Oh dear, oh dear… but on reflection not so bad

So I'm home with a bit of sunburn and some sore, twitching muscles.

The day started with the 0641 train into London Bridge, travelling with a fantastic bunch of friends all geared up for the looming challenge.

I was travelling with my neighbour Tom who was aiming for around 3hrs 10mins. My own target was around 3hrs 25mins.

On arrival at Greenwich Park we relaxed near the bandstand and watched the lovely Helen Skelton doing some interviews.

The sun was very warm and the conditions were looking like they were going to be tough. We were downing the drinks and making sure we were properly hydrated.

After my warm up it was off to the starting pen. It was very congested and after cheering for the elite men it took us nearly 3 mins to make it to the start.

From the off I was managing to stick to my plan of keeping the pace and heart rate steady. I knew mile 3 & 4 were downhill and would give me some time without any effort. My first 4 miles were on plan.

From then I was trying to keep to a steady pace of between 7:50 and 8:00 min/miles. They felt very comfortable and I got to mile 9 feeling good and feeling like I was running within myself.

However, I'd made my first and probably most crucial mistake by now. Although I didn't feel thirsty I took my first drink and gel at mile 7. Halfway through mile 9 I felt a spasm in my right quad muscle. Every time I raised my knee too high, or on the slight downhills it would spasm. I had to ease off and alter my running gait so as not to get the twitches!

By mile 14 the spasms had progressed to cramping in the quad. I had to stop and stretch which gave me some respite but before too long it was back. In the last 12 miles I stopped 6 times.

To say I was disappointed is an understatement. I stopped looking at my watch and so had no idea what my time or distance was.

I knew up ahead I had family & friends who were waiting for me so had to keep going at least until I saw them. At mile 17 it was great to see my mate Andy with Ruth and her two nephews. They were so encouraging but mentally I was thinking this is terrible and is only going to get worse.

It was then onto mile 22 where Susan and the family were waiting. I was really thinking this is the pits as I approached them but they gave me a couple of sweeties, a hug and enough encouragement not to give up. At that point I honestly wanted to chuck it in. I had no idea what the time was but I knew my pace was grim and I was stopping ever couple of miles when the cramps became unbearable.

On the way up Embankment I knew I had to just dig in an keep it going. I started thinking about family, friends, sponsors, why I was running and anything to detach me from the feelings of disappointment.

Getting through to the final few hundred yards was a relief. All of a sudden the finish is in front of you and it's a short run from Buckingham Palace to the finish.

On finishing it was off to the Phab meeting area. One of the perks of running for Phab was the provision of physios and a massage. I limped in and was ushered to a massage table where a big South African got to work on me. After 5 mins he calls over the team leader and then the two of them are on me. My quad is shot but the worry is my calf which is twitching away and cramping up. I'm given electrolytes to chew and the lads, now with 2 students getting a lesson on whatever the medical condition affecting my calf was.

Seems that my attempts to protect my quads had me overworking my calf which is still going into cramps as I sit here.

Cramp isn't something I've ever struggled with so I think it was down to my hydration and leaving it to mile 7 for my first drink was the issue. I'm gutted that a schoolboy error led to a torrid second half of the race.

On reflection I am amazed that I only ended up losing 20mins on my target. I genuinely felt that I was crawling and giving up significant time when I stopped.

So tonight I'm here with a twitching leg but apart from that I don't feel too bad. I might need to get another marathon in the diary quick so that I can put a few things right.

Tom, on the other hand, had a storming first marathon, finishing with 3hrs 12mins. Awesome.

Ready

I can't quite believe it's the day before the London Marathon. For weeks it seemed a distant target and now all of a sudden it's here.

The nerves are jangling. Have I done enough? What should I pace at? Is that a cold coming on? Is my ankle sore?

I'm glad I blogged all those runs and hard sessions. They are a good record of the hard work and steady improvement over the weeks.

The big question is what do I aim for in the race. My best is 3:32 and I want to come in under 3:30. A 3:15 time would give me a qualifying time but I think that's beyond me. So I'm thinking I'll pace for 3:25 which is an average pace of 7min 49secs per mile.

Whatever the pace finally is I absolutely intend to warm up properly and to keep my heart rate under 160 for the first 4 miles. My downfall in 2010 was doing neither of those and I suffered badly from mile 19 until the end. Tomorrow will be different.

The weather looks good. Bright, dry, little wind and not too hot. I'm not sure it gets any better.

This has been a very easy running week. I've rehearsed my warm up and first mile umpteen times  so I'd better not muck it up!

Tomorrow is as much a mental battle as a physical one. When it starts to hurt I'll be thinking of the 70 or so individuals and families who have sponsored me.

I'll also be thinking of my relatives who relied and benefited so much from PHAB. This marathon is for Iain, Grace & Helen MacLeod who gave so much to our family when I was growing up. The memories of them will be driving me on over the last few miles when I'll really need it.

I've broken the race into 4 segments.

Mile 1-4 - keeping it very steady and the heart rate low
Mile 5-16 - relaxing, keeping an even pace and not using up my mental reserves
Mile 16-21 - 5 miles of absolute focus Through the Isle of Dogs and Canary Wharf. I'll be reminding myself of the 5 mile loops I've been running and keeping the pace on target.
Mile 21- the end - digging in and using all the mental images, memories and mantras to keep me from slipping up.

Whatever happens I'm so thankful for the generosity of friends and family. I've exceeded my target by nearly £1000. I've got back to my 2010 fitness levels and can't wait to dream up the next challenge.

See you on the other side.

A couple of easy ones

I've been in Bristol for the last couple of days.  My trips are normally fraught with late night dinners and eating lots of rubbish but so far I've been disciplined and sticking to the salads.

I've also managed a couple of short 3 mile runs both starting with practising my marathon warm-up routine.

Monday was a recovery run at a slow pace. I felt tired from the weekend and was glad to finish and have a good stretch.

This evening I was feeling sharper and after the warm-up started with a mile at marathon pace to see where my heart rate went. It was a tad fast but I was pleased to see the heart sticking around 160.

On Sunday I'll be content to see a 7:45-8:00min first mile and keep the heart around 155.

I've nothing planned for the next two days and only intend to cover 2-3 miles on Friday and Saturday.

I'm itching to get going now. The weather forecast for Sunday is looking perfect. No wind, dry and warming nicely through the day. Bring it on.

7 days out and it's time to ease off

7 days to go and everything that can be done is done and now it's about getting the legs and body ready for a pounding!

This last week I've been doing less running but  trying to keep myself sharp.

On Thursday I did a 4x800 session just to keep the legs spinning and keep the feel for running fast. That was a good session although it was done in the worst of the pollution.

Friday evening I did a 2 x 2mile session at marathon pace. That's somewhere around 7:45 pace. It was fine and apart from getting chased by a couple of dogs a pleasant run in St Albans.

After a rest day on Saturday it was time for the last long run. I ran with David for about 11 miles at around 8:30 pace with a couple of faster miles added in.

