Drop down week / Pilling 10k

This weekend marked the halfway point of my 12 week block of marathon training, and having successfully maintained an 80+ mile a week average so far, I used this week as a bit of a drop down week in order to allow my body to recover from all the little niggles and aches that I have developed over recent weeks.

I decided to take Friday off from training completely, making it my second day off from training in the block so far - having ran for the previous 24 days on the spin, getting in 300 miles in that time. I was also booked in for a massage on Friday, and so, being confident that I would be feeling quite fresh this weekend I decided I would have a go at a race and introduce a bit of pace work to my training programme.

I had been tipped off about Pilling 10k, and had heard that there might be some quick lads at the front end, and so I thought that it might be the ideal opportunity to try and put down a quick time.

Unfortunately, the runner that I had hoped to try and chase around (for as long as I could!) broke down on the way to the race, so it became a bit of a plan B - but more about the race later on...

The week started off with a relatively steady 11 miles on Monday, at 6:17 pace. I made a decision at the start of the week not to double up as much this week to allow me some extra sleep as I was feeling a little tired, so instead I just tagged an extra mile or two on the end of a few of my evening runs.

On Tuesday I wanted to get some pace work in, but couldn't face a trip to the track on my own for a series of long reps, so instead I decided to improvise and run my local 10.5 mile route as a fartlek session. I set my watch for a training programme of 15 minutes warm up, 5 x 5 minute reps off 3 minutes recovery and 10 minutes cool down. I figured that if I could get the whole run in at around 6 minute mile-ing, then that would mean the reps would be working out at around low 5 minute mile pace, so that was my target set.

I ended up having a very pleasing run, and my efforts recorded were at 5:09, 5:04, 5:03, 5:03 and a final easier rep at 5:30 pace. I managed to hold my pace under 6 minute mile-ing for the session overall too which was pleasing.

Wednesday was the only day this week in which I doubled up, with 4 easy miles in the morning, followed by 7.5 more in the evening.

On Thursday, myself and Affleck did our 12 mile progression run through the country lanes for a bit of a change, and having ran the 6 miles out with the wind behind us at 5:58 pace, on the turnaround I was more than happy to record an average of 5:32s on the way back into a fairly stiff headwind. I finished up with an average pace of 5:44 for the session overall, a slight improvement on the previous week.

Having had Friday off, I did feel pretty fresh on Saturday morning, and was hopeful of putting in a decent performance. I had Joe Monk for company at the front end, and we moved through the early stages of the race at a good pace, with my first two mile splits at 4:58 and 5:02, which if I could have kept it up would have equated to 31 minute 10k pace. Unfortunately though, mile 3 was a long stretch into a fairly strong headwind and my pace dropped significantly despite opening up a big gap to the rest of the field. The pace dropped to 5:18 through this mile, which put paid to any aspirations of a quick time for the race. I recovered somewhat in mile 4 with the wind in favour again, with a 5:08, but the start of the second loop saw us turn back into the same headwind through to the 5 mile mark - with that fifth mile coming in at 5:22. I recovered again in mile 6 to run a 5:06, and a decent sprint through the final stretch brought me home in under 32 minutes at least, for 31:54 - which is actually a course record so I can't knock it too much I suppose! It was a good hard and honest workout, and one which I definitely felt the following morning on my Sunday long run! 

I had intended on running I excess of 22 miles for my long run this weekend, but feeling a touch leggy and lethargic from the race, I settled for 20.5 miles at a steady 6:31 pace. I will look to work this long run distance up now over the next 6 weeks, having set a decent base with six 20-22 milers now in the bank from the first half of the training block.

Total mileage for the week: 78.5

Average pace for the week (m/pm): 6:18

Total mileage so far this month (July): 359

Total mileage for 2017: 2109.5

Average miles per day 2017: 10.05

Berlin build up week 5 - Wesham interclub

The way that our long run/race had gone last Saturday, left me feeling much more confident about the task ahead in preparing for my marathon. Not only was it a good psychological boost in ticking off 22 miles, but to feel so strong throughout the 10 miles of the race, and be getting quicker through what was effectively miles 18-20 was a great sign for me that my endurance is coming along nicely.

This week, I continued my push onto higher mileage, but also I am now just starting to think about introducing a little bit more pace work back into the mix too.

