Friday is now officially 'Recovery Run' day.
Boy was I tired today after the speedwork uphill and aginst the wind yesterday! Went to bed on time and still felt tired! Must be working then?
And to add to insult over knackeredness...it looked torrential so I put wet weather gear on and it turned out quite pleasent and I melted in the warmth of everything!
So slow and steady today and wont do no harm I suspect...

nice rest day lie in tomorrow with beer and DVD planned for tonight. Hiding away in the little room with the headphones on, guiness in hand and a choice 'cack' film to watch.

Tonights cack film will be 'Starship Troopers 3:Marauders' oh boy, cant wait!!

Education has missed a trick...
This morning on the way to school me and the Small monstrosity set off earlier and took a chink of bread with us and fed the ducks.

The simple things in life...

Cool way to start the day.

I feel a campaign for 'Double Duck feeding' at the start of each school session...the world would be a better place, trust me!

Oh grief I hate Speedwork...it's so hard work!

and which genius planned the 2nd fast mile up hill against the wind?!

Dare not even look at the split times as I reckon I may be within the 15 seconds on the first mile but def not the 2nd. As for the recovery pace...should have added a minute onto the time per mile I reckon. Absolutely knackered...so I suppose its done its job then?!

In hindsight, and having looked at the split times it wasn't all bad.
The Plan
1) 2 miles warm up @ 7:30 - 7:48 pace
2) 1mile flat out @ 6.07
3) .5 mile reccovery @ 8:00-8:15
4) 1mile flat out @ 6.07
5) .5 mile reccovery @ 8:00-8:15
6) 2 mile steady run/limp home @7:30-7:48....

this is the in theory bit. What actually happened was this...

1		2.00			07:18		so good, that worked
2		1.00			06:12		wow!thats close enough as well
3		0.50			08:17		just about, gimme 2secs reckon!
4		1.00			06:57		erm, no!
5		0.50			08:31		and no again!
6		2.00			07:40		finally, yes that'll do pig, that'll do

Hope this appeals to the statatistiansittisiannnsiiiooonnss, people who like facts and figures, amongst you!

So.
Back to back 9 milers barely 12 hours apart - bit steep!
I was ready for this one to be slow and steady, almost recovery based. Combine that thought with the idea of a 52mph gusting headwind and it were definitely slow and steady! But at least the rain was light and it was warm.

Took water as a help and a steadiness factor, seemed to help. Finished okay, but feet are telling me this was two hard days not far apart!

Note the time...had to run late afternoon today as the Boss was away very early on this morning on a course 145 miles away! Seemed a little mad to me but she said it were worth it so, fine! She weren't so sure it was worth it when she got up at 5am this morning though!

So because she were gone, I was on kid duty! So as I saw it I had 2 options;
Either,
1) Go to bed at 8pm and get up around 4am and run so that I was back in time for her to leave at 6am....
2)Run later in the day after work, juggling collection of the Small Monstrosity from kids group...

Well I thought that as adventurous as 1) may be I wasn't sure it was the right thing to inflict on my already aching and aged body!!

So 2) it was!

(I suppose there was a '3)' miss the run entirely...but hey, why would I want to do that?!)

So after stuffing mesel nicely during the day with 2 bananas, 2 apples and 2 cereal bars (plus an assorted amount of other stuff!) I was loaded and raring to go when I got home after the afternoon session.

Had REAL trouble running slow enough to meet the goal pace (7:48), so felt GREAT so just gave up trying! I ran how i felt which felt good, so i ran HARD! Not sure I'll be doing this every day but it felt good and right TODAY!
I turned in mile 3 in under 7 minutes and the rest of the mile splits were in a simliar vein. It felt like the inaugural speedwork session I did last week! My slowest mile, at mile 9, was at 7:26 still 20 seconds faster than goal pace!

So I finshed up and threw on a jacket grabbed a drink and stinking went to collect the Small Monstrosity. It was only when I was walking into the centre that I noticed that the shorts were very short! They were racing high leg cut shorts! So I thought I'd best be pulling them down a little...which was a bit of a laugh in itself, as then I inherited a funny little shuffle walk!

The things we do....!

LMAO!

A hard run today.
Not for milage but for circumstance.
Routines pre run are set inplace to be followed. Whether they are superstitious nonsense, or physical practicalities. I find that when I don't follow these routines things do not go well.
Todays 'dont go well' was a necessary trip to the toilets at Bescot Market en route as I was suffering so much! And that was only 5.5 miles in! But slight moment of panic and unease over I carried on again after a couple of miles and got quite back into it.

