Feel The Heat

There's no avoiding the dreadmill this week with more of the white stuff and even more treacherous training conditions. It was a bimble through the drifts on Wednesday; a frolic through virgin snow at a snail's pace just to stretch the intervals out of the legs. I was hoping that some miracle overnight would have brought a warming sun and a nearly snow free Thursday. No such luck whilst the midweek long run loomed.

So, back to Keighley for the full 12 miles; half steady/ half at  somewhere nearing MRP was the plan. The gym was dead, most sensible types cosied up at home in front of the fire no doubt. The row of empty dreadmills looked ominous as M and I stepped up to the plate and pounded our little hearts out. My feet are getting gammy from this indoor running with a patchwork of blisters on both feet. Is it from the heat? Whatever it is, these sessions are mashing my feet. 

5 miles in and all was okay, a dull but 'doable' run.  Building up to mile 6 involved a bit of mental 'bracing'; knowing the next 6 were all at 6.18 pace with no let up until 12. The running seemed to go fine; smooth and without trauma. The miles in the faster gear saw me lapse into a hypnotic stupor and miles 8 to 12 seemed to whizz happily by. A nicely taxing but not too tough a long run was done. As the snow slowly freezes, forcing even the hardiest of us indoors, I am wishing for some dry road for this Sunday's long run.

Almost Lurgy Free

Work is hotting up and I'm really getting my teeth into things. I'd go as far as to say I'm really liking the new job. I must remind myself of this post next time I moan. Unfortunately, the hotting up also includes much increased general busyness, including too little time for blogging or ruminating on all things running. Another upside is that the lurgy is passing and the nostrils are recovering from the constant blowing and sandpaper-like scratchy soreness from excessive nose wiping. I'm on the mend readers. Yay.

This week's been tough still despite the sniffles, including a long and windy 15 miles with threshold sandwich on Tuesday and then double runs both these last two days. Nothing too tough planned now until Sunday. A massage tomorrow should see me good as new and ready to run hard again on Sunday, this time for the Edinburgh half marathon. I'm ashamed to say this will be first trip across the border and very excited I am too. I might check out the legend of the deep fried Mars, to fully immerse myself in the culture you understand.

Salford Success

Since early in the year, M has had a Good Friday 10k planned for an Easter treat as part of his own racing plan; the Salford 10k. This is a fab, fast and as flat as you get in the North of England for those fancying a bit of frisky Friday running before an Easter weekend of Easter eggs, chocolate bunnies and long runs. After my Wilmslow weariness I'd guessed I wouldn't be up for the race though was planning a threshold run and bobbed along to play team support role for a change for the two Bingley boys. Both M & Tricky were out running their first 10k in a while and seeking a good indicator of fitness after their recent injury woes.

The 2 lap course is a pretty brisk one though a bit breezy on the back straight. The plan was for me to split off 20 mins before the start and run a healthy warm up before rejoining the boys to chase the race for a 6 mile threshold run. We parted at 9.40am and both were a little ruffled with pre-race nerves but eager to get going. Unfortunately, M missed his lucky kiss as I arrived from my warm up a couple of minutes after the start. I had to belt around the course to catch the stragglers up and then quite enjoyed a fun chasing game for the next six miles, maintaining threshold place and passing through the field, eager to see how the boys had fared at the end of the race.

My own run was a good solid session if a tad confusing for spectators but nothing compared to the fab performances of two fine sub 36 minute 10ks! Tricky led the pair home in 35.39, not far off his best on the same course last year and M stormed home, just one second off his PB set in late December, finishing in 35.58. This is so impressive after the frustrations of M's glute injury early in the new year. So, a very worthwhile trip out and a very promising indicator of the coming months. I may have to withhold my lucky kisses in future; it seems to do just the trick.

Racing Rituals

I'm just nicely home after a far too early start to a Sunday. I have just survived the horriblest race I can remember. No offence to Wilmslow mind, the course and event were race organisation at its best; with loads of loos and shiny bunches of bright balloons tied to the lampposts along the start and finishing miles. There were loads of supporters around the undulating course too, including quite a few mad villagers clanging pots and pans in a frenzy. It certainly worked as I managed to muster the odd spurt just to escape the racket.

Today was the English Half Marathon Champs so I’d been questioning my sanity entering this whilst so training tired. The timing of the event is great though and quite a nice course too. I set out this morning framing the day as a chance for a strong training run with a hope I’d come away with a great quality threshold session under my belt and a bit of a taste for racing again.