Which worked in perfectly this week, because Monday was the latest race in the 2017 interclub series - I seem to be saying this a lot lately as these races are coming around thick and fast at the moment. I was a tad concerned going into the Elswick 10 miler that the 22 miles total was going to take its toll on me ahead of the interclub, with a quick turnaround of a little over 48 hours. 

Training-wise, the quick turnaround was excellent, as I am well aware that the more used to running on tired legs I can get (especially at pace) the better ahead of the marathon. And this race would be ran at a fair rate too, as a good standard turned out for this fixture. Affleck was there, and in the same boat as me, with plenty of miles in the legs from the weekend exertions - but Joe Monk and Luke Minns were also there, which meant that I knew I would have to be well and truly on my A game if I wanted to register a win.

This was Wesham's home leg of the series, and as we are having a very good season so far, we were determined to try and keep the momentum and positivity going on our home patch. Having Joe in the team as second claim was a huge boost to our chances, although we were a bit depleted in comparison to previous races this year.

From the gun, Joe made a very quick start and would take on the early pace, and to my bemusement an older looking runner, from Red Rose followed him out and ran really hard through the first 400. It wasn't somebody that I have ever seen at the front end before and setting off at the pace he did (and even hanging onto the pack of the group through the first half mile or so) I would imagine may have taken a toll on him later on!

As I say, Joe seemed to go out hard for the first 400 - and if we had been in a 1500 race I don't think I would have seen him for dust! But with all the recent mileage and training I have been doing, I was feeling calm and confident that I would have the endurance to push on as the race progressed. It was a good paced first mile, with myself and Luke taking it in turns sharing the lead with Joe. This served to keep the pace at a decent rate, but it never really increased and I settled into a nice rhythm and was happy with my form and rhythm.

I managed to start pulling away from the other two at around the 2 mile mark, after two miles at 5:00 and 5:02 pace. Knowing that a little gap was opening up behind me, I kept my foot down a touch to make sure I made the most of the opportunity and ran the third mile in 5:00 again. From then on in I was fairly confident that I had enough of a gap behind me and so wasn't overly concerned about pushing too hard through the final mile and a half, but instead I was more interested in keeping the same form and rhythm and just generally making sure that I didn't let my levels drop. Mile 4 was 5:03 and I ran the final half mile home uphill in 5:02 to give me 22:39 for 4.5 miles on a nice rolling and slightly undulating course.

I had ran well, and slightly faster than I had been anticipating. With not much recent top end speed work or racing behind me, it was a huge confidence booster to be hitting my 10k PB pace so comfortably and feeling as though if the race had been a mile and a half longer I could certainly have sustained it and gone close to clocking a sub 31. It's almost a shame I'm in training for a marathon and not a fast 10k race! 

Later on in the week, I did a 12 mile progression run with Affleck, and as we went through the first half in 6:01s, I felt stronger and stronger as the miles ticked by. My final two miles were at 5:20 pace and I ended up with 5:46 average pace for the session.

With an iffy forecast for the weekend, and Saturday looking like the nicer day, I decided to get my long run done and out of the way early - rather than risk having to do it in grim conditions on the Sunday. As something different I ran out towards St Anne's and took myself up and around Fairhaven Lake and back, making for just under 22 miles in total. I took it fairly easy on the way out - hitting 13 miles at 6:30 average pace, and slowly increasing it through the second half of the run to finish up with 6:23 average for a nice and steady run.

Total mileage for the week: 87

Average pace for the week (m/pm): 6:24

Total mileage so far this month (July): 280.5

Total mileage for 2017: 2031

Average miles per day 2017: 10.00

Taking a different approach

During week four of training for Berlin, things are starting to take shape a little bit now and the challenge is very much becoming more real. I have managed to complete four weeks in a row of 80-85 miles a week for the first time, and am enjoying the work that this bigger training block is requiring. It is a new test for me, both physically and mentally it is something different to all that I have done before.

I have been trying to break the 12 week block into smaller segments, in order to make it seem both more of a gradual process of building fitness and also to keep things fresh mentally - rather than one big twelve week slog, I am trying instead to break it down to a weekly, fortnightly and monthly approach. 

The end of this week has brought about the end of the first four week segment. The target four weeks ago was to build a solid base of mileage and to try and string together four weeks at 80 miles plus. So in terms of where I am in comparison to my expectations at this stage, I feel I am bang on track with where I wanted to be at this point.

