A lightish Monday

18M - double; recovery & general aerobic runs & exercises
6M am recovery run at ~7.00min/M with pack
12M pm general aerobic run at ~6.30min/M with pack
Core strength exercises (five circuits)

A lightish Monday. My legs were still a bit tired this morning - perhaps a mixture of a few heavy weeks catching up with me and Saturday's race.

By the time of my evening run my legs had picked up a fair bit and I enjoyed a good cruise home along the river including a couple of loops around Westminster.

I finished the day with some core strength exercises in front of Newsnight - a classic combination. I did five circuits (one more than last week) of the same five exercises as before. I'll try to do this twice a week from now. Good for holding solid posture late in the marathon, I read.

Summary of week ending 30/01/2011

Mon 24/1 - 16M double; 6M recov & 10M gen aerobic at 6.30 w pack & exercises
Tue 25/1 - 17M double; 6M recovery & 12M gen aerobic at 6.00-6.30 with pack
Wed 26/1 - 17M double; 11M incl 10x200, 10x400, 10x200 & 6M recovery
Thu 27/1 - 18M long run at 6.05min/M with pack
Fri 28/1 - 13M double; 5M & 8M recovery runs at 7.00 and 6.30min/M
Sat 29/1 - 11M incl 15K x-country race
Sun 30/1 - 10M general aerobic run at ~6.15min/M
TOTAL - 102M

A light Sunday

10M general aerobic at ~6.15min/M

Just a really light day today after yesterday's race. My only chance for a run was first thing in the morning - not very long after yesterday afternoon's race. So I took it easy. Calves were tight yesterday, but felt pretty normal today. My quads are pretty tired (but not achy). Knee improving for certain now.

A very muddy race on Hampstead Heath

War paint!


11M incl 15K South of England cross-country champs (116th; 55m39s)

This race is quite a big deal in the world of x-country. Corporate sponsorship. That sort of thing. But they could do with employing an extra few brain cells in their organisation of the start.

Their deployment of a purposeless tent prevented easy access to the start and meant that literally half the field were held 30m from the start behind a fence when the gun went. Yes, including me (and most of my team mates). And yes, could have been avoided by all of us involved by arriving 10mins earlier. And yes, it only cost us about 10s. But when it's half the field, you've got to wonder if organisation is to blame.

Anyway, though I only came 116th (I was hoping for top 100), I really enjoyed it. The start added to the adrenalin and meant there was plenty of fun overtaking to be done. And, perhaps down to that, I found it the first x-country race when I've been effective in cutting through the mud. I was less bad on the down hill segments too.

The top 6 from the club (I was 7th) earned us a bronze medal in the team competition. Fantastic result. Best since 1997 apparently. And we came 2nd in the 12-to-score competition. TIDY!

Light running

13M - double; recover run x2
5M am recovery run at ~7.00min/M with pack
8M pm recovery run at ~6.30min/M

Just a couple of lighter runs today: to work and then to Battersea Park and back from home. Knee improved. Looking forward to 9 mile x-country race on Hampstead Heath tomorrow - the South of England championship.

18 miles fairly briskly

18M - long run at ~6.05min/M with pack

A mid-week fairly long run today. This might be my pattern from now when I'm racing at the weekend. I ran it at a fairly even pace rather than racking it up to save myself for Saturday. Felt pretty good. Knee was fine from 6 miles, having been a bit painful up to that point. It felt fine after the run too. I think it's settling.

A good hill rep session

17M - double; speed session & recovery run
11M am speed session incl 10x200m; 10x400 & 10x200 hill reps with jog recovery
6M pm recovery run at ~7.00min/M with pack

Another Wednesday morning speed session up the Brockwell Park hill. My legs are just about over their post-fell run achiness and it felt like a good session. The 400m reps are a real killer - the hill steepens towards the top and my legs were gone by the top on every one. My 200m reps felt good running form-wise.

It left me on a bit of an endorphin high, and I was in irritatingly high spirits at work all morning.

I took it easy on the run home. My knee was better this morning than it has been since it started, though it's still there. More ice and ibuprofen.

A steady day with headphones

17M - double; recovery and general aerobic runs
5M am recovery run at ~7.30min/M with pack
12M pm general aerobic run at 6.00-6.30min/M with pack

Another late finish on a Tuesday meant I had to substitute a 'general aerobic' run for my planned trip to the track. I'll head to the park in the morning for Ron's hill session like last week.

