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Looks like I'm going to have to rejig my weekly training from December. We're moving to new offices, and the builders can't build and install the shower unit in time, plus it may get axed from the plans to save money in any event.
Therefore lunchtime training may have to stop for a while.
Luckily? the offices are a bit further from home so at least I can get a decent 7 mile run home from work.
Practically all of my Mon-Fri running takes place during my commute. It's a very time-efficient way of fitting the running in, especially given that, door-to-door, it takes about the same time as catching the train.
Typical week at the moment has me running to or from work four times a week. I use a backpack on the bike, but don't like running with anything more cumbersome than a waistpack.
Mon: 10m cycle am; 10m run pm
Tue: 10m run am; 10m cycle pm
Wed: 10m cycle am; 10m run pm
Thu: 10m run am; 10m cycle pm
Fri: 10m cycle am; 10m cycle pm
Sat: 20m am; 5m pm
Sun: 5m
Nice for base-building, but needs a little bit of rejigging once I introduce some faster stuff and the midweek long runs.
PP, RB - yes we're doing Paris as that's a marathon that will actually let me in. The entry system is less regimented, although more costly. However we'll combine it with a few days in Paris and soak up the culture.
More HR based fun today. Aim was 10 miles @ 160-165 HR (80-83% MHR)
2 miles w/u then...
6.20 (156)
6.14 (161)
6.24 (162)
6.19 (161)
6.22 (163)
2 mins jog / drink
6.24 (159)
6.18 (163)
6.26 (163)
6.27 (163)
6.31 (163)
3 miles c/d
Just a slight bit of drift in the last couple of miles but 3 more miles than last time out. 5-10 secs / mile faster than last week. Also similar splits to my first 10 miles at Dublin, but 15bpm lower. Funny old game...
Just a bit of moonlight to see your way, some fella's dog is making a dash for me in an angry manner.
"Stand still", so I did,
"STAND STILL, STAND STILL" - like I'm a naughty toddler. "I am standing still".
"You weren't you kept moving"
He's got hold of the dog now, so I start running again.
"Is it ok if I carry on again now ?" In a sarcastic manner.
"You frightened him!"
By now I'm getting the hump "keep your fcking dog under control in future".
As I carry on I hear him call out some abuse back.
Right then lets go round for another lap, so I can bump into him again, and really have a go at him - if he want's a rumble he can fckin well have one......descended to the bottom and was going to go round again, but thought I should act my age".
I am never really sure about this running thing. Why is it that before Amsterdam I planned to relax, run easy up to Xmas and then start to think about FLM. However, 3 weeks of taking it easy and I am already starting to run fast and think…what about starting to train fully in December and have a go at 2.45??? Does it ever stop?
RB - yes I could had I adhered to their arbitrary date targets. As I did not I am excluded, so shall take my business elsewhere. My missus will to. Market forces eh? Wonderful...
Yes I am very confident of getting back to my old form and even surpassing it if I can keep rolling out weeks full of sessions like the above rather than chasing tinpot local races.
TR - the arrogance of (a minority of) dog owners annoys me too. Why should you stand still in your session because they fail to adhere to the Dangerous Dogs Act? They are the criminal yet you suffer because of it. It is one of my running wishes to have a dog playfully chase after me and have a fat owner wheezing after me as it follows me along for a nice 70% run
A few miles to report today, I ran my second 9 miler since starting to do a bit again (last week I stuck to the short stuff as I was out of cockneyland).
In true TR style I thought bugger it to Hadding and set off with a few quicker miles, the first mile was a 7:05, the rest between 6:35 - 6:19, AHR 173, a little high but my recent runs have shorter stuff so understandable. Anyway 9.2 miles in 60.44mins, fairly pleasing pace, could have gone quicker but this is the first run under 7min miles since July, so didn't want to do much more really. Anyway the old ITB seemed to hold up well with no pain durnig or after.
So I'm planning to do the next Met Leage XC (in just 10 days), it should be a good tester as I ran the same one last year after coming back from a short injury, and its only 5 miles so what can possibly go wrong?