Now it's all about easy, recovery runs, no longer than 4 miles with the odd marathon pace effort. My plan is to run 3-4 miles Monday & Tuesday, rest on wednesday & thursday, a short 2-3 miles in Friday and 1-2miles on Saturday.

I've hit my target weight of 80kg and should hold that until race day as long as I stay off the cakes.

I won't be doing anything different with my diet this week and no special carb loading on Saturday. I've been pleased with my energy levels on long runs so no need for any drastic changes.

I will be taking a few gels with me on the run though. I know the places I'll need a boost and will take on a gel as I approach the Isle of Dogs and come out of Canary Wharf. I've been off caffeine since early January and at least one of the gels will be full of caffeine so I should fly!!

The Taper goes EuroDisney

I've had a really easy week, relaxing and running very little so that the little niggles heal and the legs get a chance to recover.

The weekend was spent at EuroDisney with the family. A well deserved break for Susan and the kids who have been patient and supportive over the last few months.

I did manage a few shorter less intense runs over the week. Including a rep session in Bristol and then a kind of tempo session in Paris.

Now that I'm back it's time to build slowly again so that I'm ready to peak on marathon day.

As well as getting some sharpness back into my running it means practicing and rehearsing a few bits and pieces for race day. I've started with my warm-up. That's important for me as I have a tendency to get a high heart rate at the start of races which can stay high and cause me performance issues.

My warm-up starts with a very slow jog for 5 mins with one acceleration to race pace. That's followed by a stretching routine and then another 5 min jog and another acceleration to race pace.

I've followed the warm-up with a mile or two at race pace to see what happens to the heart. So far so good, with the heart is staying under 160 at a 7:45 pace.

Over the next few days the plan is to get 3 quality runs in - a 12 miler, some reps and a tempo.

So that's it! It's all about getting ready now….

3 weeks today and the London Marathon will be behind me! It's been a long process of building up fitness and endurance over the last 4-5 months.

It's been pretty solid apart from the bump in the road when I got ill in January. That knocked me back a good few weeks and it's been a tightrope ever since - trying to push on without ending up on the sickbed again. It was pretty bad for a week or two. Dramatic weight loss, off for a scan or 2 to make sure nothing sinister was going on and a warning to look after myself better.

On that note it forced me to reflect on what type of training and intensity I can tolerate and for how long before I tip over the edge and get ill.  I figured I could cope with about 4 weeks of the hard stuff, any more and I'd do myself no good.

So the programme I've followed has peaked over the last 3-4 weeks. It started at the Berko Half Marathon and was followed by a 70-60-60 mile week's with my rep and tempo sessions included. That's got me to a position where I'm probably as strong as I can be for a guy my age.

Now the programme is all about easing off the volume and keeping a couple of short intense sessions. That way the legs keep spinning but also recover from the pounding they've taken.

Today was my last long run. I aimed to do 20 miles and hoped to keep it under 2:45. Preparation wasn't ideal with a very late Saturday and not a lot of sleep. I got up at around 5:30 but was really struggling to get my mojo. I pottered about not sure what to wear and not sure where to run. I eventualy went out at around 6:10 feeling extremely sluggish. In fact the first 7 miles were lethargic. I was on the Herts10k loop and even though the sky was blue and the sun shining I wasn't in the zone.

I came back to the house to change out of my running jacket to dorn my Running Fource vest, take on a gel and get my drink bottle.

I forced my effort levels up for the second section. 13 miles down towards Luton on the Lea Valley path, up past Sommeries Castle, Peters Green etc etc. I've done this loop over the last few weeks and really enjoy the different gradients and challenges.

The weather was cool. The sun was out but the wind was chilling and my hands felt like they might drop off. Opening a gel at mile 12 was next to impossible as my fingers didn't work and I struggled to get the thing open.

On the way home I was pushing hard and was pleased to put in a 7:45 mile at mile 20. I felt strong as I'd been running well within my threshold pace.

It was a good run. Quite hilly with a few challenging ups and downs. That made it tough to meet my target and in the end it was just under 2:48. Still, given how I felt for the first 7 miles and how many climbs there were I'm quite pleased. 

It didn't really help me figure out what pace to push in the marathon. It's clear that if I run by heart rate I'll have no issues if I stick in the 150's. The 160's should be fine as I've seen myself put in sustained efforts at that level and not had any lactic issues post race. That'll take me to a sub 8 min pace. What that pace will be depends on so many variables - how am I feeling on the day, the weather, my hydration, how I've slept over the previous few nights….

So the hard work is done. This week will be a relatively easy 35-40 miles. I'll still run 5-6 days but cut the volume right down and my long run next week will be around 12 miles.

Thanks again for all the support. I'm a smidgeon away from my fundraising target.

Busy week, tired reps

It's been an intense week at work and I've not had time or energy for running over the last few days.

I did manage a pre-work 4 mile leg stretch yesterday morning which was good.

This evening at the end of a long day I forced myself outside for an interval session. I decided to ease off the volume and cut it to 6 x 800s with a 2 and a half minute recovery..

I wasn't in the zone at all and had to force myself round. The first 3 were difficult but all fairly consistent at around 3:07. The remaining three were a bit easier mentally but the lungs were burning by the end of each rep.

In the end they ranged from 3:09-3:02. Not too shabby in the end.

An easy day tomorrow then the last long one on Sunday.

Long Midweek Run, 16 miles

The week is up and running. Last night was an easy paced 7 miles with a few of my work colleagues.
Tonight was a bit more hard core with my first run back to Bristol from the office in Hewish. It's along a main road which I expected to be uninspiring but there were plenty of hilly sections and villages along the way to make it interesting.

I was intending to run around 9min mile pace but found myself fairly comfortable at 8:30's so held that.

I was being joined by my colleague Amy for the last 6 miles and had to wait around for her to be dropped off.  It was getting dark just as we got onto the Jubilee cycle path which covers the last 3 miles.

The company for the last few miles was excellent and helped me keep the pace at a steady level.

Afterwards it was time for a good stretch and then off to watch United get the 3-0 win they needed. Nice.

4 Weeks to Go!

There's only 4 weeks until the London Marathon and everyone is very glad of that!  The mileage has been piling up and the intensity of my training has stepped up in the last couple of weeks as I am to peak on the 13th April.

Last week was a 70miler. This week got off to a good start as I felt fresh and motivated. But some long days in the office have left me a little jaded and it's been more of a struggle as the week has gone on.

The weekend has been glorious but with 4 kids it's not possible to nip out for a few hours during the day. So for me it's early starts which is not great when you're already shredded from work.

Yesterday was easy enough, an early 5 miles over to Kinsbourne Green and back. That was followed by a day of cycling, walking up and down town a few times and a bit of gardening.

So this morning the legs were stiff and tired but fortunately I was on an easy Sunday and the plan was for 15miles (click to see the route).

I headed out towards Luton, up to Sommeries Castle, along to Peters Green, past Laura and Andrew's house and then unto Sauncey Wood. From there I extended over to Piggotshill and then it was home.