The line up was impressive with the likes of Michelle Ross-Cope and Rebecca Robinson; stars of English distance running and out for great times at London this year. I tried not to freak out at the other fantastic looking ladies around me; all small pants, rippling lady muscles and long socks. I quivered inside.

I’ve been keeping quiet about this but I’ve been enjoying some expert training advice of late from a very long established athletics coach. A new experience for me as I’ve never worked with a formal coach before. We’d discussed my strategy for race day over coffee last week. The idea was to let rip at the start and see how long I could hang on. So, let rip I did. 5.30 for mile one. The pace continued to be pretty frightening until mile 8 when things started to decline; the howling wind tunnel that met with every turn spat me out of the other side like an empty husk. Unfortunately, the recent training miles started to shout out at my legs to slow down and I gradually dropped off pace. The final miles slowing to over 6 minute miles and worse on some of the final climbs. Wilmslow is NOT a flat course!

Wilmslow is supposed to be fast. I reckon that’s more about the types that turn up to race than the course itself. I hit miles 9-12 with dead legs but in 5th place. Just as I recovered to run the final mile home I then got gazumped by two young and far too fresh looking lasses, leaving me dead in 7th place. I finished. Just. The time clocked 77.43 and I was so glad it was over. The race felt tough from start to finish and I felt desperate for home and a hot bubble bath. All in all though it was a great session on the back of what will be nearly 100 miles running this week. M drove home with a yawning and snoring RB in the passenger seat. Where would I be without him...? Race results here.

Noodled

The week off work has turned into something of an overeating haze. After the Ritzy tea and then a very long race I seem to have done nothing but feed and sleep and go out for the odd run. Monday's easy 5 miles was a restful post race effort as was Tuesday, with a long and easy trail run to ease the sore ITB and give the body time to recover. Today has been my first quality session after the 20 miler on Sunday and what a tough effort it proved to be.

A steady 15 miles was the planned return to a proper session and with it a few threshold miles thrown in. The plan was 6 miles at tempo pace with a rider that I'd ease off if it felt too much. I took the usual lollipop route from home and clipped along with much improved quads and at a healthy steady pace. My first couple of threshold miles felt taxing but manageable; a good pace despite the wind picking up along the route. The turn back to Ilkley saw me hit high winds for the next couple of miles and by tempo mile 4 I was spent! The legs turned to noodle and it took most of my energy to run in a straight line into the wind. I finished the final miles at steady pace, a bit disappointed not to have completed the 6 but reassuring myself of the need to be sensible. The run clocked a 6.38 average so not bad despite the race fatigue. The weekend has more in store including intervals and a long run so best not to overdo things today. Tonight, more fuel; a long awaited curry with running mates.

Planning Plans

I'm still absorbing the contents of the Daniels text but would recommend this to anyone who wants a bit of a refresher in approaches to training with some idiot proof science thrown in. It reads as a very accessible integration of common sense and basic physiology and I really liked the style of writing and structure of the book. The final chapters provide schedules for different race distances, including three different marathon schedules (of 24 weeks). These offer a framework for sequencing the different types of quality training for the most effective speed and endurance development. He avoids quoting mileage at you, which is refreshing and enables you to tailor the plans to your specific needs; thus focusing the mind more on what you are actually trying to achieve with each training session.

The threshold training explanations provide some suggested workouts and are mind boggling but excellent sessions that I'm looking forward to weaving into The Plan through the coming weeks. To clarify the language, threshold training is described as 'tempo' running and equates to your 10 mile race pace. If there's anything I'd moan about having read a few running books in the last year or so, it's the interchangeability of how the terms threshold and tempo are used by authors and a lack of clarity of what these terms mean. Daniels defines this pretty clearly and even includes his VDOT tables to assist you with identifying your optimum training pace. Tempo or threshold pace for me is about 5.50, which makes any such run over 5 miles seem a bit of a daunting prospect without any race adrenalin to get the heart pumping. All the more reason to race long ones regularly I reckon.

I'm now tucking into my cheese and bean toastie (I'm officially addicted) after an easy day's running. This being a recovery week I'm giving the body a break to adjust to the building mileage. A steady 7 miles with a few controlled strides this morning helped wake up the legs from Maggie the mauler's massage last night and also to pep me up for the long one tomorrow. I might even stretch to an off road run, my little legs feel like they deserve it.

The Spring Is Back!

After all my adventures in the murk on Thursday, Friday brought the second toughie of the week; a medium long run with tempo efforts. I set out for the 12 miler in misty, cold and damp conditions feeling uninspired and rather shivery for the first couple of miles. The route is an undulating one for a couple of miles before the tempo efforts kick in on the edge of Ilkley. This time I opted for a slighter easier ride; 3 x 2M efforts to split up the hard work. As usual the return leg was heading back into gale force winds (I exaggerate mildly). Despite the dead feeling in my legs the effort was a steady threshold pace and a decently paced run by the end of the final 12. Another quality sesh in the bag that I can enjoy ticking on THE PLAN.