In addition to all the physical training that I have been doing throughout the initial weeks of marathon training, I have also begun to start trying to study the sport in a a bit more depth. I am trying to build my knowledge of what it takes to be a better runner, both physically and mentally. One way in which I am attempting to do so, is to take in more some of the reading material that is out there to learn from. I have started a book by Charlie Spedding called "From last to first", it is an autobiography describing his progress from school boy crosscountry running, to taking Olympic bronze in an English record time in the marathon. The book was recommended by Luke Minns,mane it hasn't disappointed so far - I am halfway through it and have already taken so much away from it.

One of the main things that I have grasped from the book so far, is the effects that the language that you use to describe yourself and your actions can possibly impact on your performance. That may seem far fetched, but in the way that Charlie explains it, it does make a lot of sense to me - and it is something that I can completely relate to. 

For instance, in the book Charlie describes answering questions about how his training is going, how he is feeling, how his races have gone as always being answerable by the same phrase "not bad", and how "not bad" can also be qualified as meaning "not good" either. In that sense, even good performances or sessions have something of a black cloud hanging over them in your own mind, by how you perceive them and describe them publicly. He suggests that taking a more positive approach and mindset, and using more positive vocabulary and thought processes can lead to you believing in yourself and your ability more, opening up your mind to bigger and better things.

He also uses the example of the runner that has a target set for themselves in a session, but never feels satisfied unless they not only meet said target, but exceed it and go the extra yard. Because these runner's are never satisfied with their training, he says, they never entirely believe they have done all they can to be in shape for their big targets and races. He argues that training optimally - or to the "perfect" level for you - is better than going the extra and training too hard, or overtraining.

This is an interesting concept to me, and I put it into action this week myself. On Thursday, myself and Affleck did our progression run, but whereas I usually try and try to better the previous weeks run, this time I took it much more relaxed and just hit our intended target for the individual session. We had decided to do a 10 mile race on the weekend and to top the mileage up to make a good long run, and so it was important that I held back enough on the Thursday and left enough energy in the tank for the more important workout on the Saturday morning. We still got a decent session in on the Thursday, but didn't overstretch as much as the previous week. I averaged 5:52 for 10 miles, progressing from 6:08 pace at half way.

On Saturday, both me and Affleck decided to venture to the Elswick 10 miler, but also to get there early and do a full reccie of the course beforehand as a warm up, in order to turn it into a 20+ mile long run. We did the warm up at 6:52 pace, and the target for the race was to run around in roughly 5:35 pace, to bring us in at around 56 minutes for the 10 miles. We started off with 5:35, 5:38 and 5:41 for the first three miles, and then we clicked into gear. I was so pleased with the consistency and rhythm that I developed through the final 7 miles of the run. The splits for the remaining miles were: 5:28, 5:28, 5:27, 5:28, 5:28, 5:29 and 5:25 for the final mile. As usual I didn't run by the watch, but by feel and so I was delighted by how controlled and consistent the run went. I opted out of a 'sprint finish' against Rob and don't begrudge him beating me to the line - I was more than happy with what I got out of the run anyway, and was happy to save that little bit of energy for another day. I came in with 55:09 for the 10 miles for 2nd place, over two and a half minutes slower than my best time for the distance, but a performance that I am very pleased with considering the extent of the warm up! We added another two miles in as a cool down at the end to make up a very nice 22 miles for the morning.

At the four week point, I am very happy with how my training is progressing so far.

Total mileage for the week: 85

Average pace for the week (m/pm): 6:24

Total mileage so far this month (July): 193.5

Total mileage for 2017: 1944

Average miles per day 2017: 9.92

Berlin build up: week 3

I started off week three of my twelve week block of marathon training with a bit of a rare day off on Monday. Despite feeling good enough to run, with it still being relatively early doors in the training and being concious of the fact that my body will still be adjusting to the recent increase in mileage, I stuck to my original plan of having a rest day at the start of this week.

Originally I had intended to have a go at a 5000 metre race in Trafford on Tuesday. However, a combination of work getting in the way, as well as a few second thoughts, meant a change of plan. Eventually, I decided that at this stage of my training block, getting as many miles in my legs as possible and concentrating on longer efforts is my main concern right now.

So instead I ran a decent paced 12 miles. It wasn't a particularly hard effort, but a steady and consistent run at 6:18 pace.