I had some good tunes on the iPod and was grateful of a bit of Coldplay helping me over my first climb.

On a couple of flat bits I threw in some marathon pace efforts to see if I could settle at 7:30 pace without looking at the Garmin. I wasn't too bad which is a reasonably good sign, I think?

I was fairly much out of it when I got back. The last couple of miles were tough and I had to grit my teeth to keep going. In the end I averaged 9:10 pace which is probably a bit faster than I planned.

It was a good week. Confidence building sessions on Wednesday & Friday confirm I'm back to my pre illness levels. It's taken a good 6 weeks to get back but patience has worked well.

The coming week has a couple if big sessions. On Wednesday I plan to do a 17 miler and then on Sunday a 20 miler. On Sunday I'm hoping to split it into slow and marathon pace efforts.

7 mile tempo at marathon pace, nice confidence booster

Man, it was a belter today. Sun was blazing and unlike the rest of England we had no fog.

At lunchtime it was my tempo run. I had time to squeeze about 7 miles in if I kept to something around 7:30 pace. As I warmed up I was thinking it was going to be hard, my legs were tired and I felt very stiff from the mileage of the last few days.

A quick stretch and I was off, heading down the Nickey Line towards Hemel. I thought that it would be an easy mile to break me in and a good test to see if I could hit the pace. My idea was to keep my heart rate in the 150's knowing that it was uphill on the way back and I'd stray into the 160's and maybe 170's.

The pace was very comfortable and I held the heart rate down.

I passed a couple of stray gel wrappers dropped by fellow runners and decided that I was picking them up on the way back. Can't have our tribe dropping litter in the countryside.

After passing through the M1 tunnel I soon reached the 3.5mile mark and did an about turn. Most of the next 3.5 miles would be uphill and it would be a good test to see how my pace and heart rate coped.

Overall it wasn't too bad. With about a mile to go the heart went to 165 and stayed there until the end. 165 is still under my lactate threshold so I'm quite happy to be running 7:30's uphill at that level. In my 2010 marathon I was running above lactate threshold from mile 1 and came undone at mile 18 when the legs just seized up as the lactic acid built in the muscles.

This was a confidence boosting run, averaging 7:19 pace over 7 miles at a comfortable heart rate, and especially as I was feeling weary during the warm-up.

Tomorrow the plan is for some easy miles - over 9min pace all the way. Then on Sunday I'm not sure whether I go for another 20 or ease off for a week. We'll see.

Oh yeah, in the end it was 3 gel wrappers collected and shoved in the bin. Don't be a litterbug out there.

Easy 12miles, 2 run Thursday

It was a cracking day today. Very warm in the sun now that the easterly wind has died.

I got out at lunchtime in my running vest and did a loop of the Herts 10k route. The mud has dried up now after months of rain and it's a pleasure to run off road again.

Even the golf course was heaving and I had to dodge between the tee's and watch for annoying someone putting for a birdie.

I intended to take it ready but found myself pushing a bit harder up the hill but then eased off for the run home.

This evening we've had 15 ladies round from Louis' nursery. If ever there was an excuse to make myself scarce and get a few miles in this was it.

I set off on my loop over to Kinsbourne Green and back.  I threw in a climb unto the new section of Nicky Line and came back that way. With no head torch it was nice running on a level tarmac section.

Overall it was 12.5 easy miles today. Averaging around 9min miles. Tomorrow is tempo day and the intention is 7-10 miles at 7.30 / 7.45 pace.

Wednesday Reps, 10x800

Today's my intervals or reps day. With only over 4 weeks until the marathon there's no gains to be made in going full gas on these sessions. Instead it was a steady but fast pace with a short recovery period. I settled on 10 x 800m, with 1 min rests.

The route was out passed Roundwood and back along the Nicky Line a couple of times.

Weather was a bit chillier than I was expecting but by my 7th rep I'd forgotten all about that.

I was pleased to be holding a fairly steady effort level but with the pace varying with the incline.

The pace probably averaged around 6:50 for the 800's which is alright. Tomorrow I'm going to take very easy, just a few miles to the total. But Friday it will be a decent session with a good few miles at marathon pace.

Back into it, another big week.

I had a day return to Bristol yesterday. Not the best for a rest day but at least I wasn't on my feet.
After dropping the car in the evening I took the chance to stretch the legs after 6 hours of driving.
An easy 3miles, split by a train journey was excellent. The legs felt fresh afterwards and ready for the week ahead.

Today I was in London and walked from Blackfriars up to St James. This is the last 2 miles of the marathon and it was nice to walk it and take in the sites. I won't be in any position to take anything in at this stage of the marathon!

After work I headed out for a 7 mile easy run just to get back into it. The energy levels were ok but i hadn't drunk enough and was thirsty most of the way round.

This was the first time in ages I went up Beeson End Lane. This was one of my regular runs a few years ago but for some reason I've not been going over that way.

Tomorrow is reps day. I'll hopefully get a few easy miles in early on and then hit the reps at lunchtime.

Big week, 70 miles

That was a big week. I somehow managed to get 70miles completed in 9 runs since Monday.

The big one was today, 24 miles in the morning and covered in around 3hrs 37mins. I felt good and could have carried on but wisdom prevailed and I stopped at that point.

The morning was absolutely cracking. David and I set off just before 7 on a 12 mile loop down towards Flamstead. That took us out round Redbourn and back up the Nicky Line. The plan was to pass by the house and pick up gels and a drink for the second 12.

David set a steady tempo and held me just under 9min pace. That was a tad faster than I'd normally pace it but I felt fine and appreciated the company. Unfortunately he wasn't on top form and felt ill so pulled out at mile 12 and headed for home.

I had my drink, picked up a bottle and gels, and headed out towards Sommeries Castle, Peters Green and Sauncey Wood. There was a fair number of ups and downs to get through. The ups were easy but the downhill sections were brutal on the quads.

The scenery was fantastic and I enjoyed seeing Lauran & Andrew's house in full morning sunshine.

On the final stretch I bumped into Speirsy and his kids. A quick catch up on his 12 miler and I was off, finishing the last couple of miles feeling strong.

This evening I've just done a couple more miles to stretch the legs and make sure I got over the 70 mile mark for the week.

Tomorrow is a rest day and then back to it on Tuesday. The plan is another 70 this week.

Thanks to everyone who has sponsored me over the last few weeks. It makes a tremendous difference when you know that so many people are backing you. Cheers.

5 evening miles

Back home and after getting through the homework and bath time chores I managed to get out for a few more miles.

The plan was to keep  the heart rate low and the pace easy. Tomorrow is tempo day and I need to recover properly from yesterday's reps.

The legs and energy levels were good so it was an easy and pleasant 5 miles holding 9min pace.

Tomorrow is tempo day and the plan is to start focusing on marathon pace in these sessions. I think that's around 7.45 pace and should feel reasonably easy.

