So we have two weeks training to catch up with and look back on. The first week to review was February 13-19th. I started the week concerned that I would once again be missing vital days of training and mileage, as I had a weekend away in Edinburgh booked as part of Molly's birthday present. However, with a bit of tweaking and adjustment to my usual routine, I actually managed a very good weeks work and the break barely impacted on my training at all in the end.
We were away from Friday morning to Sunday evening, and as such I began the week imagining having to take a couple of days off, but by getting up at the crack of dawn on Friday to squeeze in some miles before our train, and by doing my late run late on Sunday evening when we got back, I only had to take the single day off in the end, and it was a day that I was ready for no running on anyway, so it all worked in very well. It was fantastic to get away and spend some quality time with Moll, and Edinburgh is one of our favourite places in the world, and next time I go I will have to pack my trainers as the parks are amazing and would provide some great routes.
On Tuesday the 14th, I got possibly my best speed session of the year so far in. I did relatively long reps, as I did 3 x 1.5 miles around the docks, off a 3 minute jog recovery. My reps were both consistent and also done at a fairly good pace, as I recorded times of 7:33, 7:33 and 7:38 for the three laps, providing me with 4.5 miles of pace work at an average of 5:02 per mile, which is approximately my 10k pace now so I was really pleased with that. It was good to be down below 5 minutes for the first mile of each rep too for the first time in a while.
On the Thursday (16th) I followed that speed session on with a solid tempo run, again around the docks. I did 5 miles again, as I had for the few weeks previous, and similar to the week prior, I managed to start relatively conservatively and crank up the pace a bit as we went through our final miles. I found myself ticking over at a nice and consistent rhythm and was feeling relaxed and comfortable all the way around as I ended up with 25:58 for the 5 miles (5:11 average pace). The pace that I was running at equates to roughly a 32 minute 10k, so along with how comfortable a rhythm I was going along at, the signs are starting to look a lot more positive for a run of form ahead of me.
On the Sunday, upon our return from Edinburgh, I managed to maintain my current momentum with a good 16 mile long run, as I went through the first 14 at 6:08 pace before reigning it in for the final couple of miles to make sure I wasn't too tired for my run the next day, as I had gone out for this one at 6pm and was wary of wanting to do another 10 or so the following evening.
Anyway, here is a brief summary of that week in numbers...
Total mileage for the week: 66
Average pace for the week (m/pm): 6:40
Total mileage so far this month (February): 193
Total mileage for 2017: 467.5
Average miles per day 2017: 9.35
Now, this week has been again pretty consistent and pleasing, although the weather and hurricane Doris in particular, meant that I once again did some juggling around with my routine and switched around sessions and days, etc in order to make sure I got enough quality in without expending too much energy on days when I would be fighting a losing battle against the elements.
On Monday I got a nice round 10 miler in, in time to make it home to watch the Newcastle match on the tele!
Tuesday's session was 4 x 1 miles around the Wesham handicap loop off a 90 second jog recovery. The wind was pretty shocking and the route is fairly hilly on stretches too so I knew that it would be difficult to record particularly fast times. Therefore I wasn't too disheartened when some of my reps fell below the pace I would normally strive for. My 4 miles were: 5:11, 4:57, 5:15, 5:10. This equates to an average pace of 5:08, so considering the conditions, I will take having got a half decent session in and clocking at least the one sub 5 minute mile.
I did an easy 9 miles on Wednesday at 6:35 pace as a recovery run after putting quite a lot into the last few days of training and having slightly heavier legs than I would want.
On Thursday, I had a late change of plan and swapped my normal 5 mile tempo run, in favour of a longer progression run instead. This decision was made due to the high winds caused by hurricane Doris, and I felt that I wouldn't be able to get down to the pace I would usually target without putting in unnecessary levels of energy for a training exercise. Instead, I chose that I would do the Park Run at that tempo pace instead if I could, and if conditions allowed. So Thursday's run turned out to be two loops of a local 5 mile route that I have. I set myself a target of running a negative split, and to increase the pace through each one of the last 5 miles, to ensure that my last mile was my strongest. I was well happy with how the run progressed and having gone through halfway in 31:17, for an average of about 6:14s through those 5 miles, I clocked 5:50, 5:55, 5:45, 5:32 and 5:31 for the final miles, to come out with 59:48 for the 10 miles, meaning that I both executed my target and also managed to dip under 6 minute mileing for my pace throughout the run.
Friday was an easy run to save energy ahead of the park run, and it was good to get some solid hills in too, as I ran around the Hoghton and Brindle area straight after work. I did 7.5 miles and thoroughly enjoyed running around some lanes and rural routes that I've never had chance to see before. It's somewhere that I would definitely go back to and do sessions in future runs.
On Saturday at Preston Park Run, I was pleased to run solid and consistent 5:10 pace throughout the run - particularly so considering the fact that I had been out until the early hours after being invited to a Sportman's Dinner on Friday night, the beer was all free too, so really I did well just to make it to the run at all! Friday was a brilliant night as the Blues Brother's set about putting the band back together 😂
I was satisfied with my run at the Park Run, it wasn't as quick as my runout there at the start of the month, but it served its purpose and I got a great workout done, finishing the 5k in 15:57.
I had decided a while ago that I would forgo the National Crosscountry championships after a disastrous season, and instead prioritise the road races that are coming up, beginning with Trafford 10k next Sunday, which promises to be a fantastic event and has a frightening amount of depth signed up to take part, with some 200 sub 32 minute standard runners going to be battling it out at the front end!
I am lacking in a bit of really top end speed work still, but my endurance work has been ratcheted up a couple of notches in recent weeks, and so I am hopeful of being able to still put in a good shift next weekend and am hoping to come away with a good performance.
This weeks long run was my best in months and months, as I did 16.5 miles at an average of 6:07 pace, feeling comfortable and with a consistent rhythm throughout. Once again I managed to negative split and crank it up as the run went on, and my final miles were my strongest, which is a great sign looking forwards to Wilmslow Half in three weeks time. I topped up the run to a total of 18.5 miles by doing a twenty minute cool down jog as I ran with Moll to get her homework done. She has joined Wesham's latest beginners group and has been doing really well and enjoying her running once more, and I am really proud of all her efforts. I can't wait to see her and the other beginners do their park run at the end of the course, and hopefully they all stick at it with the club beyond that too and get the bug!
Total mileage for the week: 75
Average pace for the week (m/pm): 6:25
Total mileage so far this month (February): 268
Total mileage for 2017: 542.5
Average miles per day 2017: 9.52
