Weekly summary – 24/02/13

Mon – AM 30 mins steady (6:40m/m) PM 45 min hilly recovery run (8:40)
Tue – 1hr inc 5 x 5 mins threshold (5:48 efforts)
Wed – 45 mins recovery run (8:05m/m)
Thu – 90 mins inc 10 x 3 mins threshold / 3 mins steady as middle 60 (5:50m/m efforts)
Fri – REST
Sat – 1hr inc 3 x 10 mins continuous hills off 2 mins (6:00m/m efforts)
Sun – 2h20m long run with last 30 at MP (7:07m/m avg, 6:19m/m MP)

Total – 67  miles, 8hr, 7:07m/m avg

Quite a busy week!

Monday was a double but nothing strenuous, a 30 min steady run down to the Port de Soller in the morning, then a nice and gentle recovery run up into the hills behind Soller in the afternoon.

Tuesday we flew back to the UK, but the flight wasn’t until 4pm so I had time to sneak in a threshold run before we left 🙂 I was feeling a bit tired though, probably the hilly long run on Sunday catching up with me. Still, I stuck it out and completed the 5 x 5 mins, but at a slightly slower average pace of 5:48m/m.

Wednesday was a bit of a shock, back to running in the cold. It has been very cold for a while now, this time last year it was much warmer – my logbook says 15c. More of that please!

Thursday was an interesting session, quite different to anything I’ve done before. The instruction was 90 minutes with the middle 60 as 10 x 3 mins threshold / 3 mins steady. It was cold again (goes without saying) so I togged up and headed out on my Kew – Richmond loop for this one. It all went well though, each effort was completed between 5:38 and 5:54 m/m. The 5:38 was a bit of an outlier, most splits were around 5:45-50. The “recoveries”  were run at a pace of around 6:30-50m/m, but by the last 2 I was knackered and these were more of a jog, I won’t tell if you don’t 😉

Friday was rest. Was considering doing a little recovery run as I missed one run on Tuesday but felt pretty grotty all day and decided to take it easy instead.

Still felt tired and under the weather on Saturday, and spent most of the day in bed taking it easy. But, I knew I had a hill session scheduled and dragged myself out in the late afternoon to do it. It was freezing yet again, actually snowing this time. This was 3 x 10 mins continuous hills, not a session I’ve done before. Nick had set it before, but due to illness and injury I hadn’t ever attempted it.

Managed a decent pace in the first two reps (5:53, 5:56), but couldn’t maintain it in the last (6:10). No big deal, this is really the first of these kenyan hill type sessions plus I  missed most of the XC season so my leg strength is not that great right now. Think it went okay considering the circumstances (under the weather and very cold).

Now onto Sunday, and my longest run for ages. This was billed in my schedule from Nick as 2:15 with the last 30 at marathon pace, which is not quite what happened…

It was another cold day, hovering just above freezing, and I was feeling the effects from yesterdays hills (only 16 hours ago). The cold air was also affecting my breathing and my lungs felt really constricted, I knew in the first few yards this wouldn’t be my best run. I think the shock of the cold air after the warmth of Mallorca has definitely given my body a few problems this week.

All that probably explains why I struggled on the final MP section. I had to really work for the maintain the pace and about 25 mins in a particularly slippy section on the towpath slowed me right down for a few seconds before summoning up one last effort for another 3rd of a mile, then called it a day.

Although it felt tough and I bailed a bit early, I am not too worried. Got it mostly done, despite the cold, breathing problems and tiredness from yesterday.

This was quite a hard week looking back at it, and I shouldn’t be too worried if a few sessions feel hard when I’m a bit ill and, I’ll say it again, it’s so damn cold!

Weekly summary – 17/02/13

Mon – 45 mins easy (8:15m/m)
Tue – AM 45 mins easy (7:24m/m), PM 6 mins threshold, 5 x 800m, 10 mins MP
Wed – 45 mins easy (7:42m/m)
Thu – REST
Fri – 1h15 with 5 x 5 mins threshold (5:40m/m efforts)
Sat – 45 mins easy (7:20)
Sun – 2h long hilly trail run (8:16m/m avg)

Total – 55 miles, 7h, 7:35m/m avg

This weeks report is a bit late, as I was away in Mallorca from the Thursday. I’ll keep it brief…

Tuesday was another 45 min easy run in the morning, then over to the New River stadium in the evening for the coached session with Nick and the gang. We started with the usual 6 minutes threshold (5:40m/m) then went into 5 x 800m (2:34 to 2:37), finishing up with 10 minutes at marathon pace (6:06m/m). Felt pretty good, considering the Sunday before was the Wokingham half, which was a marathon pace session.