Reps

This evening was reps time. I was still in Somerset and decided to try the Strawberry Line for my reps. It's an old railway line that's been converted to a cycle & walking path - sounds familiar.

The session was 3x800-3x600-3x300. I was expecting it to be difficult given the miles I've done in the last few days but it wasn't that bad.

The pace for the 800's was around 6:30, the 600's were slightly quicker and the 300's were just under 6's.

It was an enjoyable session and an excellent path for either reps or a tempo run.

Tomorrow is all about easy mileage again and hopefully I'll rack up another 10.

Ramping up the mileage

With 3 weeks of intense training to go and then 3 weeks tapering down for the Marathon, this is the week to start ramping up the mileage and establishing the firm endurance base.

My legs felt remarkably ok after the Berko Half so I took off for a 5 miler at lunchtime which was very pleasant in the sunshine.

Yesterday I was in Bristol and managed to find time and energy after work to complete 13 miles. These were at a steady 9min/mile pace and I was grateful to have the company of one of my colleagues for 8 miles.

Tuesday is my new vegetarian day. I've joined another of my colleagues in giving up eggs, meat and fish on a Tuesday. It's no big deal really but makes a nice change.

This morning I was up at the crack of dawn and did a 4 mile loop of the Bristol Harbour. It was still dark when I got back at 6.10 but it looks like it's going  to be a glorious day.

Tonight it's reps and I hope to complete them on a new path not far from Bristol. 

Berko Half Marathon and all that

It's a weird thing this running. I'm obviously training for the London Marathon and entered the Berkhamsted Half as a stepping stone to the big event but somehow you get caught up in the "should I race?", "can I get a PB?", "what if I just go for it?"

It's mentally draining, honestly. I spent the week preparing and running through every scenario under the sun. Fortunately I'd had a disaster 4 years ago in the same race and as part of the same build up to London. That time I went for the PB and tore a calf muscle on one of the last downhill stretches.

Having already lost 7-10 days in January to illness I couldn't afford an injury. Should've been a no-brainer but up until this morning I was still unsure.

Eventually, thanks to the wisdom of Richard "the mousse" Bruce, I held back for most of the race and only tried to step it up on the last 3miles.

The week has been easy, although I still racked up 18 miles by the end of Saturday. I was feeling strong and the adrenalain was pumping.

This morning, after my porridge, I was off over to Berko. I arrived with 40 minutes to spare and used the time to get a decent warm up and stretch. I was glad of that and didn't feel the cold with only a PHAB vest for the race.

At the off I was caught up in the 1.30-1.45 crowd and as it's a bit narrow at the start everyone was pushing on to get under the railway bridge and out of the town. By the time we were out in the country I was easing off the pace to keep my heart rate below lactate threshold and my effort at around marathon pace. That meant keeping the heart under 170bpm and staving off the build up of lactic acid in the muscles.

Mile 3 was up a hill and I was pleased to just hold with the group I was in. After that it was another slightly up mile followed by a serious downhill. The course is up and down with 4 decent inclines along the way. I held the heart rate and let the pace follow.

After completing mile 10 I decided enough was enough and pushed on. I targeted runners ahead and picked them off one by one. Passing a good few and getting the pace and effort up a bit. Funnily enough even with the increase in perceived effort the heart rate didn't really increase until the very last sprint finish.

At the end it was a 1:38 finish which is my best time at Berko but a good 5 mins down on my Half PB. So there's a bit of frustration, knowing I could've put in a greater effort but at the same time it's a good stepping stone to London.

Aferwards I did another short run and stretch before the drive home. Once home it was another 2 miles to keep the legs from seizing up.

The agony wasn't over yet though and I jumped in an ice bath for 10 mins to really do myself some damage. Not so worried about my legs after that I can tell you.

The next 3 weeks are all about increasing the volume. I'll be building up the mileage to 70 per week and seeing if I can do a 24 miler at some point.

Thanks so much for the financial sponsorship. I'm over £1100 towards PHAB with about £500 to go.

Home and 2x1.5miles at Half Marathon Pace

I didn't manage an early run in Bristol this morning. Instead it was an evening run round the Avenues.

The weather is fine, nice and dry with a slight chill in the air. Perfect for running.

Tonight was my last big effort before Sunday's half marathon. The idea was to do 2x1.5mile segments at half marathon pace. The target was 7:25 for the first and 7:10 for the second.

I got a bit carried away and they were a tad faster. I felt good on lap 1 with the pace varying because of cars on Maple Road causing me to stop. Lap 2 was steady and the heart rate profile shows a steady level just below my lactate threshold.

The two segments averaged at 7:16 and 6:48. I'll be aiming for a negative split on Sunday but I doubt it will be at those kind of speeds.

A few easy miles over the next few days and I'll be ready.

Tuesday Reps in Bristol

I brought my rep session forward a day to give me a couple of extra rest days this week. I also made the  session a bit easier than over the last few weeks and cut the reps to 400m.

I was going round the harbour in Bristol which is littered with turns and obstacles so it was difficult to keep a good pace up. The session was 6x400m with 1min off.

The legs felt quite fresh and my cadence and form were good. The heart rate didn't really get stretched because of the pace having to slow occasionally. I enjoyed a good stretch and core session in the hotel gym after the run.

Tomorrow I'll probably get a few more miles in early doors possibly doing 2x8mins at half marathon pace.

Rest day & short recovery run

Trust the sun to be out today! We had the first signs of spring this morning which is great and let's hope it continues through to the weekend.

My legs have felt remarkably fine after yesterday's 20miles. I've a few aches and pains but nothing serious.

I had to go an pick up a car so decided to jog down to the station and pick up a train to Luton. I then jogged up to the airport at an easy pace. The legs freshened over the 20mins and were better for the stretch.

This is going to be a fairly easy week, less mileage and less intensity in the key sessions, as I prepare for the Berkhamsted Half Marathon. I need to be fresh as I've got injured the last twice I've done this race.  This time I'm going to be sensible and try and stick to my marathon pace for the first half of it. I also want to do a negative split which means running the second half of the race slightly quicker than the first. All that should be achievable if I turn up fresh and with a good plan worked out.

Tomorrow I'm contemplating 6x400m reps, Wednesday possibly 2x1.5miles at race pace and then an easy few miles on Thursday. If I do 30miles this week I'll be pleased.

Long Long Run… 20miles

It was time for another 20miler today and to fit it in I was up before dawn and out the door before the sun had got his hat on.

The weather was a bit damp and the wind was up which made for a wobbly first four miles. I seriously wondered what I was doing!

I started by doing the Herts10k loop and then coming back to the house after 7miles to pick up my gels and drink. The rain had stopped so I decided to leave the jacket at home and hope it stayed away. Luckily it did until the last 2 miles when I was glad of it.

I eventually found some rhythm and held a pace just under 9min pace. That was comfortable on the heart and lungs but the legs were feeling weary and it was a bit harder at times than I would've liked.

The downhill sections were worst by a long way with the quads and feet aching.

