Another good week.
The staples included a slightly frustrating and stuttering club run which I extended by a bit of an extra loop on my own to take it up to 7.33 miles; and I ran a couple of times with Bethan who twice broke her 3 mile PB in the process as well as running 2 miles before her quick break during those runs.
The two 'hard' runs for the week were a 6.2 mile (10k) run done to see what pace I could manage and a 13.1 mile LSR today. The 10k was completed in 47:20 which was pleasing and today's half marathon LSR was finished in a shade over 1:56.
Weight wise it started well but then my weight stuck at 12st 1.0lb Tuesday to Saturday. Over eating through the weekend will have upped that but I still hope to get under 12 stone before next Saturday's departure on holiday.
Sunday 26 July 2009
Tuesday 21 July 2009
Last week was the highest mileage since the week of the Marathon de Paris at 31.6 miles.
Despite a recalcitrant Garmin I managed 4.21 miles round Adel on Monday while Beth did her last session at the junior running club before the break for the summer holidays. The same afternoon I volunteered to take part in the Washburn Valley Relay event for the club as there were two teams 'spare'.
On Tuesday I headed to Swinsty & Fewston reservoirs with a group from Abbey Runners to 'recce' the course where we ran legs 2 & 3 in torrential rain, thunder and lightning. 7.14 soaking miles in total.
Wednesday was a 3 mile run with the ever improving Bethan before a rest day on Thursday.
Friday was the day of the relay where I ran the 3.26 mile leg 3 in 25:20. Overall I was happy enough with that. I overtook one runner and was passed by another but for the most part had nobody in sight in front or behind. That made it tougher mentally to keep pushing myself and I'm fairly certain that had there been a 'target' in sight or the route been on a drier track or tarmac the pace would have been higher.
Saturday morning was another run with Beth, who broke her record for 2 miles by a whopping 53 seconds! Then on Sunday I did my 6th run for the week, a 12 mile LSR.
That proved a little bit toughr than expected. It was quicker by some way than the sort of pace I was running before deliberately increasing my cadence a few weeks ago but also 25s a mile slower than the pace I'd done 10 miles in a fortnight before. The last couple of miles did feel noticeably tougher and the top of my right quadricep muscle felt fatigued, but I guess it was the 6th run of the week, the highest mileage for 4 months, the longest run since Paris and only 36hrs after running in a race.
The prospect of doubling it and then adding on 2.2 miles seemed ridiculous but with 8 1/2 months to go I think I've time to build it up again!
Despite a recalcitrant Garmin I managed 4.21 miles round Adel on Monday while Beth did her last session at the junior running club before the break for the summer holidays. The same afternoon I volunteered to take part in the Washburn Valley Relay event for the club as there were two teams 'spare'.
On Tuesday I headed to Swinsty & Fewston reservoirs with a group from Abbey Runners to 'recce' the course where we ran legs 2 & 3 in torrential rain, thunder and lightning. 7.14 soaking miles in total.
Wednesday was a 3 mile run with the ever improving Bethan before a rest day on Thursday.
Friday was the day of the relay where I ran the 3.26 mile leg 3 in 25:20. Overall I was happy enough with that. I overtook one runner and was passed by another but for the most part had nobody in sight in front or behind. That made it tougher mentally to keep pushing myself and I'm fairly certain that had there been a 'target' in sight or the route been on a drier track or tarmac the pace would have been higher.
Saturday morning was another run with Beth, who broke her record for 2 miles by a whopping 53 seconds! Then on Sunday I did my 6th run for the week, a 12 mile LSR.
That proved a little bit toughr than expected. It was quicker by some way than the sort of pace I was running before deliberately increasing my cadence a few weeks ago but also 25s a mile slower than the pace I'd done 10 miles in a fortnight before. The last couple of miles did feel noticeably tougher and the top of my right quadricep muscle felt fatigued, but I guess it was the 6th run of the week, the highest mileage for 4 months, the longest run since Paris and only 36hrs after running in a race.
The prospect of doubling it and then adding on 2.2 miles seemed ridiculous but with 8 1/2 months to go I think I've time to build it up again!
Monday 13 July 2009
Back to it
After a week off it was back to the grindstone last week.
I started off with a short but brisk 3.75 miles on a muggy, humid Monday afternoon then followed that with an enjoyable 7.26 on Tuesday evening - round the reservoir with Abbey Runners.
Wednesday and Friday were rest days and they sandwiched 6 miles (done in 47:36) on Thursday evening. I was pleased with that.
