

14M; triple - recovery run x3
6M am recovery run at ~6.30min/M with pack
4M pm recovery run at ~6.15min/M
4M late pm recovery run at ~6.15min/M with pack

Yes, a three run day! Not intentional. But running home at the end of the evening seemed like the best plan thanks to the tube strike.

I felt pretty good today. Legs were fresh despite yesterday's 20 miles. I took the morning run steady, but was full of beans for my early evening run. I only had time for 4 miles.

My late evening run was something else. Two glasses of nice Spanish red and some fine tapas lined me up nicely. Then Foals, Total Life Forever on my headphones (I almost never run with music - it was the wine talking). It felt magical flying down the hill on Charing Cross Road and round the top of Trafalgar Square to Black Gold. Millbank past the Tate Britain to the strains of This Orient was another excuse for a bit of a speed-up. And After Glow required the addition of a little extra loop at the end.

I'm heading to the track tomorrow for the first time in quite a while. Just a little taster.

Summary of week ending 28/11/10

Mon 22/11 - 12M double; 6M recovery run x2 at 6.15min/M
Tue 23/11 - 20M double; 5M recovery at 6.15 and 15M fast (5.30) and slow
Wed 24/11 - 12M double; 6M recovery run x2 at 6.30min/M
Thu 25/11 - 11M double; 6M recovery run at 6.30 & 5M at 6.00
Fri 26/11 - 15M double; 5M recovery run at 6.45 & 10M fast (5.25) and slow
Sat 27/11 - 12M double; 6M recovery run x2 at 7.00 and 6.15
Sun 28/11 - 20M long run at 7.05min/M

TOTAL - 102M!

A long one in the sun

20M - long run at 7.05min/M

Pretty chilly early on today, but the sun was out by the time I got to the Heath. And I even managed to take my hat off by the 13 mile mark! I picked up the pace a little towards the end and was still feeling pretty fresh. It's probably good for me to put in some slow long ones, but I'm quite tempted to inject a bit of tempo into them. I might try a 'progression' (gradually speeding up) long run next Sunday when I can't make it to the club.

100 miles up for the week and my body seems quite happy with it. Now I need to refuel.

Chilly out

12M - double; recovery runs x2
6M am recovery run at ~7.30min/M
6M pm recovery run at ~6.15min/M

A couple of gentle ones today. This morning around Brockwell Park. This evening around Battersea Park. It's pretty effing chilly. But at least it's not windy. And it's beautiful. I bought more cold weather gear during the day to help me through the next few months.

Looking forward to a long one with the club tomororw.

Misleading legs!

15M - double; recovery run & fast and slow
5M am recovery run at 6.45min/M
10M pm alternating fast (~5.25) and slow (~6.45) miles

My legs were telling me they were tired all day today. Including on my morning jaunt round Brockwell Park. But it turns out they were lying (again). I felt great as soon as I hit my stride on my first fast mile on the evening session. It turned into a good one.

Slight ache in my right sartorius this morning, but eased quickly on running. Nothing else. Hip and heel good now.

More gentle running

11M - double; recovery runs x2
6M am at ~6.30min/M with pack
5M pm at ~6.00min/M with pack

Just a couple of light ones today. Feeling v full of beans by the evening but had to leave work and had Thanksgiving dinner to cook, so had to keep it short and sweet! Will give it some on a fast-slow session tomorrow. Looking forward to it. Has been a busy week. Grant application beckons. Again.

12 easy miles

12M - double; recovery runs x2
6M am at 6.30min/M
6M pm at 6.30min/M

Just a couple of gentle runs today to let my legs recover some spring. Little bit tired after yesterday. But nothing much. More in the mind than anything, only feeling tired cos I'm in a gentle jaunt kind of mindset. A stiffer run tomorrow or Friday depending on how I feel and how late I leave work.

COLD out. Lots of layers. I'm such a chilly pants nowadays - I used to just run in shorts and a t-shirt whatever the weather and didn't own any running gloves. But then I didn't run much and only insisted on a cold run when it was Christmas day (a traditional special treat of mine that I'm always willing to risk frostbite for).

20 good miles (including 15 fast and slow)

20M - double; 5M recovery & 15M fast and slow
5M am recovery run at ~6.15min/M
15M pm fast (~5.30min/M) and slow (~6.45min/M)

That has to be my best day in a while. I fitted in an early morning little five miler, just tootling along the South Bank and back (before a morning meeting at UCL).