The prospect of today's strides held even less appeal as I shambled down the stairs with wooden legs this morning; a perfect opportunity to return the spring in my step you might say. This is a new approach for me; a steady aerobic run interspersed with short, pacy strides to get the leg turnover cranked up during high mileage weeks. The strides certainly did the business today; the brisk 7 miles left me feeling pretty nifty and ready for my hilly long run tomorrow. Sunday has a 20M route planned with company; the fast boys once again. I've been assured they'd be very tired after the XC at Sheffield today. All digits crossed, they're knackered. P.S. M's cheek also survived a road run last night.

Well 'ard.

I'm back, I think. Today was a toughie. After my long fast one on Sunday I was expecting today to hurt and wondered if my old legs might even give up. I'd planned a threshold and VO2 sandwich of a session; a whopper it was though I don't think I bit off more than I can chew, (ha! apols for the cheese).

After the nippy 18 with Stewart M on Sunday I wasn't expecting much pep in my legs today and at that pace, I thought I'd overcooked things to the point that today might be a waste of time. The session kicked off with a 3 mile warm up, run at tempo to goal marathon pace. A swift intervals set of 12 x 400m reps with reducing recoveries was the tasty filling with another 3 miles to warm down again at tempo to marathon goal pace to finish.

There were no easy miles and I managed it all pretty good. My trusty M joined me for the trip to Seedhill track to test out his misbehaving bum cheek. His gentle jog soon finished leaving him bags of time to clock my splits and shout at me a lot when I started to look lazy. Apparently I never really look like I'm working very hard.

The splits were very even, all well under 3k race pace and I even managed a bit of a spurt for that final rep, despite the usual Lancashire 'tormentor' headwind on that evil back straight. So, after what seemed such a daunting session I'm buzzin' with the running mojo and counting the hours until my next run. It's been ages since I've felt this hungry to train and I'm loving every minute. A medium steady run tomorrow and from the state of the roads tonight I'll be better off with ice skates. M's cheek is still a bit of a worry; another test run for him tomorrow too. A demain.

Tarmac Tales

Woohoo! What a great day it is today. Not just because its Friday, of course that's pretty good too. But, I've actually run in excess of 5 miles today, all on that lovely, hard and reliably firm stuff called tarmac. My already limited patience has been truly tested and I've been watching the training days tick by with countless sessions unfulfilled on The Plan.

Today I managed 10 miles in total; 5 miles of which were lovely, pacey and 'unslippery' tempo miles. It was wondrous! That's wondrous to be out on steady feet working hard. It was less wondrous feeling like a heavy and tired blob of uncoordinated body matter lumbering my way at a pace I should be able to skip through with little effort. But we wont dwell on that. It was really great to be out running proper again, feeling the wind in my face, the pure physical focus of pushing my body and feeling that tired high that running so reliably provides.

Yours, the running junkie.

On Thin Ice

I've dragged myself to the laptop tonight ready and armed with a fine list of excuses. I'd been intending to blog last night but instead procrastinated my way through some rubbish telly, guilt ridden and ashamed. But I can't cope any longer. I need to 'fess up readers.

After continued rubbish weather on Monday and an impossible journey to work I settled for my planned easy 5m recovery run around the village. I was determined to make this week count. So, Tuesday came and ready I was for my planned threshold session; a medium run with 5 miles tempo to finally kick off THE PLAN. M & I forged our usual complex ballet at teatime; planning our respective sessions for the night. With M on hill work we synchronised our watches and agreed our warm down routes to accommodate any premature finish. Leaving the car on the edge of town we set out together for the warm up, both eagerly anticipating the lovely, post run afterglow and clearing our heads of the usual work nonsense. Ah. It felt good to be on the tarmac.

Pretty soon it dawned that the pavements were useless. After one or two turnings it also dawned that the main road was the only safe route option. After running a couple of miles it dawned that running in the road was getting pretty hazardous as we argued with cars over rights of way and repeatedly hopped into icy mounds for fear of being flattened. I really wouldn't recommend this approach to tempo training.

Anyway, by mile 5 and a final effort to locate a safe spot for some pacey running on the other side of town, it became clear that the whole thing was just plain dangerous. The temperature dropped and icy patches became increasingly difficult to spot and I imagined how I'd feel about THE PLAN whilst sporting a broken ankle. Instead, we settled for a steady run. I've made a promise to myself to keep my head until this cold weather passes. Staying alive & staying healthy is also part of THE PLAN.