My evening run was a cracker though. I'm still in my purple patch and had to hold back. I was helped into bouncy, springy mood by listening to my 'pre-race' playlist on my iPhone with my Christmas-gift earphones. All part of my psychological build-up for April 17th. High points included the prelude to La Traviata (great for imagining hitting an easy cruising rhythm in the early miles) and Idioteque by Radiohead (perfect for a good bit of striding out mid-race).

My morning run was a nice tootle in the short route to work, partly with Yasmin.

My knee is much the same as yesterday. No pain from about mile 6! And nothing that altered my stride before that, just some minor irritation.

Good recovery

16M - double; recovery and general aerobic runs & exercises
6M am recovery run at ~7.00min/M with pack
10M pm general aerobic run at ~6.45min/M with pack
Weights and exercises

Just some gentle running today to let my hurting quads mend themselves. I was stiffer this morning than yesterday, but was feeling a little less sore by the evening. And despite the soreness, I felt good and springy. I had to hold myself back a bit on the way home.

My knee is still there a bit. I think it's probably 'ligamentitis' of the medial collateral ligament. Anywhichway, it's not changing my gait and will hopefully respond to ice, ibuleve and the passage of time.

I fitted in some weights in front of the telly in the evening. Four lots of: bicep curls x15; straight arm raises x10; sit ups x15; plank-alternate leg lifts x12; single leg reaches x10. The last exercise is an addition on last weeks routine.

Looking forward to another 100 plus week. The aim is for 3 more of these and then a ligher week (to coincide with the National cross-country champs).

Summary of week ending 23/01/2011

Mon 17/01 - 16M double; 6M recovery & 10M briskish at ~6.00
Tue 18/01 - 16M double; 6M recovery & 10M gem aerobic at ~6.15
Wed 19/01 - 17M double; 11M speed incl 10x200, 10x400, 10x200 & 6M recovery
Thu 20/01 - 20M double; 5M recovery & 15M med long at 6.08-5.49-5.43
Fri 21/01 - 18M double; 6M recovery & 12M gem aerobic at ~6.30
Sat 22/01 - 11M incl 7.5M fell race
Sun 23/01 - 22M long run at 6.55min/M
TOTAL - 120M

A long slow one

22M - long run at 6.55min/M

My quads are mush after yesterday's fell race. So I took it nice and easy on today's long run. All a bit tediousas it meant it took much longer than normal. But wise.

I split the run in two 11 mile chunks. A loop around Battersea Park and back then a loop around Crystal Palace Park. The second half is a new route for me. Pretty. And pretty hilly. I wasn't too low on gas by the end despite itbeong a pre-breakfast jaunt, fuelled only by squash, espresso and a slosh of lucozade.

Knee still a bit bruised, but no worse and I couldn't feel anything from about 5 miles.

A fell race. In Surrey!

11M incl 7.5M Box Hill Fell race (in 55min34s; 15th position)

A tough Saturday after a pretty hard week's running! Seven and a half miles of pain in about 55 minutes(!) with 1700ft of ascent (and descent). No spikes were allowed, and I don't own any good gripy fell-type shoes. Add to that my ungainliness down hill and you get a strange race where I gained places on every up and flat and gave a good number of them back on the downs.

But it was a good tempo workout. And I survived with only minor scrapes. We came 2nd in the team competition.

A steady day

18M - double; recovery run and general aerobic run
6M am recovery run at ~6.45min/M
12M pm general aerobic run at 6.40min/M with pack

Just a couple of steady runs today. Quads a bit achey. Not sure if that's from yesterday or the day before. But felt reasonably full of running. Fell race tomorrow.

A bit of a purple patch

20M - double; recovery run and medium long run
5M am recovery run at ~8.00min/M
15M pm medium long run at 6.08min/M (miles 0-5), 5.49 (5-10) & 5.43 (10-15)

My legs are on good form and not minding the mileage. I could just about feel some ache from yesterday morning's hill reps, but hardly anything really. And I've got a good spring in my stride. Long may it last. I go through these purple patches. Perhaps one comes every 6 or so weeks. They last a couple of weeks. I just need one to come in 12 weeks (marathon day is April 17th).

Yasmin and I had a nice tootle in to work together along the river first up. A good little stretch of the legs. My knee was a little painful at the beginning, but settled.