My legs thought they were tired during the day, but that chocolate cornflake nibble I had before my evening run obviously did a trick. I felt great as soon as I got going. My fast miles felt like race pace - the first time they've felt this good for a while. I did the first six with my pack. The last nine (mainly around Battersea Park) were super bouncy. And I was tempted to carry on beyond 15 when I got home.

And here's a thing: looking back at the last 7 days, I've run more than 100 miles (104 to be precise)! That's a first for me. I think I'm on a bit of a running high. Or perhaps it's just a sugar low. Or something. Food required.

Bouncy new trainers

12M - double; recovery runs x2
6M am at ~6.30min/M with pack
6M pm at ~6.30min/M with pack

Just a couple of gentle recovery runs today. Aided by my shiny new trainers. My legs didn't feel bouncy this morning, but my trainers were super-boingy. Amazing how different to my 500 mile old ones that I added to the pile of dead ones yesterday.

My morning run turned out pretty good once I got going - my legs are seldom as tired as they feel before I start. And my run home felt really good and free. The hip is A-OK.

I'll be ready for a bit of speed tomorrow evening - though still not on the track I think, just mile reps like last week. The aim (after another good chat with Ron last night) is to keep nursing the hip while nudging up the mileage. I'm going to try and race every other week or so and get some speed from that, but will also inject perhaps one proper shorter speed session before too long.

Summary of week ending 21/11/10

Mon 15/11 - 6M recovery at ~6.15 with pack
Tue 16/11 - 15M fast (~5.40) & slow (~6.45)
Wed 17/11 - 15M double; 5M recovery & 10M gen aerobic (both ~6.15 with pack)
Thu 18/11 - 14M double; 6M recovery & 8M fast (~5.30) and slow with pack
Fri 19/11 - 12M double recovery run at ~6.15
Sat 20/11 - 10M incl 10K cross country race
Sun 21/11 - 21M long run at ~7.00min/M

TOTAL - 93M

A long one (and new trainers at the end)

21M - long run at ~7.00min/M (10M with pack)

A really nice long one today with the boys from the club. There were a good number of us out. I ran to the track and back - where we meet up - so the whole thing ended up at 21 miles. I was nearly home by the time I hit 20 miles (my original target), so I carried on to the running shop... my shoes have notched up 500 miles. I got a new pair of the Brooks I'm already using, but in a new colour so I can tell them apart from my other pair and alternate them more easily.

My hip was good and it was nice to get a proper long one in. It gets me to 93 miles for the week, and I felt surprisingly untired given the total miles for the week and the stiffness I felt after yesterday's race.

I'm feeling positive about notching up 100 miles regularly before too long.

A very muddy race

Cosy. Then muddy.

10M - incl 10K London Cross Country championships in 34m51s

10K of muddy fun on Hampstead Heath! I felt fairly full of beans despite my heavy week. I think I managed to pace it OK, though I was struggling on the last of the 4 laps. I've still got some way to go before I've learnt to cope with the changes of rhythm. But I was better on the downhills today (more on the balls of my feet and lest scared). I had just about enough left in me to take a place in the finishing straight. Though I did nearly vom as a result.

I came 20th in the race and 6th of the Highgate guys. The team came 1st (and 4th - the B team)! Hip was perfect.

A couple of recovery runs

12M - double; recovery runs x2
6M am recovery run at ~6.15min/M
6M pm recovery run at ~6.15min/M

Just a couple of gentle ones ready for the London Cross Country Championship tomorrow! My legs can feel that they had a good run-out yesterday. Which is a nice feeling. They should be ripe for tomorrow. My morning run was near home (rather than my usual run to work). It was beautiful and misty in the park. And breakfast at home seemed like a real treat.

Feeling faster

14M - double; recovery and mile reps
6M am recovery run at ~6.15min/M
8M pm fast (~5.30min/M) and slow (~6.45min/M) with pack

I felt really good today, particularly this evening. It's the first 'fast' session that I've really felt that real boingy solid push off since my hip first played up. I would have like to fit in another couple of miles, but didn't have enough time before my dinner date.

Some steady miles

15M - double; recovery and general aerobic run
5M am at ~6.15min/M with pack
10M pm at ~6.15min/M with pack

Just a couple of not-too-arduous runs today. I felt pretty lively after yesterday's 15 miles and the hip is still not complaining. The evening run was particularly good. I felt really strong the last few miles. No other niggles either. My heel is fine. I think it's better than a few weeks ago.

15M fast and slow

15M - alternating fast (~5.40min/M) and slow (~6.45min/M) miles

Again, only managed one run today. But this was a good one. Fast and slow. Hip totally ready to push out the fast ones. It felt nice. May be ready for some proper speed work again next week. Or maybe the week after. Will know better after this Saturday's race. Had a good chat with Ron last night. Looking forward to building the miles towards Christmas.