I doubled up on Wednesday, with 4 miles before work and 8.5 miles in the evening. My evening run was supposed to be gentle paced, but as I tend to run on feel rather than by my watch, I actually clocked 6:10 pace. My heart rate recording suggests that I was indeed running well within myself anyway, so perhaps I just ran a bit stronger due to the day off earlier in the week.

Thursday was, as usual, my progression into a tempo run. This week we did 11.2 miles, starting at 6:04 and working the way to a 5:23 final mile. The average pace throughout the run was 5:39, which in comparison to the previous week's 5:48 pace, again shows some nice progression week to week. Hopefully this is an indication of my endurance and fitness improving, as well as the rest day doing me a lot of good.

I doubled up again with two easier runs on Friday of 4 and 7 miles. On Saturday, I did a bit of a tempo session, I did 5 miles at 5:19 pace. I had intended to do some shorter, sharper two mile efforts around Cottam cycle track, but due to getting out a bit later having got distracted by the Lions rugby match, I settled for one longer effort instead as the track was already in use by the time I got there!

I finished my week with a long run of 20.5 miles on Sunday. The first half of the run went very smoothly, but I encountered some stomach problems from about mile 11 and felt sick through to mile 19 - when I eventually did throw up! I actually felt good once I'd been sick and the last mile and a half was much easier. I don't know what caused the sickness, but in spite of it I was actually pleased with how I went about the run. Despite not feeling great, I held 6:16 pace throughout, slightly quicker than my two previous 20 mile runs of this block. Mentally, this was quite a tough one, so it was very pleasing to come through it fairly strongly, and it makes for good preparation for the challenges I will no doubt encounter on race day.

Total mileage for the week: 79.5

Average pace for the week (m/pm): 6:15

Total mileage so far this month (July): 108.5

Total mileage for 2017: 1859

Average miles per day 2017: 9.84

Clocking up the miles

The training for Berlin is now well underway, and this week I clocked up my biggest mileage week for the second successive week. I have also managed to get my second 20 mile long run completed and it feels good to have a couple of good long runs under my belt early on in the training block.

The longer training runs are the ones that I feel I was a little bit apprehensive about. I hadn't done a longer run than 18 miles since training for the London marathon in 2015, so mentally it feels good to have a couple done nice and early, knowing that I can at least cope with that distance, and it seems less of a barrier now to increase that distance gradually over the coming weeks and months.

I feel positive about the way the longer training runs have gone too, although I haven't focused on running at any sort of pace, I seem to be finding a nice and relaxed rhythm on them so far and have been hitting 6:20 pace fairly comfortably, and feeling strong towards the end of each of the runs too.

This week was also the fourth race of the 2017 interclub race series, staged at Thornton Cleveleys. The course was a 5 mile single loop, with the first 2.5 miles out being fairly undulating in parts and very much into a straight on headwind. The second half of the course, on the return, was downwind and ran on a harder - albeit much flatter - concrete surface. 

It was a nice evening for racing really, with dry and overcast conditions. The turnout wasn't quite as strong as the previous races so far in this series and so I won the race quite comfortably, and was able to treat it as a nice hard run, putting in the effort still - but without ever really having to move into the top gears. I held 5:08 pace throughout, finishing in 25:42, which was a pleasing effort in what was effectively a time trial run.

The lack of top end competition turning out from other clubs also benefited Wesham in the team standings too, as we managed to take a well deserved first place on the evening to open up the race for the team title a little bit and make things much more interesting going into the second half of the season.

My other main training session of the week was my progression run on Thursday, as we upped it to 11 miles this week, running the 5.5 miles out at 6:05 pace, before returning at 5:30s, to give us an average pace of 5:48 for the session overall.

Apart from that, the rest of the week has been largely easy running, with the focus at this stage being very much on racking up as many miles as I can and getting that solid endurance base built as much as possible. I have managed back to back 80+ mile weeks for the first time since February 2015, so hopefully I can keep that going now in the coming weeks as I try and keep getting stronger and fitter on the road to Berlin. 

12 weeks to go...

Total mileage for the week: 85

Average pace for the week (m/pm): 6:25

Total mileage for the month of June: 320.5

Total mileage so far this month (July): 29

Total mileage for 2017: 1779.5

Average miles per day 2017: 9.78

Back to basics

After suffering a nightmare run out at Freckleton Half, it was important for me to get straight back into the swing of things and putting last Sunday behind me.