The only downside really was the trip to the toilet left my stomach feeling VERY empty and a little sore. ie. nowt to run on! I had a gel sweet thing with me that I defnitely felt the need for, and that helped a little.

But...the sun shone quite low and bright today which was a great change from the usual dark cold mornings. So grateful for small mercies!

Okay.
Been trying to post this one for a while - but it took some practise! And I transcribed it!
Note to self - next time, make it easier Donkey!

I loved recording this, shame abut the sound quality but watch this space, I could be getting a new pressie!
Comments over at YouTube would be gratefully received peoples! Or here...whatever!

Hope you're well and not getting too battered as we are by this wind and rain...

Ran up Pennyhill this morning. A good un that one! Lots of UUUUUUuuuupp!
 
The Valley was as nice as ever. Moon was bright and reflected nicely off the damp paths again. 
Strange feeling running through though. I kept running through pockets of warm air! You could feel the changes in temperature on my legs, very pleasent but strange!

At one point the wind must have been in the right direction and a little stronger today as I could smell the Bread Factory a good few miles away. Now that smelled GOOD!

I went to see my friend the other night and took some advice on nutrition. He recommended some of this. I was keen not to lose any more weight and also to stop feeling a bit faint and flat mid morning.
Now I'm not after a miracle cure, and I realise that eating will help the most. But I also believe that there's no point in asking for advice that you're not prepared to try!
So as the price was right, I'm trying it.

First impressions are as always with this sort of thing - tastes bleedin awful! But no doubt I'll get used to that!

Right.
Speedwork.
So.
Not an unmitigated disaster but a learnng curve!

Didn't manage the pace for the speed section, but only just missed it. I was meant to go 6:32 for 4 miles. I got to 6:40 average over the 4 miles. So not too sore about that really.
Did manage to program Mr Garmin for the 3 splits so that was fairly useful. But it didn't 'beep' at me or anything to help. Still had to keep looking at it! 
The map looks a little strange as it stops at the 7 mile distance even though I kept running extra to get home.

I ran that last bit home luxuriously slow! Just for badness!

So day 2 of Marathon training plan. 9miles @ 7:48
Preferred yesterday - it was a rest day! LOL!

Bit damp, but at least it stops it being too cold.
Run was good but still finding it a bit faffy continously looking at Mr Garmin for a pace check and kinda lost it towards the end.
And in the middle..
Come to think of it the pace at the start was too fast as well...
 Av Pace is too fast, but feels okay. Especially at the end.  Hoping that this is something I will just get used to. That is, going a bit slower. I'm aiming for +/- 15 secs so am nearly there with average today (7:27)

Speed work tomorrow, not looking forward to that! Definitely a new thing for me...

When I did my last half marathon I was determined to get a good time. So I actually said it out loud to people, instead of claiming the false modesty that I, and others tend to.

You know the sort of thing " Oh, I'm not expecting to do too well in this 10k.." and then blasting 36 minutes!

Well I realise that this can be a form of a defense mechanism and I've used it myself - until the last race, when i thought that for once I would think positive.
I'd worked hard, trained consistently so why not?.

So I put it out there.

'I want a sub 1:30 half marathon'

...and I got it.

So in light of the above diatribe (sorry!) I would just like to say this...

'Next year, in April, at my first marathon (Stratford) I would like to go sub 3:20.'

Now that feels better! Thanks for listening.

(x-posted to runners)

This was another of those 'lets try it out' runs at pace.
Normally i tend to do long runs at an easy, feel good pace and dont keep an eye on the pace on Mr Garmin. But today I did. Trying to keep it as near to this prevelent figure of 7:48 a mile.

On the whole I did ok. Run was good, felt ok, ready for warm bath as it were a bit cool. Onto 2 layers now!

Start the marathon training plan proper this next week.Oh dear...

Mind you, I'm off to a good start - monday is a rest day! LMAO!

I went out running this morning whilst there was still a definite fug in the air. A smell from Bonfire Night last night I reckon.

I took this run as Marathon Training Plan practise. That is I tried to run it at the 7:48 pace that they recommend in the first 4 weeks. Hard to be consistent though even with Mr Garmins help!
In the end I got a bit fed up of it to be honest and just ran the rest of the 8.5 mile route out.
As for the training plan (Smart Coach from Runners World) that's due to start next week, I may take the pace timings with a pinch of salt.

Or am I missing the point?

(x-posted to runners)

Feeling bit rough on this one today.

Didn't put the extra Dartmouth route into it. Bit of a headache and feeling roughish after Chinese last night- not good to run on, although did taste okay last night!