The route is pretty good and relatively quiet although I did get the fright of my life when a Range Rover crept up behind me and tooted to get passed.

Although it was a tough run I was pleased that I maintained a pretty steady pace and effort. The 20miles were up in 2:55 which is a good 7-8 mins faster than 2 weeks ago and on a par with my times from 4 years ago.

My nutrition was a slice of toast & marmalade before setting off, two gels and a diluted orange juice drink with one tea spoon of sugar and a pinch of salt.

I'm looking forward to an easier week. The Berkhamsted Half Marathon is next weekend and I plan to taper nicely into it.

Tempo Friday

It's been a cracking day today. The sky was blue and the day started with a bit of frost. No rain is such a treat and it led to a nice session at lunchtime.

My calves were a bit tight this morning. Looks like the 5 miles yesterday evening was a little too much on the back of the hill session on Wednesday. I'll need to remember that as the real objective of the week is to be strong for the Wednesday and Friday sessions.

The target today was 6 miles at tempo pace which is around 7:20 min/miles for me. That means I can run steadily under my anaerobic threshold and in theory not suffer from a build up of lactate acid in my muscles, meaning I can run again comfortably tomorrow.

I decided to head down to the A1081 and run along the path. It's relatively flat and from what I'd seen in good condition. After a warm-up I was off. The wind was a bit of a factor on the way out making the work rate a little high but I sustained a good effort and pace for 3 miles out.

At the turn I regrouped. Just reminding myself what the pace/effort was supposed to be and to concentrate on my form - good cadence, strong core, high chin, lower arms.

The way back was slightly downhill and I found the pace was a bit faster. A negative split is unusual for me but very pleasant.

The effort was manageable and I probably could've sustained a few more miles. That's what I'll need to do at next weekend's Berkhamsted Half Marathon.

Overall I completed the 6 miles at an average 7:09 pace. Slightly quicker than intended and I'll see how I recover. An added bonus was to log another Strava segment and end up second overall behind the legend Simon Speirs. Happy to be in his company.

Easy 5 after a day in the smoke

I've been eating for Britain today. Porridge, a muffin from Starbucks, 2 Pret sandwiches and I'm not saying what I've had for tea. Bad news is I'm still hungry!

I had a day in London attending a planning inquiry. Not the most inspiring day and I was glad to be able to get out for a 5 mile run this evening. 

I was feeling strong, probably on the back of all that food, and had to concentrate on keeping it steady. The route took me all the way out to Kinsbourne Green and then back along the A1081. Not the most pleasant of roads to run along but well lit and fairly even.

So another 5 easy miles followed by a good stretching session means I should be pumped and ready for a solid tempo run tomorrow. At this point I'm thinking 6-7miles at 7:20 pace should be about right but we'll see. Hopefully I'll be joined by David if we can coordinate our schedules.

Theo's Big Day

It's Theo's 7th birthday. He's so excited it's incredible. He's having his own birthday party in a few weeks - some sort of Star Wars laser theme with boys only! He's always had shared parties before, with girls from his class and he's so happy to be on his own.

There's cake galore and all sorts of unhealthy treats! Good reason to get out and do a good session.

Tonight was reps. I've not done hills for a good few weeks so thought 6x90secs would be good.
I was happy with the pace and effort through them, averaging 6:45-7:00 pace. I felt strong and recovered well after each rep. I probably could've done a couple more but lets see how I'm feeling tomorrow before increasing the load on that session.

Tomorrow I'm in London for the day but hopefully I'll get a chance to run a few easy miles at some point.

Thanks to everyone who has sponsored me over the last few days. It has definitely helped with my motivation over this week. Thank you.

Less than 8 weeks to go, time to stay focussed

It's getting to that stage of the training programme where panic, anxiety and rash decisions can occur. None of which will bode well for the big event.

I've been working steadily with my 3 key sessions a week - reps, tempo and long run. In between those the idea is to keep the legs turning over. No pushing it or trying to cram in some extra work. It'll only lead to fatigue, injury and tears.

So after a very lazy rest day I was back to getting things going again this morning. I started by doing a couple of slow miles and then a good stretching session before breakfast. That woke me up and got me into a good frame of mind for work.

At lunchtime the idea was a slow steady run up to the airport to pick up a car. The legs felt very fresh and strong for the first time in a few weeks. That made keeping the pace low tricky. Instead I focussed on keeping a good running form. High hips, high chin and good arms. That seemed to work and with a steady cadence I was comfortable at 8:30 pace for the 6.5miles.

I've refuelled pretty well and need to keep off the chocolate. Tomorrow is going to be difficult as Theo is 7 and there's a cake fest planned ;-)

Bitty Weekend in the Grey Zone

That was a bit of an exhausting weekend. 4 runs, a Pilates class and a trip to the swimming pool with the kids. A nice easy day tomorrow is very apt.

I had to make the most of the brief opportunities to get some mileage in this weekend. It began with running around town dropping kids off at the gym, picking up mail from the post office and getting to my Pilates class. I'm normally pretty disciplined on what I want out of a run but this was all over the place - a bit of a grey zone. Not much use.

I've only ever done a couple of Pilates sessions. Hated them. Couldn't quite get the knack of using my core muscles and breathing at the same time ;-)

This one was a little different using a machine to get you in the right position and engagement of core and hips. I actually found most of it ok. The real embarrassment was when it came to stretching and flexibility. I need to do a bit of work loosening down from the hip flexors.

After surviving that I managed to get out for another quick run. There's a lot of stuff out on the web about the perfect running cadence. The general view is that 180 steps a minute is the most efficient. I downloaded a playlist of music at that beat and set off to see how much more of a wally I could look.

Again it wasn't quite as bad as I expected. Marginally quicker than my normal turnover. I couldn't really tell whether it would make any difference.

We had a late one on Saturday evening and a busy Sunday ahead so there was no way I could fit in a decent run. Instead I had to make do with 2 separate runs. The first was an early run round the Herts 10k route. I fell into the trap of not thinking about what I was to get out of the day and it was another grey zone mix of everything and nothing.

After Church I managed to get a drop from Susan down by Luton Parkway and made my way home from there. Again it was a mix of everything and nothing. Just some more mileage.

The day finished with a trip to the swimming pool. Everyone seemed to enjoy it even though it was freezing.

So a few duff miles in the can. I'll take tomorrow off and regroup. I need to make sure I'm refreshed for the big sessions - reps & tempo and then recovering in between. Next weekend I'll aim for another big run.

Tough Conditions

Man, this weather is unrelenting. It's pouring and for the last couple of the days the wind has been getting stronger and stronger.

This evening's as bad as its been. Not a good night for my attempt at a tempo run. I couldn't get going at all with the wind, rain and darkness. I was concerned about pot holes - last thing I need is a twisted ankle.

So it was a steady with the only bit of good effort coming along Southdown Road which improved my position on the Strava segment.