My evening run was a good one. I ran it as a 15 mile crescendo run, picking up the pace as I went. I found a good rhythm early on and put my foot down properly from 10. There's a fair bit of hill on the last 5 miles, so 5.43 required a bit of an effort.

Knee good on the second run. Nearly gone. No other niggles. My calf is good.

I have a fell race on Saturday(!), so I'll have a bit of a lighter day tomorrow.

A chilly speed session up some hills

17M - double; speed session and recovery run
11M am speed session including 10x200m, 10x400m & 10x200m hill reps
6M pm recovery run at ~6.45min/M with pack

I managed to pull myself out of bed early doors and out into the frosty air for a hill rep session as replacement for the track session I couldn't make it to last night.

I did Ron's suggested session, which is a bit longer than what the club generally run, but with longer recoveries (you have to jog back down the hill between each rep if you're doing it on a hill rather than a loop/track). But I think the end result is better, and closer to the '10K' session Richard Nerurkar and co seem to take as the standard marathoners speed session - i.e. a session with a total of about 10K of speed in it.

My Garmin was in a mood (moisture from sitting by the window), so I couldn't measure the distances accurately, but ran 35s reps up hill as my 200s and 80s reps as my 400s. I held my splits pretty steady and didn't tire. I probably had better form by the end than the beginning. But maybe that was just the fact I could see where my feet were landing.

Just a light run home this evening.

My knee was a bit sore as I set out this morning (same as yesterday), but quickly settled and felt much better later on and on my evening run. My calf is better. And I have no other niggles.

Steady miles

16M - double; recovery and general aerobic runs
6M am recovery run at ~7.15min/M with pack
10M pm general aerobic run at ~6.10min/M with pack

I modified plans today thanks to a busy afternoon and enforced late departure from work. Which all meant I didn't make it to the track. I'll run my reps tomorrow morning in the park instead.

I ran my morning run super slow. And was very good and let myself be overtaken. I held back a bit on the evening run, keeping it steady so that I've got plenty in the tank for tomorrow morning.

Slight pain on the inner side of my left knee on both runs. A bruise perhaps. Not sure where it appeared from. But it gets better when I run on it, and the sort of thing that'll go away quickly.

A great day - on me own

16M - double; recovery, general aerobic runs and exercises
6M lunchtime recovery run at ~7.00min/M
10M pm general aerobic run at 6.15-5.50min/M
Weights and core exercises

A great, springy day. Perhaps down to the excitement of the weekend. But also quite pleasing as my workout yesterday was fairly stiff.

I ran a lunchtime recovery run in the Essex countryside between clinics. A refreshing jaunt in the rain. Ran it slow. Felt a little tight and not that springy. But by the time my second run came around I found my legs were on amazing springy form. I was anticipating a lighter evening run, but could hardly hold myself back. I built slowly and probably ran the last 7 miles at 5.50ish.

I polished off the day with a return to some weights and core exercises. Ron and I have decided I should avoid any hip flexing/squat type exercises in case it risks a return of my hip injury. So I did a different circuit of exercises to last year. I did four circuits of: 15x4kg dumbbell curls; 10x4kg shoulder extensions; 15 sit-ups; 12x4 second leg raise planks. The aim is to tone up my core so I can maintain a good posture in the last few miles of the marathon.

Summary of week ending 16/01/2011

Mon 10/1 - 12M double; 6M recovery x2 at ~6.30min/M with pack
Tue 11/1 - 23M double; 6M recovery at 6.30 & 17M incl 14x400m at 69-70s off 40s
Wed 12/1 - 16M double; 6M recovery at 6.45 & 10M gen aerobic at 6.10
Thu 13/1 - 16M double; 6M recovery at 6.30 & 10M fast (5.40) and slow (6.45)
Fri 14/1 - 12M double; 6M recovery x2 at ~6.30min/M
Sat 15/1 - 11M double; recovery x2; 4M at ~8.00 and 7M at ~6.15
Sun 16/1 - 14M including 12M tempo run at 5.35min/M
TOTAL - 104M

12 mile tempo run - in good company

Today's running companions (only the front two!)

14M - medium long run including 12M at 5.35min/M

The second day of the Brighton Marathon training camp. A group 12 mile tempo run. There were 20 athletes and we were invited to assign ourselves to one of four pace groups with the aim of running together at a set pace and then speeding up a little in the second half to get a negative split.