Bit drizzly this morning which combined with the motorway lights etc lit up the footpaths in a shiny, reflective way through the valley. Quite cool really. Had the headtorch (in me hand!) but didn't need it that much. Not bad run, just a bit heavy.

Now just got to eat and get through the day, also heavy!

Not quite as excting as it sounds...

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/17968746

Check out the shape!Ha ha!
Well it should have been destined for failure this run, but it felt pretty good. I forgot to drink the rest of my cup of water before going out?! I also didnt take any water with me! So by the end I was getting kinda desperate and a little shaky, but made it and am fast rehydrating now!

Definitely a hat morning, but past that, not too cold.

All good

Here in the UK today it is wet n wild!
The wind doth blow and the rain ist sideways, begorrah!

However with trusty wet weather gear on ('Grumpy' baseball hat, and Mizuno Gilet) and long run equipped (water holster and gel in pocket) i was determined to set out for the weeks 'Long Run.'

Had a route in mind, but didn't really bother to measure it as I knew roughly how far it was to be and Mr Garmin would do the rest for me.
Decided I ws going out 'Ultra' steady (for me) aiming for 8 - 8:15 a mile pace. Well this worked a treat.
I was soaked for the first hour and a half, but then started to dry out a little in the wind, with the return run in having a little bit of sunshine.
I took my gel at around mile 11, and although tasted like hell (per usual!) did help a bit. Rounded a corner at mile 15 to a mega head wind and uphill - great combo. This took me down to 9.20 av for that mile, unheard of!

However...on to the milestone.
Today I broke 20 miles for the first time, and it felt good.  (Take a peek if you fancy it...)
Not too sore...damp feet aren't too cool to run in for hours at a time, but after a nice warm bath and plenty of drink, all recovered.

Just wanted to share with some folks that may understand, take care all!

So. It's traditionally 'take it easy Friday.'
After this week of milage piling I reckon its deserved as well. A lot of miles have passed under the shiny trainers this week and they were starting to tell yesterday afternoon, if the truth be known.
Still making a bit of a hash of this balance of diet and running. I reckon I need more food - but more of the right sort of food. I feel a project coming on!

Red House laps for a change this morning. Never very taxing but does give you the chance to run quick interval stylee. Which happy to say showed up in the stats. 7.12 average this morning, so pleased with that in training. not quite race pace, but not summat to worry about.

 Very dark in the park (such a poet!), per usual but the torch helped. Did a quick reverse when I was doing the laps. added a bit of variety?!

And it kept dry. All good...

Tomorrow...

NYC Baby!

Central Park running, oh and the Tourist thing. And if the weather is to believed we land in poor weather then have pretty settled half decent  Autumnal sun n cloud for the rest of our stay...let's see!

So I got this half done song type thing, that I feel completely uninspired to write the lyric for...anyone want a go?
There's more info on the vid page for you muso's out there wanting chord progressions n stuff...

Either way, the Ashbury was sounding pretty good today even if the camera didn't quite do the tone justice!

Enjoy and if you're feeling creative let me know?

OK, so I was getting a little bored with the milage piling. Lots of miles, not too interesting but still hard work.
So I needed a little inspiration and MORE challenge back in to the running regime.

I know! Thinks I. I'll pick the biggest hill around and run ALL the way up it. After all I used to run some way up it and then turn off...about a year ago...

Well nobody said it was a good plan...

So off I went today. And boy is it big. But I'm a lot stronger these days and fair flew up it (Take a look at the splits). And in fact the entire run was completed quite quick I thought? The rest  of the route had a bif down hill then another up hill to finish.
So fair to say it were a hilly outing this morning.

Thought you may like the proof?! SO here's the Elevation map...

Mad isn't it!?

But mission accomplished I feel pleased, and a little more inspired!

We're forecast a lot of rain at the moment. We got most of it yesterday but the forecast said more this morning.
So although it weren't raining when I got up I went out prepared with the jacket on....and melted. And it didn't rain, at all! So I took it off and tied it round my middle - how uncomfortable is that?!
Next time I'm getting wet!

Last nights carb loading obviously didn't; actually I pigged out big time on sugary stuff. So this morning I was feeling less than strong to be honest. But I wanted to get the miles in this week as over the w/e will be dodgy for running.
So I did the 9.75 route...long way.
It felt tedious all the way round and I really had to slog the run out, but managed it.

Lessons learned...unless its raining dont take the jacket - it'll be far too warm.
Do not try running over 9 miles without water - not good.
Chips and lots of sugary nougat at night are not good to run on the following morning.

If I adhere to all that lot then next time I should be alright!