1K reps at the track

17M double; recovery run & K rep session
7M am recovery run at ~7.00min/M
10M pm incl 6x1K at 3.04-3.11 off 200m jog & 6x60m hills

My legs still aren't bad considering the battering they've had the last few days. I was a bit worried that I might be asking too much of them by hitting the track this evening. But I was ok and I still have no niggles.

It was COLD (about 1C) and a little bit breezy on the start-finish straight. It was definitely hat, gloves, leggings and jacket running weather.

My first couple were sluggish (3.11 and 3.10) and after the 2nd I couldn't feel my hands. But I then warmed up and the rest of the session felt better and was at a reasonable pace: 3.08-3.08-3.08-3.04. All off 200m jog recovery.

Danny then persuaded me to join him for six hill sprints. I could do with improving on my speed up hill I think. And this is the sort of form-improving drill that I'm rubbish at bothering with. Clearly, I couldn't stick with his pace. But I got the idea and my legs feel reassuringly like mush again. Which is all I can ask for.

Recovery

14M double; recovery runs x2 & core strength exercises
5M am recovery run at ~7.00min/M
9M pm recovery run at ~7.00min/M
Core strength exercises (six cycles)

Recovery today. My legs are tired after the weekend. But they're not too bad. A few aches here and there, but nothing too focal. And I managed the full six cycles of core strength work in the evening too.

Summary of week ending 29/01/2012

Mon 23/1 - 14M double; 7M recovery run x2
Tue 24/1 - 14M double; 5M recov run & 9M incl 14x400m at 67-71s off 40s
Wed 25/1 - 20M crescendo long run last 5M ~5.45min/M
Thu 26/1 - 16M double; 5M & 9M recov runs & core strength ex
Fri 27/1 - 14M double; 8M & 6M recov runs
Sat 28/1 - 15M incl 15K x-country race (54.21)
Sun 29/1 - 25M crescendo run last 5M at 5.45min/M & core strength ex
TOTAL - 118M

25 to end a very good week

25M long run - crescendo but not crazy
Core strength exercises (five cycles)

My quads were the issue after yesterday. But they're not a mess, and I soon found that I could get into a really good rhythm. In fact, I realised pretty quickly that I must be having one of my good weeks where my legs are happy whatever I throw at them day after day.

My plan was to head out and see how I felt. To contrast with yesterday's cross-country, I plumped for one of my London sightseeing runs. Parliament Hill. Primrose Hill. Regent's Park. Hyde Park. Victoria. Vauxhall. Westminster. Millenium Bridge. London Bridge. Tower Bridge. And back.

As it happened, I realised after 5 or 6 miles (somewhere around Marble Arch) that I was having to hold myself back. So I decided to aim for 25 at not too crazy a pace. The first half was at about 6.30. The second half evened out at about 6.00 with the last five (back from Marble Arch again) pretty hard. Though not too hard... about 5.40ish on the flat (and slower on the hills). I didn't want to risk anything going ping.

It was a great run. Aided by the high after yesterday's race, I was loving every stride of it. In fact, I'm loving every stride of every run at the moment. (Or is that just the post long run endorphin euphoria talking?... Don't think so.)

Oh and I also squeezed in some core strength work first thing. Might help with the hills.

Rest and recovery now.

Victory for Highgate at the Southern Champs!

15M including 15K Southern X-country Champs (56th 54min21s; 7th Highgate)

A cracking day! A team victory for Highgate in the South of England Cross-country championships... our first since 1997 the cup tells us.

This was definitely my best cross-country race to date. Compare it to last year where I finished 116th in the same race. And in a similar block of marathon training to last year. I should hit 110+ miles this week. Really encouraging in terms of my progress. Let's hope I can carry on like this at the National.

It was a hilly but firm course. My main weakness in cross country now is uphill running. Lack of quad power perhaps. My downhill running is now ok so long as I haven't slaughtered myself on the preceding up.

The team performance was mind blowing. Testament to the great spirit at the club and the great sessions we've been knocking out together on Tuesdays and Thursdays. And also to Henry Dodwell's skillful identification of warm coffee-rich environments in which we could hide from the cold in the hours before the race.

Performance of the day? Shaun Dixon. 10th. It's his breakthrough year. And a youngster at a meagre 29.

Nothing flashy

14M double; recovery runs x2
8M am recovery run at ~7.00min/M
6M pm recovery run at ~7.00min/M

Nothing flashy today. Just (a fair number of) recovery miles. The second run was only because I needed to get home after dinner and couldn't face the available public transport options.