Just 6

6M - recovery run at ~6.15min/M

Just a short one in the Essex countryside (near Chelmsford where I was doing a clinic). Comfortable. No problems. No time later in the day for a second run.

A nice long one

15M - long run at ~7.30min/M

Another nice run in spite of being on a stag do! Dragged Mike out for a good 10 miles early doors - run at a nice 7.10-type pace to and from West Wittering. Then were joined by some others for the last 5 at a gentler pace. Hip happy.

Another 6

6M - recovery run at ~8.45min/M

A nice gentle one this morning in the Sussex countryside. Nothing fancy. Four others from the stag do I'm on joined in. Hip good.

Just 6

6M - recovery run at ~6.15min/M

Just a gentle ease around Battersea Park this morning. No pack. Bit breezy. Really nice. Hip great. I think it'll stay away now. Am doing a few post-run stretches on it to try and prevent recurrence. I've known for some time (thanks to Jamie) that I'm much tighter in my right than left hip. I guess symmetry is a good thing when putting in the miles.

More miles, tired legs

13M - double; recovery & general aerobic runs
3M am recovery run at ~6.30min/M with pack
10M pm general aerobic at ~5.45min/M

My legs are pretty tired today. More miles the last few days than for a while. I went slow on the way in to work this morning. I was timetables to go at 5.30min/M for my evening run, but was a bit low on energy. I compromised and went for ~5.45 pace. Which was pretty heavy going into the wind.

Hip good. Rest of me good too. Other than general tiredness.

Lots of miles

20M - double; 5M recovery & 15M medium long
5M am recovery run at ~6.15min/M with pack
15M pm medium long run. 1st 10M fast (5.45) and slow (6.45). Last 5M at 6.00min/M

A good day again. Legs tired and a bit achy. Hip good again. And I've realised my (long term) heal pain has gone away. Probably last felt it some time last week

Another good day

11M - double; recovery run x2
3M am recovery run at ~6.15min/M with pack
8M pm recovery run at ~6.00min/M

A couple of nice springy runs along the river today. Hip good. Quads still pleasingly achy after the weekend. I feel back on song.

My best day in ages

15M - double; 5M recovery and 10M fast & slow
5M am recovery run at ~6.30min/M with pack
10M pm alternating fast (~5.30min/M) and slow (~6.45min/M)

I felt properly back to it today. My legs are pleasingly a little achy after Saturday (and perhaps also Sunday), but my hip is good. I can still feel the bruise-type bit if I prod it, but there's no spasm or pain now. I had a good chat with Ron last night and feel much more positive about things.

My gentle cruise in to work was fun. And to be honest I wasn't full of energy when I left work for home. But by the time I'd pulled on all my warm kit I was dead up for a bit of fast and slow. I felt great. Full of spring. And no anxiety about my hip. Big feed afterwards ended a beautiful running day.

Getting longer

13M? - longish run at ~6.30min/M

I'm not quite sure how long this ended up being. I headed out with the Highgate boys for a tour of Highgate Woods, Ally Pally and back to the Heath. It was good. And the hip was good. I can still feel what I think now is a bruise. But it's improving.

I'll go longer this week. But not too much speed.

Some cross country - and the hip was good

7M incl 5K cross country relay race (16min54secs)

I'm feeling like I'm back on a healthy track now, though perhaps my time was more sluggish than I would have liked - I was the slowest from Highgate... though the boys in the team today are speed merchants, so maybe I shouldn't take it personally.

The course was a 2 lapper, with plenty of chance for cheering. And the boys were dead up for that as usual. A loudspeaker has been added to the race day kit and we each had our chosen pre-race song blasted out in the build-up. Mine was How Soon Is Now by The Smiths.

We did well. It was the English National Cross Country Relay Championships. Four runners per team. Our A team finished 17th. I was in the B team, which finished 29th. I managed to gain one place on my leg, so not too shabby. Better next year?

More rest

Another day of rest for the improved hip before the English National Cross Country Relays (tomorrow)!

Ten

10M - general aerobic at ~6.30min/M with pack

Another day back running. Could just about feel
Some tightness in my hip, but no pain. I think it'll be ok from here.

An experimental 6

6M - fast and slow

A trial run for my hip. I alternated fast (5.30min/M) with slow (6.45min/M) miles. It was good to stretch my legs. My hip was fine. No pain dunce Saturday.