No matter how good of a form or shape you believe you are in, and no matter how long you have spent training and racing well, it only takes one bad one to rock your confidence a bit and have you asking questions about every little piece of your preparation.

You are only as good as your last performance as they say, and I definitely was affected somewhat by my experience last weekend as I began a new week. The temptation was to throw myself straight back in with another race somewhere - it didn't really matter where, or what it was - just to try and 'prove' something to myself. I found a one mile event at Cottam and was debating doing that, just to run angry and get my frustrations out of my system.

But after a discussion with Coach Affleck at the start of the week, the clouds in my head soon shifted. Our chat refocused my mind on the big picture and that long term goal of Berlin, which is looming large on the horizon. He made me realise that I am at the start of possibly my biggest and most important training block yet, and doing off-the-cuff things like that could potentially de-rail my attempts for that. 

Instead, I opted to get my teeth into some proper sessions and to start putting the hard miles in as the 14 week countdown to the marathon began. I am glad that I did, as looking back on the week's training, I would actually put it down as one of my most satisfying I've ever done. I completed a personal highest mileage week, and encorporated all of the main ingredients - with a track session, a progression run, tempo, and a longer than normal long run (as I start to build up to that big 26.2!). I also managed to double up on two of the days by adding a 4.5 mile run in before work on a couple of the days to top up my mileage and loosen my legs up after my bigger sessions the night previous.

I am my own biggest critic anyway, so after a poor performance I am always left scratching my head and looking at my plans and training and seeing what and where I need to improve. Ahead of Berlin, mileage and getting used to running on tired legs is definitely one aspect I will be looking to improve over the next 12 weeks or so. For what it is worth though, I don't think I am a million miles off having the right balance now, so it will be more a case of gradual evolution of my training, rather than root and branch revolution. 

This week I ran 10 miles steady on the Monday and was wary about how it would go, just a little over 24 hours after bombing out of the race. I needn't have been too concerned though, as I ran solidly and averaged 6:10 pace comfortably all the way around, without ever really striding out too much. 

Then on Tuesday, I decided to try a bit of a track session. I didn't do a full session, as again I was still a little bit concerned as to how much the weekend would have taken out of me. Instead, I did 3 x 1 miles (4:52, 4:53, 4:53) off a two minute recovery, then 1 x 800 metres (2:28) and 1 x 400 (69). My times faded towards the end as I began to feel a bit jaded and so backed off a touch.

I doubled up on Wednesday, choosing to do an easy 4.5 miles in the morning, followed by a steady 6 in the evening, rather than just doing one big session. This was mainly to break the miles up a bit and to get some of the lactic out of my legs early in the morning.

On Thursday I did a solid 10 mile progression run. I started out a tiny bit quicker than intended, but that just meant that I didn't have to up the effort quite as much through the second half. It was a big undulating loop, so I was pleased to finish up with 5:43 average for 57:15.

Friday was similar to Wednesday, with two gentle runs bringing another 10 miles to the bank.

Over the weekend I got two particularly pleasing sessions in, with a 2 x 3 mile tempo on Saturday (5:23 average pace) followed up by a long run of just under 20 miles at 6:21 pace. I had been dreading my first 20 miler of this training block and so it was a good one to get out of the way, but it went surprisingly well and I felt really relaxed and comfortable throughout. If it hadn't have been so early into the training schedule I would actually have been tempted to carry on for another few miles - so that has to be a good sign!

I have put a good first serious week of work down now, and it is a nice platform to build off from over the next couple of months. 13 weeks until race day...

Total mileage for the week: 83

Average pace for the week (m/pm): 6:19

Total mileage so far this month (June): 264.5

Total mileage for 2017: 1694.5

Average miles per day 2017: 9.68

The pilgrimage

As many of you will know, he Freckleton Half marathon has always been a special race to me. This is where it all began six years ago, my first ever race - it led me to joining Wesham and getting into running competitively. For me, it has been - ever since that day - the ultimate goal to one day try and win that race.

As a boy, I remember sitting out at the front of my mum and dad's house on Green Lane - a stones throw from he finish - and watching the runners go by. As a young kid, I knew then that I would love to take part one day and have a go myself.

When I finally did do - just before my 21st birthday, I knew immediately that this was something which I would come back for and do again the next year. And the next, and the next. And the next, until hopefully one day I was good enough to win it. It has become something of a holy grail to me! 