The groups were 3.30min/K (5.36min/M), 3.45min/K (6.00min/M), 4.00min/K and 4.15min/K. I signed myself up for the fast group last night, but was a bit anxious I would be out of my depth given that there were only 5 of us in the group. And two of the others were Dan Robinson and Ben Moreau. But Dan in particular was encouraging, and I figured it's not often you get to do a proper session in such company.

It was a good call. I achieved the planned aim: I ran a bit faster than the target pace and got a (marginal) negative split despite quite fancying a toilet stop for the last half. Dan, Ben and one other guy unsurprisingly put in a more impressive speed up than me at 7K and I 'let them go', sticking with one other guy. But the pace was right for me and I felt pretty good and finished 4th fastest (not that it was a race).

Quite a day. And a fantastic weekend training camp. Great for motivation. And it was also great to get a feel for how the top guys are training.

A good loosening walk in the country in the afternoon. And some light running tomorrow before getting some speed in on Tuesday.

A light day - in good company

11M - double; recovery run x2
4M am recovery run at ~8.00min/M
7M pm recovery run at ~6.15min/M

A good day's running, mainly thanks to the company on my two runs!

Yasmin and I went for a nice tootle round Brockwell Park first thing before I headed off to the training camp organised by Richard Nerurkar in Brighton.

It's a two day thing, with a light run and talks this evening and then a longish (12 mile) tempo run tomorrow morning.

It was slightly extraordinary coming down to the hotel reception and finding Dan Robinson and Ben Moreau, two of the country's top marathoners waiting in their kit. There are 30 or so athletes here, but about 8 or 10 of us went out for a gentle run along the sea front this evening. It was a bit windy, but mainly across us and it felt great. It was surreal chatting to Dan and Ben amongst others as we went. Very different from the equivalent in many a sport - perhaps having a kick around with Wayne Rooney and Stevie Gerrard. Really exciting.

A light day

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

Just a couple of gentle ones today along the river. The second one was 'packless'. Felt really nice. Legs a bit tired from the week's exertions. Hopefully I'll be fresher tomorrow.

Another moderately hard day

16M - double; recovery run & fast and slow 10
6M am recovery run at ~6.30min/M
10M pm alternating fast (~5.40) and slow (~6.45) miles

Nothing dramatic today. An easy one this morning and then a bit of a workout this evening with 10 miles fast and slow. I wasn't lightening quick on the fast miles - on account of the figs and goat's cheese in my pack and the wind and rain - but I gave myself a decent going over.

I'll take it a bit easier tomorrow to save myself for the training camp I'm going to in Brighton at the weekend organised by Richard Nerurkar.

Some steady miles

16M - double; recovery run & general aerobic run
6M am recovery run at ~6.45min/M with pack
10M pm general aerobic run at ~6.10min/M with pack

A steadier day today. I was a bit achey this morning, but quickly loosened up. And I felt good in the evening. I was tempted to extend it a bit. But given all my miles yesterday, I decided to save myself for a medium long one tomorrow.

Very slightly tight in my left lower calf / achilles again this evening, but it loosened very quickly.

Lots of miles and a speed session

23M - double; recovery run & speed session / longish run
6M am at ~6.30min/M
17M pm incl 14x400m at 69-70s off 40s recovery plus 13 other miles

Just a gentle one this morning round the park. The action really started this evening though. I'm not sure it's ideal making my speed sessions into this long a run, but it seems silly to get on the tube half way back from the track when it's faster to run.

I jogged the 4M up there slowly at first... but faster once I bumped into Ryan heading the same way. The session at the track was 14x400m today. It was a good group, with me straggling in 4th or 5th on most reps. The recovery was a good/challenging 40 seconds and I was quite pleased to be able to hold steady at 69-70s laps.

I felt a bit flakey after the reps, but managed to string together a good number of miles on the way home. The hypoglycaemia was probably good training.

A welcome recovery day

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

Just a couple of gentle recovery runs to and from work today. I'm a bit tight after yesterdays swiftish long run. My left lower calf achilles is a little tight, but only a little and it eased quickly on running. Some speed tomorrow. And a longer day.