Southern Cross-country Championships tomorrow. Would I be tempting fate to say that a win isn't out of the question for Highgate??

Recoveryish

16M double; recovery runs x2 & core strength exercises
5M am recovery run at ~8.30min/M
11M pm recovery run at ~6.45min/M
Core strength exercises (five cycles)

A bit of recovery (but still a fair number of miles).

I also managed another core strength workout. I'd like to manage two a week from now.

20

20M pm long run slowly building (but not too hard)

I'm racing on Saturday, so I've rejigged my week a bit. I ran a (not too) long run this afternoon and kept it relatively calm. I ran the first half with my pack at a steady pace on the way back from Guy's Hospital via the river, Hyde Park and Regent's Park. Once I was rid of my bag, I picked up the pace a bit for a loop around the Heath. I was probably going at 5.45 effort for most of the last 7 miles.

Now a couple of lighter days before the Southern Cross-country - which should be a good 9 mile tempo session (with mud and hills).

14 good 400s

14M double; recovery run & speed session
5M am recovery run at 8.30min/M
9M pm including 14x400m at 67-71s off 40s

I was really tired on the run in this morning with Yasmin. Probably down to lack of sleep as much as anything. 4 and a bit hours. (Work deadline.) Bad Richard. Must do better.

But I was back to good form by the evening. This is my first short session at the track in a long time. My splits were even other than the last three. Number 12 was 67 seconds - my fastest (I thought it was my last). I paid the price and 13 and 14 were both 71ish (my slowest). But it was good. I felt much better spring in my stride than 6 months ago and probably better than for more than a year. My body seems to be holding up in the face of high mileage. I have high hopes that, compared to last year's marathons, the build up to this April will include more quality at the same mileage.

Recovery

14M double; recovery runs x2
8M am recovery run at ~7.30min/M
6M pm recovery run at ~6.45min/M

Two very gentle ones today. The first really slow. My legs are fine. But tired.

Summary of week ending 22/01/2012

Mon 16/1 - 15M double; 5M & 10M recovery runs at 7.00 & 6.45min/M
Tue 17/1 - 7M recovery run at ~7.00min/M
Wed 18/1 - 15M medium long including 12M crescendo
Thu 19/1 - 20M double; 5M recov (~8.30) & 15M gen aerobic (~6.30) runs
Fri 20/1 - 19M double; 7M recov & 12M speed incl 2000-1600-1200-800-400 & 1M
Sat 21/1 - 18M double; 10M & 8M recov runs & core strength exercises (4 cycles)
Sun 22/1 - 20M crescendo long run at 8.30-5.20 (average 6.15min/M)
TOTAL - 114M

20 - crescendo

20M am crescendo long run at average 6.15min/M (8.30-5.20)

A CRACKING end to a very good week!

I was pretty achy by the morning in my glutes, abdomen and a bit in my quads after yesterday evening's core strength exercises. But not in a way that would slow my running.

Even so, I had the feeling trepidation I often get before a hard long run. A bit like pre-race fear. But different. More a fear of whether I'll let myself push hard. Or whether my legs will hold on or just fold.

We were in Oxford, so I ran three and a bit loops of Port Meadow for my 20 miles. I started out with Yasmin for a mile or so. Miles 2-10 were at about 6.30 pace. Miles 10-14 were at around 6.00 and the last six were hard. Probably finishing at 5.20-5.30. With opening and closing gates and a stop to retie my shoes I averaged 6.15. And I felt good - physically and mentally. Really enjoyed it.

A few good things... including a trip to Ethiopia!

18M double; recovery runs x2 & core strength exercises
10M am recovery run at ~7.30min/M
8M pm recovery run at ~7.00min/M
Core strength exercises (four cycles)

The week isn't over and had a bit of a wobbly start, but I think my training is beginning to come good. My runs today were GENTLE. My legs were pleasingly achy after yesterday's speed session.

A few good things have happened this week. Firstly, I behaved well when I felt the niggle on Tuesday and missed some training. Secondly, my longer tempo run felt really good on Wednesday - this was the sort of run that I felt suffered (or didn't happen) during my high mileage weeks last year. Thirdly, I started my core strength work again today. I haven't done this since mid-October. One of my anxieties had been how to add it in given that I've been upping the mileage and intensity over the last few weeks.

Also, I've now pretty much sorted my trip to altitude - to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia - in late February and March. I'm going to go for four weeks and will be running with an Ethiopian group called Running Across Borders.