Yesterday I had a run home from the airport. I'd forgotten the Garmin and had no idea of what pace I was doing until I bonked with 3 miles to go. Too little food pushed me over the edge and I had to struggle up Cooters End Lane. The only positive was that I kept jogging even though every bit of me was shouting WALK!

Tomorrow is meant to be an easy day followed by a long run on Sunday but I think I'll see how the weather is and just take advantage of any respite.

Gale Force Reps

Conditions are bleak to say the least. Britain is getting battered and tonight it's hurricane winds battering the west coast.

We're not seeing the full force here but it's still brutal.

I went out to do my reps this evening. 6x800's with a 2 min rest between. The wind and rain were driving so it wasn't exactly motivating.

I got through the session but the effort wasn't really there until the last couple. I guess I was a bit hesitant with bits of tree flying about! The legs may not have recovered fully from Sunday's 20mile bash.

It's supposed to be a bit better tomorrow so I'll get a few easy miles in.

Long Run, 3 hours, 20miles

A 3 hour run wasn't the plan this morning but I decided to throw in a loop which was a bit longer than I thought and so the miles added up.
It was pretty windy out there this morning. There's still loads of giant puddles everywhere and off-road is just a mud fest.
I was hoping to run with David this morning but a text at 6.20 giving his apologies meant it was the iPod, Bono, the late Stuart Adamson, Runrig and a few others who kept me company.
It was pitch dark and blowing a gale so I decided to do a 10k loop and come back home to drop off my head torch and pick up a drink.
The Herts10k was a bit wet underfoot and Richard's sink hole was back. The mother of all puddles was ready to swallow me up but I managed just to get one foot wet.
I got back to the house after an hour. Had a drink, dropped the head torch and hat, and then headed off for Luton via Thrales End Lane. Down on the Lea Valley path I was feeling strong and decided to go to Parkway, then come back via Someries Castle and Peters Green. I hid my water bottle and decided to pick it up on the way back which worked well.
The loop up to Peters Green was a bit longer than I bargained for and I realised I was heading for a 3 hour run. I had a gel and dug in.
The pace was fairly steady and even though there was a fair amount of ups and downs I was feeling strong.
After climbing Cooters End Lane it was down onto the Nickey Line. I expected a quagmire but was surprised to see it is in the process of being tarmaced and it was quite pleasant.
On the final section round Park Avenue I saw another runner ahead and decided to chase him down. When I got there and said hello I was surprised to see it was golfing legend Ken Brown out for his sunday morning jaunt. We didn't mention the rugby.

Overall it was a very positive run. 3 hours and 20 miles with 8 weeks to go is good. I felt strong and could have gone further if I had too.
From a nutrition perspective I had 2 gels, one at 7miles and the other at 12. My drink was an orange juice and water mix.

Friday Floods and a Tempo Run

It was a bit of a shock to find Harpenden completely flooded this morning. The drainage system couldn't cope and the water was a foot deep in places. Scary stuff but fortunately most of the yummy mummies have 4x4's for just these sort of conditions!

I had to brave the damp conditions and drop a hire car over at the Airport and then the plan was a warm-up followed by  5 miles at Tempo Pace.

The 5 mile section was along the Lea Valley from Airport Parkway back to Harpenden. The weather had brightened and the rain had stopped which made it quite pleasant. I tried to ease into it rather than go off like a train. That didn't really work and I was off at 6:45 pace when I was to hold 7:20's. I eased off and tried to steady the ship but it took a while to get the rhythm of a steady pace.

The route is a quite undulating so I was up and down in pace and effort all the way. Eventually I stopped looking at the Garmin and went by my perceived effort. I didn't want to be eye-popping but neither did I want it to be too easy.

By the time the last mile came I was relieved. I was feeling tired and didn't want to kill myself before a big weekend.

At the end of the day I was happy to average 7:24 pace over the 5miles. There was a fair spread in pace over the distance but that was mainly due to the undulating route. I just need to remember to ease into these efforts rather than flying out and hanging on!

Back from the South West

I've just spent a couple of days in the South West. Down by the Somerset Levels, a place everyone in the UK is aware of.

It must be said it is grim. The amount of flood water is scary - it is everywhere. Over the last few days they've also been battered by strong gale force wind which have blown down trees and resulted in power outages.

I managed a couple of runs in amongst the puddles.

Wednesday is reps day and the session was 3x800 with 2mins off, 3x600 with 90secs off, and 3x300 with 60secs off. The wind made it difficult to hold a steady pace, I was either flying, when it was behind me, or grimacing and pushing for dear life when I was into it.

I'm not yet pushing 100% so rep 1 was just to get me going. Rep 2 & 3 were comfortable. It started to hurt a bit from Rep 4 onwards as I tried to hold a faster pace. I was pleased overall with the session and happy that all of the laps were sub 7min pace. I can't be too hard on myself about the swing in lap times as the conditions played a massive part.

This morning I was up and about early so took the opportunity to stretch the legs around the harbour. The wind was gone but there was debris all over the place as well as humongous puddles. The legs felt a bit tired after the night before's efforts but after a good stretch most of the aches and pains disappeared.

Tomorrow is tempo Friday and the plan is to drop the hire car off and run home. Hopefully stepping the distance to 5 miles and holding a 7.20ish pace.

Steady miles with David, 6.7miles

I had a good day with my feet up yesterday. The calves needed a rest after last week.

Today was a steady run up to the Airport. I was joined by David who I hadn't seen since before Christmas and thoroughly enjoyed catching up.

The pace was steady and probably a tad faster than I'd have gone if I'd been on my own but it was good having someone to run with. Hopefully we'll manage another on Friday.

It's definitely better running with company. It certainly stops me from slacking but also makes the miles pass much more quickly and without as much focus on the pain!

Tomorrow is reps. The weather looks wet again but there's no excuses I'll need to get out there.

Tempo Saturday, Long Run Sunday

I'm looking forward to having my feet up tomorrow. I need a rest.

Two tough sessions back to back takes its toll but hey ho.

Friday was a wash out, weather and work conspired to keep me from getting my tempo session done over the lunch hour. Instead that was my pleasure on Saturday morning.

I dropped the kids at trampolining and headed for 4 miles at tempo pace - roughly 7:20ish for me.
The weather was breezy and a bit chilly but the main issue was dodging the puddles and mud from the deluge we've been having.

I went off too fast and from there was on the back foot struggling to maintain a steady rhythm. I'm better easing into it than chasing the pace from the start. I'll try and remember for next time.

The session finished down near Southdown where I was dodging cars and pedestrians so the pace was all over the place in the end.

Normally I'd have an easy day between hard session but today had to be a long run. I had to be back early to get off to Church so that meant a 6:30 start and a  16 mile loop to St Albans and back the plan.

To be honest it was pretty steady all the way and a tad tedious with no company. I might have to resort to an iPod in future.

I kept the heart rate around 155 all the way which is zone 2 and very comfortable. The route had a few ups and downs.  On the way back I decided to head over to Piggots Hill Lane and throw in an up and down. That was tough on the legs but bizarrely did the job of getting me back in rhythm.