PP good to see you enjoyed the route, if you want to extend it to over 20m I'd recommend going up the river lea a bit further and doing a bit around hackney marshes and/or springfield park.
TR - in a similarly annoying incident I ran on the road tonight while the cyclist I encountered carried on meandering along on the pavement!
Had a really carp day at work then straight into kids clubs etc meant I have just had to force myself out of the door for a short run of 5 miles. Heavy legged and slow again although breathing was fine, really hoping this feeling will lift soon.
BR - have you done the Thirsk 10? I have entered it as a back up to the Abbey Dash, it is the week after. It is billed as flat and fast - just wondering if you know the course.
Last winter on my long runs, I used to get harassed every week at the same place/time by a yappy little dog, and the owner didn't seem to think she should do anything to control it. Anyway, one week, it followed me for a bit and I decided to play along, turning round, calling its name and saying "Cmon boy. Cmon Sam". It followed me for about half a mile and I could hear the increasingly desparate cries of its owner as I disappeared at 6:45 pace. Funnily enough, I never saw them again after that!
BR I can see Dave Bedford crying into his beer when he notices that you and Hilly have boycotted his race. I hope your training goes well anyway.
Sue C - I know the feeling with bad days at work. I had one yesterday and was supposed to be doing 10 miles including 8 x 800m @ 10k pace. Within a mile I knew it wasn't going to happen and abandoned my run after just 3 miles. Happily though I managed it today after a glass of red last night and an evening chilling. Hope things improve for you soon.
BR doesn't know the Thirsk 10 course as it's one he's not done. I've entered it though for the reason you state flat and fast. I'm hoping to squeeze a pb and if not get close to my pb.
Your "naughty run was similar to mine indeed. Feels good sometimes to simply forget the woes and give it some welly.
I've had a pair of wayyy tight calves today - but that's ok, cos even the good one is sore.
But, I now know that I am in ok shape after all. Could have bagged a 10M PB last night without really going too mad - which bodes well for race day - when one comes round.
Think I did the right thing in not going back for another round with the dog walker. I should stick to running not picking fights.
TR -
Had an incident a bit like that the other week when with the kids - (2 and 4) - dog owner said he couldn't take hold of the dog as it would ruin the voice command training he was undergoing!!
Suffice to say the only reason the dog or its owner didn't get a punch on the nose was because the kids were there - and to be fair if they hadn't I wouldn't have been so angry. He did get an anatomy lesson in where his hand was, where the dogs neck collar is, and where he could stick both of them if he let the hound scare my kids again though.
4 lots of 3,2,1 minute efforts with 1 min in between last night. Sports therapist did his stuff on my knee /calf and hams tonight, followed by 45 minute swim using pull bouy. Planning final track session tomorrow night - then maybe 3 or 4 easy runs before the big day.
Cheers TR, I don't think I'm quite back up to your current speed yet but it won't be too long now. I'm off to the lake district this week, so I'm going to struggle to do some long runs, however i may try and see if i can find a hill for some reps.....
I can't imagine many dog owners would have been picking a fight with you if you had been wearling the orange vest!
Once you've been on the bench for a while you develop a special affinity for other benchee's. And so I feel pleased for folks when they get back to it.
Which is why I like to see DoT doing a bit too. Good idea on the massage. Hope you bag a decent one in France DoT. You've come a long way in the last few months.
The dog walker probably thought he was picking a fight with a "skinny" runner cos it was dark. Probably just as well it came to nothing - I'd feel bad if I hurt him, and I probably did frighten his dog after all. I just didn't like the way that he spoke to me.
Cheers TR
I hope so tooo - its a bloody long way for a cheese and wine party otherwise, and I'm not that keen on oysters!
Great to hear the bench clearing and everyone enjoying running (despite annoying dog-owners).
I had a day off yesterday due to a bit of pain behind my knee. The ridiculous thing is that I know it was caused by swimming on Monday! I felt it stiffening up during 300m of legs only. Anyway, I'm fairly sure it's just stiff, because at the end of my 10 minute walk to work it had loosened up (and I didn't feel anything during the track session on Tuesday), so going to try an easy one later (and then swimming in the evening - but will ignore any legs only!).