White Out

I can't believe it. Day 2 of THE PLAN and we've got a blizzard on the doorstep. A complete white out. I'm beginning to feel my marathon is doomed. Does that seem melodramatic at all? And apparently there's more of the pesky stuff to come. 8 inches by 7.30am and falling fast has also meant an unexpected day off skool. It doesn't feel much fun when you can't enjoy the pleasures of daylight running though.

Yesterday was a slippy 5m in the early morning darkness. I can at least tick day 1 of THE PLAN. What should I do? Does it really mean dreadmill running? But 9 miles?! With tempo too! What should I do?! When is Edinburgh marathon exactly...

B-O-R-I-N-G

Okay, so now I'm very bored of the rain. Since last Sunday, every time I have stepped out of the house in my trainers it has literally p****d it down. What's going on? Yesterday I woke up to blue skies, a fine clear day, not even a sign of a cloud. Not even a wisp. I jumped in the car and 10 minutes outside Nelson, guess what... the start of a downpour and plenty of rain to keep me company on the run.

This morning, I was up early, ready with a porridge filled tummy, settled enough to contemplate getting started. I hobbled out to the car to start the drive over to Bingley for a long one on the canal. Nice and sunny it was. Then wham! Its chuckin' buckets right in time for my first mile. I think I'm being punished for all the nice clear, cool weather we had last winter. I remember I kept thinking how lucky we'd been to have so few wet and windy nights to run through. I seem to be paying for it all in one week. Some freaky kind of weather karma. What did I do? Needless to say today's run was no treat. My legs were mashed and the adjustment to a 16 miler to give myself a bit of a break was still no easy task. I was daft enough to try some tempo efforts along the way and I felt about 150 years old today. The legs are still very annoyed with me for Thursday. I will definitely not do that again. Long run done, the Runningbear is dried off ready for her Sunday tea, telly and lots of sleep. Hopefully a better week to come.

Hard Core

I impressed even myself with my roughtie toughtie training earlier today. After some gruelling miles through the week I was keen to get a tough tempo session in. Original plans had been to run the National Road Relays at Sutton Park for the club but the ladies team didn't get it together in the end. So I waved off M this morning on his own journey in the boys' bus for the men's 6-stage at Sutton Park. He was a bit trembly running his first National fixture in a Bingley team, especially rubbing shoulders with the likes of John (and Sam) Convery and Stu MacDonald. Really awesome runners.

For me it was a packed day, including visits to see mums and supermarkets and the like. So, I got straight out, running from home, looping via Nesfield on the back road to Denton. After a couple of miles warm up I ran my first 5k tempo effort and felt pretty smooth despite my tired legs. The miles splits were nicely under 6 minutes each but the trick was keeping enough in reserve for the second set. Passing Denton I clocked the first 5k and ran a recovery mile out towards Askwith returning to complete a second 5k finishing at golf course corner. The second rep was a bit tougher, as I battled a bit of a headwind and the traffic being less forgiving. Again the reps were near the 6 minute mark if a bit slower but still a healthy pace.

Am chuffed to bits as was making mental allowances for the long run still in my legs from Thursday - a good effort today. A jog home to warm down brought me back to a cosy house, hungry kids and a bubble bath before setting out again for some mum time. M returned home safe early evening. Though initially a bit disappointed with his run, he eventually accepted that tough training through the week does not = fresh legs for racing. The Bingley boys still did pretty good by the sounds on a challenging and longer than 5k course, mixing it with a world class field. Results here.

Triumphant Trials

Yep, back again to Leeds Hyde Park today for a stab at another 5k time trial - the most hated distance but as ever its best to face the fear. After the long run on the road on Thursday these old legs weren't very happy about the far too early start this morning, a 2m warm up before the usual lung bursting start at too-early-O'clock. The morning was fine, clear and pretty warm for October so a more pleasant than usual outing. I ran strong though felt the road miles in my legs and somehow managed my quickest time yet on the course by 2 secs but I sort of pootled in on the final mile with no blokes to battle with. M on the other hand had a stormer, a PB on a not very fast course and his first ever sub 18min 5k! And only 9 secs behind me! Results here. M's rate of progress is impressive and that gap between us is now the narrowest of slivers. I reckon it wont be long now before some serious PBs for M, starting with a sub 60min 10 miler for our race in November.