The hip flexors and calves were feeling it on the last stretch home but overall it was a good run and the wheels didn't come off.

Tomorrow I'm chilling. It'll be a bit of core work and stretching but no miles are planned.

Low cholesterol and a Golden Mile

Today is an easy day. Just steady running at low heart rate, recovering from yesterday's reps and getting ready for tomorrow's tempo run.

I took off at lunchtime and struggled to get a rhythm going. In fact I was still struggling after 3 miles so I stopped and stretched for a few minutes. I found myself at the start of the Harpenden Arrows Golden Mile and decided to set off and just run at a comfortable pace.

I was moving along feeling comfortable when I looked at the Garmin and saw 6:44 pace. That was a shock and I lost my rhythm for a few minutes before settling back and holding the sense of balance. It was funny, my breathing felt fine and the legs were comfortable and I held it for the whole mile.

That was my best run along that section and a real confidence boost after yesterday's disappointing reps.

I just need to take it steady and the form will come back.

I had results back from a load of blood tests I had done. The highlight was a cracking cholesterol level of 3.1. That puts me at fairly low risk of developing heart disease which is one good thing.

Tomorrow is a tempo run. I'm not sure what the session will be but at least 3 miles at marathon pace is required. Hopefully I'll get out at lunchtime and the weather won't be too miserable.

Not quite there yet, 6x800s

I'm feeling a lot better and have felt able to get out and do a few runs this week.

Yesterday I had long day trip down to Bristol and in the evening I took an easy 4 mile run round the streets. The legs felt ok and it was good to use up some energy.

Today is reps day but i kicked off with an easy 3 miles back from dropping the kids at the bus stop. Again the legs felt good and I was really looking forward to the rep session.

The weather was pants. A cold wind and steady rain made for miserable conditions but I wanted to see how I'd cope with a good hard session. The plan was 6x800s with 2mins off.

The first few reps were fine and I felt I was pushing as hard as I could. The reality was that they were way off where I was before getting ill. Looks like I've lost some strength in the last couple of weeks.

I just need to keep focused and not get too despondent. I'm sure I can rebuild and get even stronger than I was 4 weeks ago.

Tomorrow is an easy run to recover from today and get ready for Friday's tempo effort.

Burns Night Recovery

Saturday was Burns Night, the traditional evening spent celebrating the life and works of Robert Burns. This is a big year for Scotland, what with the Commonwealth Games, the Ryder Cup and a little matter of a referendum on independence. So it was important that our Burns Supper was a fitting celebration.

22 guests enjoying wine, whisky, haggis, some Burns and a few speeches made for a grand if tiring evening.

In preparation I'd taken an easy run on Saturday afternoon. Zone 1 all the way which meant I hardly broke sweat.

Sunday was the big clean up and after lunch I thought I'd go for my long run. But after getting changed and deciding on a route I realised I was completely mad and didn't go.

So today would normally be a rest day but I've squeezed 9 miles in, 2 in the morning and 7 at lunchtime. I must admit I'm still feeling tired and probably should have stuck to 5 miles at lunch. Tomorrow's a rest day as I do a day return to Bristol. I'm expecting it to be a long tiring day but hopefully I'll be ready for reps on Wednesday.

Looking Good Billy Ray, Feeling Good Lewis!

Today is tempo day and although I'm still a bit weak I managed a shortish effort today at  around tempo pace.

The session was 3 x 1mile, 2min off between. I slotted the rest periods in just to give myself a chance to regroup as I've a tendency to get over-excited and set off too fast.

The reps were good and by not looking at the Garmin I just held a steady pace based on comfortable breathing. Rep 1 was steady and I had no issues but at the end of rep 2 I had a major wobble as my energy levels dipped. I've been for blood tests this morning and had to fast since yesterday, so clearly I'd not eaten enough before the session. Rep 3 was better after composing myself and keeping focused on 7-8mins of effort. The pace on the reps was ok 7:26/7:33/7:16 but the more reassuring thing was that my heart rate stayed below 168. That's a real confidence boost as over the past few years that kind of pace would have pushed me over 170. In fact this time last year I was in such bad shape that 9min mile pace was pushing me up to 170.

10 weeks to go to the London Marathon and hopefully that's me had my injury/illness downtime and I can keep building from here. Feeling Good Lewis!

Slowly does it, two more easy runs

You've got to be careful coming back from a bit of illness. It's easy to pick up a secondary infection or set the previous infection off again as the immune system is still a little weak.

Yesterday I went out for a gentle jog with plenty of rest and a few 2 mins steady efforts just to see how I felt. Well, the legs were a bit rusty but I was pleased that I had no reaction in my lungs or heart.

Today I went out for an hour. I kept the heart rate in my Zone 2 which is 146-155. It was hard work keeping in the zone as I was getting a little excited. I completed 7 miles and the legs felt a bit tired at the end but thankfully I've had no negative reaction.

I'm eating sensibly and drinking plenty including lots of cranberry juice.  Part of my issue has been letting myself get dehydrated so I've a new discipline of drinking at least 2 litres of water a day.

Tomorrow I'm tempted to try a short-ish tempo run, maybe a mile or 2 in zone 3/4 but we'll see. That might be a bit too much too soon.

Back from a knock-out blow!

It's been over a week since my last blog. It was very positive and I had no idea that just a few hours later I'd be hit by an infection that knocked me for 6 and lost me 4kg in a week.

So what happened. I woke early on the Sunday morning with a fever and a headache to end all headaches. I was awake for a few hours and realised I wasn't running the cross country. I spent the day in the house feeling rough.

I managed a day at work on Monday but overnight on Monday all hell broke loose and I was in a very bad way. Tuesday I was at the GP and given antibiotics but they did nothing and by Saturday I had lost 3kg. One more was lost before Monday and seeing the GP for a few tests to see I'm ok.

Since yesterday I've been back to normal. Tired and skinny but no fever, no headache and I've got my appetite back. I am restless so went for the gentlest of jogs today to see how the legs felt. I was ok and managed a mile with no stopping. So I did another. Susan will kill me if she finds out.

Anyway, easy does it stallion. It'll be a slow build from here. 

Oh yeah, on November 12 I was 13.5 stone, or 85kg. Today I'm just under 12.5 stone or 79kg. Oops.

Recovery Day, Easy bike & run

It's been a good week with a solid set of reps and a 4 mile tempo so today's rest has been very welcome. The legs felt good after a short 3 mile stretch on my way to the shops.

After a morning of kid activities I took Jack out on his bike for an hour. We took it easy as there's a lot of water and grit on the roads but it was still a nice ride out too Pepperstock and back. I was on my fixed wheel bike which keeps me honest when I'm out with Jack.

Tomorrow is a cross country race. Only 5 miles and not really in keeping with my marathon training plan so I'm hoping to get a few easy miles in before and after the race to push up the mileage to near 10 for the day. We'll see how it plays out.