Summary of week ending 09/01/2011

Mon 03/01 - 20M long run at ~6.20min/M
Tue 04/01 - 12M double; recovery runs x2 at 6.15 & 6.30 with pack
Wed 05/01 - 12M double; 6M recovery & 6M speed incl 6x1K at ~5.00
Thu 06/01 - 20M double; 5M recovery & 15M medium long @6.30-6.15-5.55 (pack)
Fri 07/01 - 12M double; recovery runs x2 at 6.30 & 6.45 with pack
Sat 08/01 - 8M general aerobic at ~6.10min/M
Sun 09/01 - 18M long run at 6.00-5.49-5.43min/M
TOTAL - 102M

A cracking crescendo long run

18M - long run at 6.00 (0-6M); 5.49 (6-12M) and 5.43min/M (12-18M)

I'm really pleased with this one. I ran most of my long runs like this last year in the marathon build up (but a good deal slower). Slowly building towards ~10% slower than race pace then holding that for the last chunk when your legs are tiring is supposed to be a good format for these long runs. A balance between running fairly hard and with a race-pace-like stride pattern while not causing too much damage by really hammering it.

I had meant to run this one with splits of 6.30, 6.15 and 5.55 for the three thirds, but found myself feeling sprightly and eager. Last year I struggled to sustain the last third of these runs at faster than 6.15, so 5.45 is a substantial improvement (and means that I ran the whole 18 at close to last year's marathon race pace). A real confidence boost. With 3 and a bit months to go to race day, I'm feeling positive about meeting my targets.

Just a general aerobic day in the end

8M - general aerobic run at ~6.10min/M

I decided against racing today as I'm pretty stiff and tired after a hard week back. I'll save myself for some hard miles at the end of my long run tomorrow. Today's run was nice in the sun. But a bit windy on the way out West to to Battersea.

Some good recovery

12M - double; recovery runs x2
6M am recovery run at ~6.30min/M
6M pm recovery run at ~6.45min/M with pack

Just some loosening recovery miles today. Felt a bit tight after yesterday's run. I'm feeling pretty good generally though - no niggles.

Rediscovering the joys of the 'medium long' run

20M - double; recovery run & medium long run
5M am recovery run at 7.30-8.00min/M with pack
15M pm medium long run at 6.30 (0-5M), 6.15 (5-10M) & 5.55 (10-15M) with pack

I had a good chat with Ron last night and also a flick through my notes from last year's pre-marathon training. The plan is to hit some good mileages over the next 2 months (100 miles plus). I'm now going to focus a bit more on the quality of my longer runs (rather than just clocking up the miles as I was in December when I was testing myself out at high mileage).

So today's evening run was the beginning. I ran it as a crescendo run, slowly building towards ~10% below marathon pace. The last five felt good and I hit my planned times ok despite the Queenstown Road hill and human traffic in Clapham.

The morning run was a good loosener (a deux) too.

Some speed!

12M - double; recovery run and speed session (1K reps)
6M am recovery run at 6.15-6.45min/M
6M pm speed session incl 6x1K at ~5.00min/M off 60s recovery

A good day. I tootled in gently this morning... speeding up only for a brief section to avoid the irritation of being overtaken. My legs were still aware they had run 20 a couple of days ago and I didn't relish the idea of a speed session.

But my warm up did the trick and I felt great on my reps. I had plenty of acceleration in me and managed to properly knacker myself out on each one. The short recovery works well with my 6 mile route. I think I'll try to race x-country this weekend to get a tempo session in me.

Twelve recovery miles

12M - double; recovery runs x2
6M am at ~6.15min/M with pack
6M pm at ~6.30min/M with pack

Just some recovery miles today after yesterday's long one. I felt a little tight this morning from yesterday, but also felt pretty springy and good. The first consecutive good days for a while. I'll try some speed tomorrow. New shoes to crack open too!

20 miles to get going for 2011

20M - long run at ~6.20min/M

I had a couple of viral days off to start the year. Not great. But I think it was sensible not to push things. It was the anniversary of my stupid ankle sprain yesterday - which resulted in me missing the whole of January on crutches.

Anyway, this was a good way to start the new year. I felt pretty sprightly and only a little tired in the last 5 miles. I'll try and get some speed in tomorrow or Wednesday. I feel that's what I'll have lost out on most in my virus-disrupted Christmas.

It's nice not to be running on ice. But it's still pretty chilly. I misjudged it this morning and sorely regretted not having gloves. I could hardly get the key in the door at the end.