I'm sure there are pros and cons to going to Ethiopia over other altitude destinations, but it'll be a once in a lifetime experience and could be really beneficial come April. I leave the day after the National Cross-country champs.

Speed on the North Bank

19M double; recovery run & speed session
7M am recovery run at ~6.45min/M
12M pm speed incl 2000-1600-1200-800-400 and 1600

Squeezed in a good speed session along the North Bank this evening. Between Blackfriars and Westminster Bridges. (Roughly mile markers 24-25 in the marathon and including Paula's '1 mile to go' telephone box.) I did the same 2000-1600-1200-800-400 routine I've done a few times recently with 120s, 90s, 90s and 60s jog recovery. It's the one they did at the Highgate track this Tuesday.

My calves were a bit tight again after the last two days. But it didn't last and I felt pretty good by the time I got going. On the way home after the main part of the session, I put in another hard mile up from the centre of Primrose Hill to the top of Pond Street.

Steady

20M - double; recovery run & general aerobic runs
5M am recovery run at ~8.30min/M
15M pm general aerobic run at ~6.30min/M

I'm getting into a good rhythm in my training now. My body coped well with yesterday's run. My calves were a little tight in the morning on the way in to work with Yasmin. But they were good by the evening.

The evening run was nothing too flashy. But a decent length general aerobic run. The sort where I felt better at the end than the beginning. Something speedier tomorrow.

A cracking crescendo medium long run

15M pm including 12M crescendo

My legs were great after my 36 hour breather - Ron's approach of resting from one morning run to the next evening run works well to rest and get over niggles ... while avoiding missing a day.

I hit the South and North Banks of the river for a bit of a 'medium long' tempo run. It felt totally different to Sunday's long run on the hills of the Heath. I felt good from the outset and found a rhythm. Much more like marathon running...

Seven and then a precautionary rest

7M am recovery run at ~7.00min/M with pack

I had a good, easy run in this morning but felt a bit of a niggle at the top of my hamstring. I talked it over with Ron and we decided I should rest it until tomorrow evening. A good move I'm sure. And not one I would have managed to make 12 months ago.

Recovery. In Chelmsford.

15M double; recovery runs x2
5M am recovery run at ~7.00min/M
10M pm recovery run at ~6.45min/M

Two recovery runs today. One in the Essex countryside before clinic in Chelmsford. The other around the usual hills in North London plus a bit by Regent's Park.

Both were nice and gentle.

My legs are alright after yesterday.

Summary of week ending 15/01/2012

Mon 9/1 - 8M recovery run at ~6.45min/M with pack
Tue 10/1 - 16M double; 7M recov & 9M incl 6x1K at 3.04-3.09 off 90s
Wed 11/1 - 19M double; 6M recov & 13m incl 9M tempoish (6-5.30)
Thu 12/1 - 18M double; 7M recov & 11M incl 6x1M hard off 60s plus
Fri 13/1 - 22M double; 7M recov & 15M steady medium long with pack
Sat 14/1 - 15M double 6.4M & 8.6M recov runs at 7.15 & 6.45min/M
Sun 15/1 - 19M long run including 17.75 crescendo cross-country
TOTAL - 117M

Five laps of the National X-country course

19M long run including 17.75M crescendo cross-country

Ron, Katie, Stephen and I walked the National Cross-country course this morning. The race is on 25th February - far enough before the marathon that I can afford to give it a good go. And it's on Parliament Hill, so we thought we'd have a look at the course.

We took a fair time to walk it - it's hard to work out which way to turn and we'd have been lost had Katie and Stephen not had a good recollection of it.

I then used the course as the basis for my long run. Five laps. Crescendo pace. The first one was pathetically slow and included some detours when I got the route wrong. The second was steady, the third brisk-ish, the fourth was not too crazy in the first half (which is the harder half) and then quick in the second half. The last one was eyeballs out (or as much as that was possible after the previous four). My lap splits were: 31.13, 25.30, 23.45, 23.00, 22.17.

Easy Saturday around and about

15M double; recovery runs x2
6.4M am recovery run at ~7.30min/M
8.6M pm recovery run at ~6.45min/M

Two gentle ones today. I was a bit slow first thing in the morning. A combination of last night's 15 miles, the hill at the beginning of the route, the freezingness of the morning and the fact I was underdressed and cold.

Nevertheless, my morning run was a nice one. Up through Hampstead on the roads and then back through the Heath towards the Highgate side. Amazing views of the sun rising over the city with frosty mist between the tall buildings.

