Unscheduled recovery

12M - double; recovery run x2
7M am recovery run at ~6.45min/M
5M pm recovery run at ~7.00min/M

I was planning a speed session this evening but felt shitty with a virus. Nothing much, but enough to make me not want to risk going all out. So I just ran home gently (via the Inner Circle where the lads were meeting up for what sounded like a killer session - 8-10x1K off 60s). Hopefully I'll run a hill session tomorrow.

Recovery

17M double; recovery run x2
7M am recovery run at ~7.30min/M
10M pm recovery run at ~7.30min/M

Recovery today. My legs weren't bad once I got off the snow. And I'm niggle free. Need to keep it that way through this high mileage block.

Summary of week ending 05/02/2012

Mon 30/1 - 14M double; 5M & 9M recov runs at ~7.00min/M & exercises (6 cycles)
Tue 31/1 - 17M double; 7M recov & 10M incl 6x1K (3.04-3.11) off 200m & 6x60m
Wed 1/2 - 18M double; 5M recov & 13M steady at ~6.20min/M
Thu 2/2 - 13M double; 7M recov & 6M incl 2K-1.6-1.2-0.8-0.4 off 90-90-60-60
Fri 3/2 - 23M double; 5M recov & 18M incl 14.5M crescendo medium long run
Sat 4/7 - 10M recovery run & core strength exercises (6 cycles)
Sun 5/7 - 25M cresccendo long run
TOTAL - 120M

25 in the snow

25M long run (as crescendo as the snow would allow)

I was going to keep it a bit shorter and sharper today, but the snow made me change things around a bit. I was in Oxford and ran four and a bit laps of Port Meadow (with a detour down to Folly Bridge). It was 25 miles.

The snow wasn't too deep - about 2 inches - and was a good running surface where it was fresh. Ideal for my Innov8 trail shoes. What slowed me more than anything was that it was melting. The tow path in particular was really slushy. My feet were soaked by the end.

I slowly increased the speed and pushed as hard as I could for the last loop (6 miles). The surface (and perhaps the aches left from Friday's effort and my exercises yesterday) meant that it wasn't as good as a road long run. And it was my hamstrings and glutes that felt the pain mainly. But it was still a good one. And not a bad way to end another really solid week.

Yes, I'm still on the post-long run endorphin buzz, but I am enjoying my running more than ever.

Two laps of the National course

10M - recovery run & core strength exercises
Core strength exercises (six cycles)
10M am recovery run incl 2 laps of the National x-country course

A recovery Saturday. I just ran once today and ran slowly - time to recover from my tempo run of yesterday and prepare for tomorrow's longy. Hope the snow won't hamper it.

I included a couple of laps of the National cross-country course on the heath. I'll try and do some faster laps of it over the next couple of weeks to get it in my head for the race. After Highgate's classic performance in the Southern's, I'm even going to taper for the National. Yes. Taper!

A cracking (medium) long tempo run

23M - recovery run & medium long tempo run
5M am recovery run at ~8.30min/M
18M pm incl 14.5M crescendo medium long run

This is the sort of day I didn't manage last year. I've read loads about the benefit of these sorts of session - long tempo runs. Around or a bit over a half marathon in length and run at close to race pace. They are a bit different from my long runs, which start gently and slowly build so the last third or so is close to full throttle. These ones are fast from the beginning (but still getting faster towards the end).

I ran it along the river and around Battersea Park from work. I made my way fairly gently down to the river and then hit a good pace straight off. From mile 2-5 I was running at 5.45 pace. From 5-8 I was at about 5.30 and from there I went close to full throttle - something like 5.10-5.20. The 14.5M back to work averaged 5.36. I hit a really good rhythm and was surprised by how little yesterday's speed work had affected my legs.

It wasn't that I didn't know about them last year. But I was almost always too tired to manage them. I seem to be more resilient this year... for now.

Speed (on Groundhog Day)

13M double; recovery run & speed session
7M am recovery run at ~7.00-6.15min/M
6M pm speed session incl 2000-1600-1200-800-400 off 90-90-60-60s jig

Not much time today between a long busy day at work and a birthday celebration. So I went for a bit of briefish speed along the Northbank as my evening run. It's a good session this one. Even if it is quite short.

Dinner at the Bull and Last was nice. Massive beef, cep and and oyster pie (between two). Johnny Borrell was there in the most ridiculous jeans.

Steady

18M double; recovery & steady runs
5M am recovery run at ~8.30min/M
13M pm steady run at ~6.20min/M

A steady day. Slow on the way in to work followed by a good brekkie at the Fleet River Bakery (a deux). Then a steadier 13 in the evening. Slow on the way home with my pack and then a bit more rapid around the roads circling the Heath.