It was good to see some friendly faces there too with Mark H also running his fastest HPTT yet and Mr. Springer from Horsforth, as always looking awesome fit and no doubt running the HPTT in amongst several other races this weekend. A long run planned tomorrow and a bit of a chance to work off all these extra pounds the new bathroom scales keep blinkin' reminding me about.

Fit to Burst

The days are dragging with this rationed running. Had a dull, dull day writing and researching a paper for work today and resorted to some serious clock watching for that special moment to pull the trainers on and get out of the door. The grey drizzle and cool air has never been so welcome. Have also been naughtily distracted by some more training plan tweaking for the coming months. I've been reading about the tempo run and how good it is for marathon training to build up to at least 15m at marathon goal pace (!!) in a competitive runner's programme. Since reading this I've been ensconced in fiddling with my spreadsheet further [note that I'm up to about 5m to date]. That's a lot of running.

A Tempo Tickling

Well the anticipated tempo thrashing ended up being more of a tickling; why do I always build up these sessions to be horrid in my head? M & I both left the house anticipating a gut wrenching session of 12 miles including a 4 mile threshold run. We were unsure if we'd make it. The distance is less of an issue, but a tempo run in the middle?!

Anyway, we ran a couple of miles warm up from home before starting the threshold effort, starting just after Nesfield at Golf Course Corner. We followed a linear route, crossing the iron bridge at Ben Rydding then left towards Burley; a boring course but pretty good for road crossings. We finished the threshold effort just short of Burley roundabout and then turned back for a steady 6 home. We were both pleased to have run very consistent splits and the session felt very controlled and almost comfy! Actually, not that comfy, my head's distorting things in that post-run mental glow. But, I managed to keep the heart rate hovering firmly over 4.9 with a slight rise to 5.1 on the final finishing hill.

So, session done and mucho relief for both of us that it wasn't quite as horrid as we'd expected. Encouraging too as these runs feature pretty heavily in all the marathon training I've read about. I'm loving the planning, though I still have to be convinced of the right approach to the long run. Should one run over race distance for the marathon? Any good reading to get to the bottom of this would be welcome. So, easy Friday and strides at the track on Saturday before my favourite sesh on Sunday; 16 miles of uninterrupted running - even better now I've a marathon to be thinking about.

A Big Decision

After the extensive rainfall this week and then being advised to wear my scruffiest pair of water wings for the Round Hill fell race on Sunday, M & I decided against the bog trotting option and decided instead to do a 5k time trial on this fine and drizzly Saturday morning; giving us space for a nice long run tomorrow. The time trial was the usual, gut wrenching, lung bursting slog around Leeds Hyde Park. All this at far too early an hour for the porridge to have settled but at least it got us home for 10.30am; in time to pick up the Saturday papers and wallow for the afternoon.

The 5k was a great replacement threshold session for the race plan tomorrow and added to my continued efforts to sharpen up for the Autumn. We were also very pleased to bump into Mark H from another local club, Rothwell. Mark has been known to visit this very blog from time to time and he (as well as being a very lovely chap) is a very experienced road runner. He inspired us both with his accounts of races near and far, including some fine tips on marathon preparation. This, coupled with one or two other recent chats with some local marathoners has inspired me to take that final step. Oh yes. I have decided, ahem...[drum roll] ...I'm going to enter the 2010 London Marathon!

There. Wow. My first marathon. Have now said it out loud. Have been getting all excited about it and after looking on the website today I qualify for a championship entry (and possibly even an elite entry) based on my HM time. Bonus! So. Have spent the rest of this afternoon planning it all. London in April, Berlin in September. And lots of miles in between. I'm sooo excited.

Testing Tempo

Tonight was a toughie and rather than approach a 1x4m tempo effort I bottled it and went for 2x2m instead; have been feeling a bit zombie-like all day. The session planned was a 9 miler starting in Ilkley with M, warming up for a couple of miles before parting company and embarking on the first lactate threshold paced effort over 2 miles. This took me to the Burley roundabout for a quick mile recovery circuit around the village before returning for the 2m effort back into Ilkley. I wasn't looking forward to the session with the high winds and gusts all along this straight and exposed road. The mile splits reflected the challenge of running into head winds but my heart rate was the true guide tonight; I managed to maintain an effort falling between 4.9 and 5.1 for much of the way, spot on for a threshold workout. M had opted to do a different session tonight so we hooked up for the warm down miles bringing me to a total of just over 10 miles tonight. Phew, I'm glad that's done and dusted. I'm now ready to enjoy an extra long weekend. Have the house to myself on Friday with a sneaky day off and plan a day of slobbing in pajamas watching good films, except for the odd run or two of course. Back to the track on Saturday morning - it feels great to be hungry to train hard again.