I dressed more appropriately for my evening run and got up a bit more speed. I made it a bit longer by starting off with a loop over Primrose Hill before sticking to the roads around the edge of the Heath.

I took a detour on both runs via our prospective new house... Dartmouth Park. Potential moving date 10th Feb. Hopefully the boiler in our rental flat will be fixed by then, but the new place looks cosier than our current abode.

A good one back from Romford

22M double; recovery run & medium long run
7M am recovery run at ~7.00min/M with pack
15M pm medium long run at ~6.30min/M with pack

My legs have enjoyed this week and felt surprisingly good after three hard days. My Romford runs were pretty hard going in the build-up to Odense. My legs would feel like lead under the weight of my pack. Yesterday was way better. I had good spring.

I went easy in the morning - running via Primrose Hill, Regent's Park and Lincoln's Inn Fields to Liverpool Street for my train. The way back was the usual trawl through the East End. I just about spied the Olympic site on my way through Stratford. Not many runners out East.

I added a couple of miles to the end of the run by carrying on from Liverpool Street to Kings Cross.

Mile reps

18M - double; recovery run & mile rep session
7M am recovery run at 6.45min/M with pack
11M pm incl 6x1M hard off variable rest (60s to more)

One of my resolutions for the spring is to sleep more. 8 hours is the target. I won't reach that very often. But l'll try. Last night I did manage 8. Mainly because I overslept.

I felt a bit sluggish in the morning. The last 2 days have been fairly hard. But I wasn't too bad by the time Danny and I hit the Inner Circle for some mile reps this evening. Having said that, my stomach was cramping after the first couple like it does sometimes. And I had to skip Danny's fourth rep. My stomach settled down again after a while and I managed another three off a minute's jog (the original target). The miles were taking just over 5 minutes. My legs are feeling good now.

Came home via Primrose Hill. Took a night time snap to complement yesterday's sunrise from the same spot.

Another kind of tempo run - feeling good this week

19M - double; recovery run & kind of tempo run
6M am recovery run at ~8.30min/M
13M pm including 9M at 6.00-5.30min/M

My legs are feeling great. I'm entering one of those purple patches that come every six or so weeks.

Yesterday's K session was pretty solid. Usually I'd feel pretty spent the next day. But today, I felt great. Morning and evening. I didn't go crazy (I want to do a good rep session tomorrow) but hit a really good rhythm along the river, slowly cranking the speed up from 6 minute miles to 5.30 pace. That's a bit slower than marathon pace, but close enough that it's useful to put a chunk of it in. I was trying to concentrate on keeping my arm swing forward and back rather than across.

Yasmin and I had run to work together this morning. Beautiful running weather. We got a great view from the top of Primrose Hill as the sun rose.

Some K reps

16M double; recovery run & 1K rep session
7M am recovery run at ~6.45min/M
9M pm incl 6x1K at 3.04, 3.08, 3.08, 3.07, 3.07, 3.07 off 200m jog

I made it to the track today for a solid 1K rep session. My legs felt pretty good on my morning run and on the way up to the track. And they held out ok on the reps too. I probably did the first one a bit hard. But I kept the splits fairly even. Ron came along, which was great. The focus today was on my arms - trying to keep them more parallel to my body (rather than swinging across). My stride length is probably better.

Easy

8M pm recovery run at ~6.45min/M

After a hard week, and a good weekend, I ran just once today and kept it fairly easy. It was also somewhat dictated by the fact that I had meetings early and late at work.

Not sure what they were doing on the side of the Senate House this evening. But I took a snap anyway.

Summary of week ending 08/01/2012

Mon 2/1 - 12M double; 5M & 7M recovery runs at ~8.45 & 6.45min/M
Tue 3/1 - 19M double; 7M recov & 12M incl 1K-3K-3K-3K-1K off 90-150-150-150s
Wed 4/1 - 17M double; 7M recov & 10M incl 7M at ~tempo (5.15-5.45min/M)
Thu 5/1 - 14M double; 2x7M recovery runs at ~6.45min/M
Fri 6/1 - 14M double; 6M & 8M recovery runs at ~8.45 & 6.45min/M
Sat 7/1 - 12M including 12K cross-country race
Sun 8/1 - 21M long run at 6.45min/M (7.00-6.30min/M)
TOTAL - 109M

A good long run

21M pm long run at ~7.00-6.30min/M

My legs were a bit tight after yesterday's race this morning. A good thing. No particular problem area. And though my calves were the tight part immediately after the race, they weren't noticeably different from the rest of me today.