Steady 4 mile Tempo Run

After last night's fatigue I wasn't looking forward to this session. Tempo runs have traditionally been the missing ingredient in my training plans. I'm not sure why.

Work's been full on and after spending the morning on the phone I took a quick lunchtime gap to stretch the legs and see how they were feeling. I was pleased to feel some energy and bounce. I took it easy at 8.45 pace for just 2 miles. The hard effort was coming later.

I managed to finish everything around 4pm and it was still light so I headed out straight away and after a short warm-up set off at for 4 miles at a steady 7.10 pace. The first mile was comfortable and my heart rate was well below my lactate threshold. For mile 2 it was a steady incline. Nothing serious but enough to set the heart on an upward move. From there it continued to hover at LT which for me is 171.

Mile 3 was back down the slope and then mile 4 included a slight incline which was enough to send me ragged for the last half mile. Up until then my form was solid, breathing controlled and cadence pretty quick, but for the last 800 yards it was heavy breathing, form gone and steely determination to cling on to the pace.

The Garmin says I averaged 7.10 for the 4 miles which is bang on and a miracle as my pacing is normally all over the place.

Tomorrow will be an easy day. Probably 3-4miles and possibly a ride on the bike if the weather holds out.

Have a good weekend y'all.

Good evening Nebraska! 5 miles on tired legs.

I was amazed to get a message through Facebook from a fellow blogger in Nebraska. Now all I know about that is the Springsteen album and that it sounds a cold place at this time of year so I'd better not start complaining about a bit of frost!

I had a long day in London today and after getting the kids off to bed had to find the energy to get out for a few miles. It was hard work.

The legs still feel sore from yesterday and so every step was a struggle. My energy levels were low too so all in all it was feeble. I didn't stop even though I felt like it.

A good stretch, a cup of tea and a slice of toast and I'm all better. I need a good night's sleep though as it's supposed to be my tempo run tomorrow.

Back into it

I was pretty tired on Monday after the long run on Sunday. My legs were weary and a full day off was the call.

Lunchtime on Tuesday and I needed to get out and clear my head after a long morning on the phone and laptop. An easy 2 miles with a few short strides got the lungs and heart going.

In the evening I took off for an hour after dark. I'd missed the Arrows session but probably passed a few on my trek around the streets. In the end I completed nearly 7 miles miles in an hour.

Today it was back to the hard work. This session sounded painful, 10x800m, 1min off at 6.50min/mile.

I took off at lunchtime and the first 2 800's were a struggle. I couldn't get into the pacing and my lungs and heart felt like they weren't going to settle. Eventually they did and I managed to get to rep 5 feeling ok. On the way back it seemed fine until the uphill on the last rep. That hurt and I struggled to get the pace back on target. I'll take that. Overall I was pretty tight to the target and that's a good sign.

Sunday Long Run

Today was a test for me. 15 miles at 8min pace was the call by Phil. That's a tad too fast for my long run which should be nearer 9min pace if the text books are to be believed. But I was up for it to see how long I could last and whether my heart, legs or mental strength would buckle first.

The conditions weren't ideal. It had been a clear frozen night and all of yesterday's rain and puddles had frozen so every footpath and road was sheet ice.

Six of us set off from the George at 7am, Phil, Viddy, Darren, Steve and Richard. I must admit I felt quite out of my depth. The initial route was out towards Kinsbourne Green, up Roundwood Lane and out passed Apple Tree Farm. All was well until we came to the mother of all puddles. It was a tricky jump and scramble to get passed it but I made it. Richard was unlucky though and slipped head first into the ice bath. He was soaked through and we decided we needed to get him home before hypothermia set in.

We headed back towards Southdown and out to Heartwood, making the route up as we came across flooded areas that made us turn back.

The pace for the first 6 miles was between 7.42 - 8.22 and I was surviving. The next 4 miles were a mix of hills and mud as we made our way across to No Mans Land and the Wicked Lady pub. The pace was slower because of the conditions but the effort was constant.

Mile 11 was an uphill to Wheathamstead from the pub. This was the moment when my legs buckled. The heart rate and head were fine but my legs were shot and I couldn't keep up as the lads skipped up the hill. At the top they were waiting and I downed a gel and dug in as I knew we were now turning for home.

Mile 12 was 7.55 pace and then we arrived at Piggotshill Lane to do a rep up and down. From there it was steady home and a finishing 15.5miles in 8.19 average moving pace.

It was a really enjoyable run. Challenging in places but a true test of where I am. Compared to my 12-13 mile runs in early November and early December I've stepped up, holding a faster pace for longer. My heart rate stayed below my lactate threshold which for a run of that pace is another good confidence builder.

I'll probably do an easy 2-3 miles today just to stretch the legs out but other than that its back to work and a rest from hard running.

New Year Catch Up!

It's been a while since I've been on the blog. Christmas and New Year festivities meant there was little time. Sadly illness affected the party atmosphere as both Susan's granny and uncle were in bad shape. We got through it even though our travel arrangements home were turned upside down in the last few hours before we left. We survived thanks to Susan's mum who flew home with the kids on her own. What a hero.
So the running was good. I did a hill rep session on Christmas Eve in a blizzard. I was happy with the pace and effort.
Boxing Day was a climb up the Turret and 13 miles with 1800ft climbing.
27th December was a shorter run with only a good effort up the Knock to get the heart going.
In the evening I got a surprise call from reception at the Hydro saying a certain Niall McIntyre was asking for me. It was great to catch up with Niall, Katja and family for an hour or two in the evening. Niall started me on this running journey back in 2008 and it was only a shame we couldn't fit in a few miles.

We were meant to travel home early on the 28th but an early phone call put the kibosh on that. Instead Susan and I spent the morning shuffling relatives between hospitals and care homes. After a while I was only getting in the way so was sent off to do a run. This time I set off along the route of the new Beauly-Denny power line - sorry couldn't help a bit of pylon spotting.

Sunday morning I was back in England and the legs were feeling tired after a solid week in the hills. I took it easy going round the Avenues for an easy 2.5miles.

Monday and we were off to the South coast for New Year. I managed a 10k round Camber in gale force winds and on soft sand. My legs were still feeling weary and I plodded home into the wind.
I thoroughly enjoyed spending New Years eve with the Speirs' and Hamstead's. I didn't get to run with Simon who was coughing his guts up but I did get to swim with Adrian on New Years Day.

After the New Year festivities it was time to start the hard work. 5x800 reps with 2min rest in between were the call of the day on Thursday. The heart was pounding on these but I was delighted to do what could bee my fastest ever 800m.

Friday I managed two easy runs. First a 2.5miles down the town and then a later 4.5miles round the avenues.

Today I went for a boggy, wet 3.5miles run with Jack who was on his bike. There has been a ridiculous amount of rain and some of my usual route was flooded.

It's been a steady week after the time in Scotland but tomorrow I'm out with the big boys for 15miles at 8min pace. Let's see how I get on and how long I can last at that pace.