Morning
Hope it's not serious with your knee, Padams.
Out of interest did you swim as a child? The reason I ask is when I was taking some kids at school for xc the better runners were always the kids who were swimmers. I guess it's because they had built a good aerobic system in the pool, whereas the other kids had not. I've also come across adults who too up running later in life who used to be swimmers and they to become quite good in a short time. Again I guess for the same reason. I took up swimming later in life but it didn't make me a good swimmer, I guess it's more of technique thing with me though than fitness. Far easier to learn as a child.
My training is going well this week. Had a bad day Tuesday, but a short run and evening of rest and I was able to pick it back up yesterday. 12 more miles this morning and a few later, so all looking good so far.
I started them off as tots so they were safe in the water, but the spin off is they now enjoy surfing etc The 10 year old was entered by his school into the city schools gala in the summer and ended up winning it (and the county one too - , he’s got another year in that age group too.
They can run around more than the other kids when they play footie too. Not sure if it’s the swimming or the fact that they just do loads of sports, they also play cricket for the local club (a few days/week) in the summer and I keep em fairly active.
Sad thing is my 10 year old wants to stop the swimming, but I’m trying to keep him interested by saying that I’ll enter him in a few Tris next summer. He could be a decent athlete when he’s older and continuing the swimming may pay dividends.
He already wants to go back to Gosport for the teens and unders fun run (on the ½ Mar day) cos he came 2nd last year.
I swim a mile a few lunchtimes per/week and see it as a low-impact easy run. And I don’t really like to run every day, I prefer a bit of variety.
Can’t have Padams taking my place on the bench.
I’m still undecided wether to go back there.
How important is a 20 mile race in the FLM build up ?
I need to get some races booked up, so what do I ideally need ? A ½ Mar ? How many weeks before FLM too ?
feck off and run somewhere else. My only crime had been to cry in fear as it came for me.
The biggest problem I think is that the owners assume everyone can cope with animals. Having been brought up in a family
without pets, I am seriously scared of them, especially the big ones. Got felled by a labrador last year that simply ran into me at kneecap level, so even
the non violent ones can injure you.
Plugged in my last 10m time into MacMillan and it predicts 3.00.50 for a marathon. So perhaps I'm in better shape than I thought.
Dull
Hilly - I swam a bit when I was younger, but only a couple of times a week, so nothing serious. And that was only up to the age of 13, then I didn't do any again until a couple of years ago.
The knee is really annoying - every time I stand up it takes a few strides to loosen but then starts to feel better. Wish I didn't have a desk job! Will go for a short run at lunchtime and see how it feels, and I can always cut it short.
This year feel in better shape and compared with the recent Devon Marathon, 2:53:46 the pre-race analysis shows it's going to be tight:
Course: + 3-4 minutes - this is a real toughie
Weight: + 1-2 minutes as slightly heavier
Weather: + 2 mins, heavy rain and 20 mpw wind
Racing: Could've run say 1 minute faster at Devon - 1 mins
Lag or Benefit from Devon: - 1 or + 2
Mood: Up for it.
Range (2.57.46 - 3.02.46)
OuchOuch Prediction:
OO2:59:37
Derv - You doing this too?
Will you be taking in Brown Willy ? (Fnarr Fnarr)…or is that too far away.
You’re a flipping tough nut OO, another sub3 there would be magic. I reckon the weather would be real grim there on a bad day, you’ll get lost in the mist.
If the weather is against you I don't reckon you'll sub3, but I hope you do so
OuchOuch Prediction:
TR 2:58:57
OO 2:59:37
RB. Thomas Abyu of Salford Harriers recently ran 62 mins @ Great North and 2:10 @ Dublin if he counts as the next Jones, Spedding, etc.
On the subject of dog attacks, etc. My favourite policy is just to punch the dog owner whilst telling them, I wont hurt them. Then I run off and crap on the pavement. Simple but effective.