I met up with Duncan and Henry for a tour of North London. Running around here is going to be great. I couldn't tell you the route we took in great detail, but it headed North, across to the Heath Extension, through to Dollis Valley (?) and out towards Totteridge. I'm not sure quite where we were at the furthest reaches of the run, but we were running in fields. Didn't seem like London.

We kept it fairly steady in the first half - 7 minute miles over pretty mixed terrain - before picking it up a bit for the return - 6 and a half minute miles. A perfect work-out after yesterday's race. It wss a 17 mile route to/from Duncan's house and another four or so gently making my way there and back. My legs are feeling good now.

A good weekend to complement the excellent training I got in the first half of the week.

A good reintroduction to racing

12M pm including 12K Middlesex county champs x-country race (11th)

I haven't raced since the Cardiff Half Marathon and had been unsure how I would go today. As it happened, I was fairly satisfied. My position was better than it would have been last year. It was pretty flat and mudless too, which helped. Now I can aim to fit in a few more races to sharpen me up - but not so many that my long runs get disrupted too much.

The team won the race. Nice trophy. And a good trip to the pub after.

More recovery

14M double; recovery run & general aerobic run
6M am recovery run at ~8.30min/M
8M pm general aerobic run at 5.45-6.45min/M

Fairly simple again today. I was a bit brisker on the way home and felt good again after yesterday's tiredness. Race tomorrow.

Tired

14M - double; recovery runs x2
7M am recovery run at ~6.45min/M with pack
7M am recovery run at ~6.45min/M with pack

I was planning on fitting in a harder session this evening, but felt pretty shattered, so kept it easy. With the last two days plus a race on Saturday and a long one on Sunday, I'll have had a pretty solid week.

Kind of tempo

17M double; recovery run & tempoish run
7M am recovery run at ~7.00min/M with pack
10M pm including 7M at ~5.15-5.45min/M

Sometimes these kinds of session seem to hard the day after a speed session. But my legs felt surprisingly good by the evening, and I managed a good session. I ran it mainly along the river (without my pack) before heading home more gently for the last 2.5M. After a bit of warm up, I raised my pace to ~5.45 pace, then after a couple of miles, raised it further to ~5.15 for another two miles before settling to more like 5.30 for the last bit.

Legs still feeling good.

I've been doing some investigating about a possible trip to Ethiopian altitude in March. Exciting.

A tough session

19M double; recovery run & long rep session
7M am recovery run at ~7.0min/M
12M pm incl 1K-3K-3K-3K-1K off 90-150-150-150s jog

This evenings session was HARD. The track isn't open again yet after Christmas, so I joined Shaun and Danny for a session around the Inner Circle (and a bit of the Outer Circle) in Regent's Park. Shaun likes these long reps sessions. They work well for him and Danny and I both felt they worked well for is when we joined him suing the summer. This one was the hardest yet. My legs are still glowing two hours later. I kept up with them on the first couple and wasn't 100 miles off them on the others. My last 3K rep was interrupted for a brief pit stop.

Recovery

12M double; recovery runs x2
5M am recovery run at ~8.45min/M
7M pm recovery run at ~6.30min/M

A recovery day. My legs were ok after yesterday's long one. Just a bit tight in the hamstrings. But only slightly and only briefly. My calves are yet to complain since my break in October - perhaps partly down to my new strategy of always wearing compression socks on my hard sessions.

The morning run was a 5 mile loop on the Heath with Yasmin. In the evening, I stuck to the roads just outside the perimeter of the Heath. A good loop.

Summary of week ending 01/01/2012

26/12 - 13M double; 7M & 6M recovery runs
27/12 - 13M double; 8M speed (2-1.6-1.2-0.8-0.4K) & 5M recovery runs
28/12 - 15M double; 6M recovery & 9M general aerobic runs
29/12 - 15M double; 6M recovery run & 8M incl 5.5M tempo
30/12 - 16M double; 6M recovery run & 10M general aerobic runs
31/12 - 13M double; 4M recovery run & 9M general aerobic runs
01/01 - 25M long run at ~6.30min/M
TOTAL - 110M

25

25M am long run at ~6.30min/M

My first proper long run in a while... I decided not to go super-hard at it as, looking back, I've not gone long much in a while and I didn't want to risk things. I ran down to the river via the usual North London hills and then along to a bit beyond Tower Bridge. My legs felt pretty good on it. I picked up a drink and ran with it at about 17 miles.