Last year I managed to run my strongest performance yet at the event, and came home in second place. I must admit, part of me had hoped that this year maybe, just maybe I could push that little bit further.

It wasn't to be, and every credit to Dave Rigby on defending his crown and running very strongly in gruelling conditions. He is one of the finest distance runners in the area, and has again showed that at Freckleton. Regardless of the heat, he would have taken some stopping today.

I gave it a go, and knew that I was up against it and struggling when Dave began to put a push on and pull away from me at about 4.5 miles in. Up until that point, I had dug in fairly well and was just about keeping myself in the game, but once that gap opened up, it opened up quickly. I was already struggling with the heat, and my splits were conclusive proof of the fact that I was quite quickly finding myself in some trouble. 

From being toe to toe with Dave through the first third of the race, within a mile he was out of sight. I actually thought about jacking it in as early as mile 6, but what with still being in second place, I felt a bit of a duty to try and stick at it and hope that I got some sort of second wind from somewhere in the second half of the race. From averaging 5:21 pace through 5 miles, mile 6 was a 5:50 and mile 7 a 5:57. It wasn't to be, and when the inevitable happened at mile 7-8 and Rob Affleck caught me, I was down to little more than a jog. There was no way I would have been able to tag on to the back of him and I knew the game was up. 

I eventually stopped just before the mile 9 mark, as my pace had dropped further to a 6:18, and took an orange from a spectator and a drink of water that they had brought in a bottle. I was offered a lift back to the sports field, but elected to try and jog it in. Around a minute and a half after I stopped, the now 3rd place runner Gary Pennington came passed. I decided to run along with him for a bit and that got me to about mile 10, when I stopped and had a shower with a spectators hose pipe! 

I eventually stopped completely at mile 12, knowing that I was completely zapped of energy and wouldn't want to accept the time anyway!

I am pretty down about things, and will beat myself up for a few days now - but I know that conditions on the day were just out of my hands, I didn't cope with the heat and there is no allowing for that. 

But looking at it from a different perspective beyond just myself, I think it is time for some serious questions to be asked of the organisation of the race itself. I know members of the committee and understand the amount of hard work that goes into putting on the event. I count one of the organisers as a genuine friend and so don't want to be too critical in that respect. But questions have been asked time and again about the continued decision to put this race on at 2pm in the afternoon on what is traditionally one of the hottest weekends of the year. If a runner that is fairly experienced and regularly clocks up 70-75 miles a week is struggling to get around the course, then what about the fun - runners, first timers, and those that are out on the course on the hottest part of the day for in excess of 2 hours or more? 

As I say, this goes beyond thinking of myself, this is me trying to make a serious point about the risks and potential for serious illness or harm to others. The amount of runners that I saw coming in way and above their usual times, and the state some of them were in as they crossed the line said a lot for me. It was brutal.

I know it can be argued that nobody can predict the weather, but it doesn't take a genius to make the presumption that at 2pm on a mid June afternoon the weather is going to be hotter than normal. How many other races can people name that starts mid afternoon, not just in summer months, but year round? And then, how many of them are half marathons were people are out in the heat for a length of time? I can't think of any, and there are reasons for that.

I know the Freckleton committee probably want to avoid a clash with the church service - so why not move the race back to Saturday evening, or knock the start time back to 4pm to avoid the hottest part of the day? As a minimum, surely there must be money in the kitty to at least provide decent quality bottled water, as opposed to the plastic cups? It may sound petty, but at £18 a head, this is not a cheap race. There has to be a duty of care for the runners, surely?

Freckleton has become something of an annual pilgrimage for me, but if things don't change, I seriously question whether I will be back to participate any time soon. That would be a massive shame for me personally, as it is a race that means so much to me.

Fortunately by stopping when I did, I am fine, and feeling better already - barring a bruised ego! I will just have to get straight back on it and find another event to get this bad one out of my system.

During the week, it had mainly been much easy running in the build up to this race - barring a bit of an effort at the latest interclub race at Preston on Wednesday night. It wasn't a particularly quick pace, as the main opposition had both raced in the previous day's running up to this one. I ran around in 5:15s and felt nice and comfortable all the way around.

Total mileage for the week: 64

Average pace for the week (m/pm): 6:29

Total mileage so far this month (June): 181.5

Total mileage for 2017: 1611.5

Average miles per day 2017: 9.59