After winning Blackburn's Winter Warmer, in an ideal training world I would have banged on with another high mileage week to continue my efforts towards getting fitter and stronger through the winter season.
However, sometimes in life there are other more important things to consider and the right balance between work, home life and training needs to be found. Therefore, since Monday was Molly's birthday I took the day off and spent my spare time out of work celebrating her big twenty with her. My morning run was swapped for opening presents, and my evening one for stuffing my face with pizza and cake. Not a bad trade then haha!
But seriously, there are 365 days in which you can run in the year, and it is worth remembering that a day off does no harm once in a while. And I wouldn't have swapped Moll's celebrations for the world.
That said, Tuesday evening I expected to be back on it and working away down at he track. A disastrous afternoon at work put paid to that idea though, and a slightly later than anticipated finish meant that I was unable to make the planned group session at Cottam.
Instead, I decided to do a steady longer run and attempt to claw back some of the lost miles. So I did 12 miles in total, with a 3 mile warm up, 6 mile tempo and 3 miles cool down. I found it difficult to get up to speed on the tempo, but managed to run 5:50s for the tempo and finish with an average pace of 6:20 for the full session.
Wednesday brought some easier running and by doubling up with a morning and evening run I was able to catch up some more of my mileage.
Thursday's tempo run around the docks went pretty much perfectly to plan, and I managed to complete my 5 mile session in 26:08, for 5:14 pace throughout, 5 seconds per mile quicker than the previous week. This might have something to do with the rest from the track on Tuesday meaning that my legs were more rested, but it is a pleasing sign none-the-less.
Friday brought another double run and ten more easy miles in total, meaning that I finished the working week with my usual 50 miles done by this point.
The weekend though brought a respite from the bigger mileage I usually do over the two day break from work.
As has become tradition, myself and Molly went away for a weekend break to celebrate her birthday and valentines, so a log run was well and truly out of the equation!
I did take my trainers with me though, and managed to squeeze in a morning run on both the Saturday and the Sunday. Both times I went 6.5 miles, and I tell you what, but despite doing half the mileage of my usual weekend runs I can tell I got a good workout anyway. My glutes are on fire, after tackling the hills and undulations of the tops of Great Langdale! I hadn't realised, but the loop I ran was actually part of the Langdale half marathon route, and consisted of possibly the biggest hill I have ever tackled in my life - and I thought Buncer Lane was bad enough! I have come away knowing for certain that I want to do the half marathon for proper when it is on later in the year.
So Langdale and the weekend getaway provided something of a bonus training camp in the end, as well as the perfect escape from the hectic day to day activities of daily life, away with the girl I love. It was a pretty much perfect weekend - so good suggestion Moll!
Since we had to be checked out of our camping pod (yes we went glamping - posh camping(!) ) by lunch time, I made the most of my afternoon by trading in my old knackered pairs of trainers for some new ones from my local shop on Ribby Hall. Activate has replaced the old Sweatshop, and provides a great service - with 10% discount for Wesham Road Runners members. Plus the pair I went in for was on offer so I landed a bargain too! A good end to a great weekend, and a decent training week too in the end.
Total mileage for the week: 63
Average pace for the week (m/pm): 6:31
Total mileage for the month so far (February): 136
Total mileage so far 2016: 451
Average miles per day 2016: 10.02