Rest day was switched to Thursday as we were flying out to Soller in Mallorca, for some welcome warm weather. Soller was amazing, a beautiful town nestled in the Sierra de Tramuntana. It is a very popular destination for road cyclists, the climate and fantastic mountain roads drawing quite a few pro teams that we spotted on their training rides.

The first run of the holiday was a 5 x 5 min threshold session along the harbour front of Port de Soller, following a nice warm up along trails from the main town. Session went perfectly, paces held and a great setting.

Saturday began with a 45 min easy run in the morning, then in the afternoon we went on a 50k ride on some decent road bikes we’d hired. The ride was pretty hilly, but I felt comfortable on all the ascents which was a surprise as I rarely cycle. Overall I enjoyed it enormously, and am considering buying a road bike after the marathon…

Sundays long run was something I’d been looking forward to, a chance to explore the trails around Soller and soak up the mountain views. I set off with a vague idea to do a 2 loop route, but couldn’t resist exploring more freely and wandered around the trails instead. Some sections were very rocky and it was impossible to go much faster then 10m/m, other sections were on gorgeous hard packed dirt, but all of it was in a balmy 11c and with the smell of pine permeating the air. It was quite hilly too, with 480m of ascent and 460m of descent. Simply the most enjoyable run this year, and the end to a great week.

Weekly summary – 10/02/13

Mon – 45 mins recovery (8:26m/m)
Tue – AM 45 mins easy (7:18m/m), PM 8 x 800m track session
Wed – 45 mins recovery (7:50m/m)
Thu – 5 x 5 mins tempo intervals (5:55m/m efforts)
Fri – REST
Sat – Met League XC, 5.73 miles (5:55m/m)
Sun – 1h22m Wokingham HM @ marathon pace (6:16m/m)

Total – 48 miles, 5h30m, 6:50m/m avg

Quite a full on week, with a double, 2 sessions and 2 races…

Kicked off the week with a nice slow recovery run, no need to push this one.

Tuesday started with a 45 min easy run before breakfast (still getting used to emerging early from the duvet) and then up to the New River stadium for a track session with Nick and the gang. On the menu was 8 x 800m, alternating threshold and 5k pace on the reps, off 75 second recoveries.Splits – 5:39, 5:11, 5:27, 5:07, 5:25, 5:01, 5:22, 5:04. All went well and felt up for more at the end which is always a good sign.

Wednesday was another recovery run, and Thursday was a 5 x 5 min threshold session which I ran round Little Wormwood Scrubs (nice smooth undulating path round the perimeter). Each effort was run at between 5:50 and 5:58 pace. Little bit slow, but there was a small hill on each lap, and it was pretty dark when I finished!

Friday, rest glorious rest!

I had missed all but the first Met League XC fixtures this season due to injury, so was pleased to run in the final race on Saturday. It was on a pancake flat 5.73 mile course round Merchant Taylor school in Ruislip, and I finished in 33:55 and 72nd place (I’m normally pleased with anything in the top 100 at met leagues). Did a light cool down after, another big day to come…

Sunday was the Wokingham Half Marathon, which for me was a marathon pace run, not full on race. I went with the goal of running at 6:17 pace, which is the equivalent for a 2h45m marathon. It was a cold, rainy day but overall it wasn’t too miserable experience – things went according to plan and I finished on 1h22m, bang on pace at 6:16. Job done.

It was freezing at the finish, and we skipped the cool down run in favour of a mad dash for the warmth of the car. Feeling a bit stiff as I write this, so lesson learnt there. Still, off for a massage tomorrow evening so hoping that will help.

A good week.

Weekly summary – 03/02/13

Mon – 45 mins easy (7:36m/m)
Tue – AM 30 mins recovery (7:58m/m), PM 6 min thr, 2 x 6 x 400m, 6 min thr
Wed – REST
Thu – 30 mins easy (7:30m/m)
Fri – 1h20m, last 30 @ MP (6:15m/m)
Sat – 45 mins easy (7:29)
Sun – 1h45m long run (7:28m/m avg)

Total – 52 miles, 6h20m, 7:15m/m avg

Okay, hello. It’s been months since my last post, and they have been months full of injury. In a future post I might talk about that, but for now all you need to know is that I am back, and building up to VLM 2013!

This is going to be a quick post though, I’ll go into more depth next week. For now have a look at the weekly summary above, the volume is quite low but I am starting to build up again.

Probably the most important thing to mention is that I now have a coach, the esteemed Nick Anderson. It’s been good working with him, even though I have been doing more whining about injuries than actual running for the last 4 months.

Here’s to recovery, good training and a positive mindset!