On Saturday I did a mile with Beth in the morning (she'd been ill in the week so we took it easy)followed by 10 miles in the afternoon running the route of the Eccup 10 race which I marshalled at the following day. Both the run and the marshalling were good fun. Marshalling, like life, is a case of the more you put in the more you get out.
That meant another rest day on Sunday and I filled my time (post event) with a trip to the carvery, a dvd with the family and a whole lot more eating!
That was a change from the rest of the week where I watched food intake closely and dropped to within less than 2lb of Paris weight - somewhere I expect to get to this week.
I started off with a short but brisk 3.75 miles on a muggy, humid Monday afternoon then followed that with an enjoyable 7.26 on Tuesday evening - round the reservoir with Abbey Runners.
Wednesday and Friday were rest days and they sandwiched 6 miles (done in 47:36) on Thursday evening. I was pleased with that.
On Saturday I did a mile with Beth in the morning (she'd been ill in the week so we took it easy)followed by 10 miles in the afternoon running the route of the Eccup 10 race which I marshalled at the following day. Both the run and the marshalling were good fun. Marshalling, like life, is a case of the more you put in the more you get out.
That meant another rest day on Sunday and I filled my time (post event) with a trip to the carvery, a dvd with the family and a whole lot more eating!
That was a change from the rest of the week where I watched food intake closely and dropped to within less than 2lb of Paris weight - somewhere I expect to get to this week.
Friday 10 July 2009
Feeling racey
I've ummed and ahhhed about which races to do and now finally have my race calendar for the rest of the year organised. Its going to be a busy time:
- August 23rd Birchwood 10k in Warrington
- September 6th Great Yorkshire Run 10k in Sheffield
- September 13th Wistow 10 miles in Selby
- September 26th Saab Salomon Turbo X 10m x-country in Sheffield
- September 27th Horsforth 10k in Leeds
- October 4th Harewood 10 mile trail race in Leeds
- October 25th Great Cumbrian Run half marathon in Carlisle
- November 8th Lancaster half marathon in, er, Lancaster
- November 22nd Abbey Dash 10k in Leeds
The ones in bold are the ones I feel I could aim for a PB at, the other 3 being participatory rather than raced. 9 races in 13 weeks but with 6 weekends free of racing within that period - doable with care!
EDIT: Now thinking of tagging the Thirsk 10 mile on the end of that on the 29th November. Its another PB possibility.
Tuesday 7 July 2009
Give it a rest
Last week was earmarked as a rest week but with no real plan behind it. In the event it turned into a bit of a week off for the most part.
Monday was really humid so I did 2.6 miles while Beth was with the running club then left it at that. I'd expected to do 6-7 miles on Tuesday night with the running club but it turned out to be a slow and slightly disjointed 4.68 miles instead. Wednesday was due to be 3 miles with Beth but she was determined not to go leaving me in a foul mood and over eating. The dye was set.
Thursday's run was also cancelled though I can't think why and replaced with significant eating. Friday was always a rest day and normally a gluttony day too. Saturday was 3 miles with Beth and lots more eating; and Sunday I planned to do 8 but after several days over eating and sleeping badly the previous 2 nights I ended up doing a difficult 5 miles in the humid weather. And then went for a curry!
Ah well, a week off probably does you good. Yesterday I started the week living only on fruit & veg and did 3.75 while Beth was at her club. Running club tonight.
I have less than 4 weeks until we go on holiday and now want to get down to 12st by then. That's a very tough ask as yesterday the scales read 12st 13lb!
We shall see.
Monday was really humid so I did 2.6 miles while Beth was with the running club then left it at that. I'd expected to do 6-7 miles on Tuesday night with the running club but it turned out to be a slow and slightly disjointed 4.68 miles instead. Wednesday was due to be 3 miles with Beth but she was determined not to go leaving me in a foul mood and over eating. The dye was set.
Thursday's run was also cancelled though I can't think why and replaced with significant eating. Friday was always a rest day and normally a gluttony day too. Saturday was 3 miles with Beth and lots more eating; and Sunday I planned to do 8 but after several days over eating and sleeping badly the previous 2 nights I ended up doing a difficult 5 miles in the humid weather. And then went for a curry!
Ah well, a week off probably does you good. Yesterday I started the week living only on fruit & veg and did 3.75 while Beth was at her club. Running club tonight.
I have less than 4 weeks until we go on holiday and now want to get down to 12st by then. That's a very tough ask as yesterday the scales read 12st 13lb!
We shall see.
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