What: 13 Mile Long Run which loops back to my house just over half Way. Sadly, the temptation of abandoning the run was too great so gave up after 1 hour and 7 miles.
It was too slippy and icy to keep going as I'd nearly fallen over about 4 times.
No injuries at the moment so could be set for a good training week (I'm leaning on wood as I type this).
What: off now for 10 miles at a nice steady pace Why: a cold frosty morning with a bit of sun to enjoy Last hard: yesterday's track work Last rest: Friday's swim
beautiful day here in Leeds. Clear blue skies and crisp snow on the ground.
what : 7 miles run at half marathon pace (8m45s/mile). well it's half marathon pace for me anyhow. why : schedule says so and to celebrate maybe winning a test match last hard : today last rest : weds
word of warning from experience this morning - snow covered grass can also mean snow covered dog sh!te ;-}.
I headed down to the sea to avoid the worst of the slippery conditions. Plus it's flat, my legs & feet couldn't manage hills today after yesterday's xc. It took quite a few miles to get comfortable & the hill up to my house finished me off. Back in the warm & staying here for the rest of the day.
What: 19 miles steady in 2 hr 25 Why: due for a long one & its a nice day ! Last hard : Thur Last rest : Sat
Big change from last week on hols in the lakes - bleak winds and lots of hills !! Managed 3 x 10 milers & 2 x 6 milers in the week there - just did'nt like the 300 ft climb in the last mile back to where we were staying. Oh, and black ice on a hilly road is a real *£$(%)& - but only fell once. Hill walking was great too.
Sorry you didn't get to see the lakes at their best Mr C - they're now covered in snow against a blue sky you'll be pleased to know! You still got your running miles in though didn't you, well done.
Big Tim, did you really do 16 miles in 1 hr 30?? After yesterday, that sounds superhuman, OK it sounds super human anyway. Have a good rest now.
Hope you're all enjoying your long runs in the same weather we've got here today. KK, hope you get a good time in your 10K to make up for yesterday. Mike - yes, we must be ready for Helsby now! wee piglet - there's a few people with 1.45 target, maybe we could pace each other ( I lose the power of speech at that pace by the way...) Your running environment sounds great.
What: 35 mins recovery off road. Why: needed to recover. Actually wanted to go further but domestic commitments got in the way; we're going for a hill walk this p.m. so I'll still get my fix of the winter weather. Last hard: yesterday Last rest: Fri
What:1h30 min, I guess/hope ~13k Last Rest: yesterday
Big Tim, great report from yesterday. Laura L, you sounds llike you are doing very well!
Today route description: 1st 30 mins: road undulated 2nd 30 mins: along canal/river 3rd 30 mins: kind of Off Road(the mud & grass was rock hard). On some part of the grass, the ice was breaking and there were water under. Even tought today was icy and dry, went back home with wet muddy trainers!
What: Slob out. Why: 13 miles yesterday and I hurt! Hard: Yesterday. Easy pace but, as a non- Tim, that counts as blooming hard in my book! Rest: Friday.
Right, I'm off to check out the injuries section about one of my exciting new niggles......
Last hard - today! 10 mile slog in deep snow, first half uphill. Should have been 12 miles but I wimped out, just couldn't face any more climbing in 6 inches of the white stuff. Pack leader and I both used a bucket of it though to ice down the legs afterwards. Then a soak in a hot bath and I'm ready for a power nap. Junior wolf cub's zonked out on his mat too. Sometimes I really wish at least one of our local trails didn't go uphill! But I console myself with the thought that it's all good training. Rest day - I feel so tired now, it will probably be tomorrow!
Some seriously impressive training going on out there! you know who you are and well done to everyone.
Well today was the day to test my left knee on a real run outside - non of the comforts of the gym for me today. Local fun run league 7.5k of varied terrain, including a fair stretch of ankle grabbing stuff - temperature about freezing and think fog clutching the foot of the downs. first run for 5 weeks! Also first time in hat, gloves and tights.
Started steadily, slight niggle in the knee but decided to press on anyway. The incline on the first 3 laps was no real problem and the sludge was fun (but wet) and i kept my shoes (a past failing). Misjudged the distance - thought I'd got another lap to do at the end so finished with a flattering sprint (so the tannoy man described my increase in pace). Averaged just over 7min/mile at slightly lower avg HR than a 10K so probably not lost too much fitness.
Time will now tell how my knee reacts - its feeling a little achy as I type but no real pain.
Well, I did about 8.5 miles in the woods. What a sensational day! The sun was shining brightly off a hoar frost - it really was quite staggeringly beautiful A couple of times I had to just stop and listen (what you said rang a bell with me, Ironwolf!) and touch. I must get a small digital camera to take with me on long runs: any recommendations? Perhaps I'll start a thread on Gear.
Well done to everyone on today's runs
Laura - the pacing idea sounds good to me. I also lose the power of speech at anything approaching 1:45 speed, and will have to use my MP3 player to supply endorphins for the difficult bits, but it would be good if those of us aiming for the same time could somehow help each other with pace. It's only 2 weeks today! That's come round v. fast.
What: Woodcote & Goring Lions 10km Race Why: To alleviate annoyance of yesterdays XC, and to see if my improving XC form is carrying through to my road performances. Last Hard: Today & Yesterday (naughty me!) Last Rest: Friday
Tough course! If anyone has done this course they'll know what I mean. Its downhill for the first half (sounds good), but then is nothing but UPHILL for the second half (ou learn a lot about yourself in the 2nd half, for instance, I learnt that I really know how to work up-hills!). As you know, you gain less downhill than you lose uphill. Having said that I had a great run! Given the said tough course, I ran 38:24 (a new 10k pb for me). This landed me 6th place (a new placing pb for me also!), 2 places ahead one of our runners who beat me at the XC yesterday, so some sort of consolation there [sorry Ed! ]. Strange thing, all my PB's have been set in rubbish conditions [Marathon @ 80 degrees temp, 1/2 Marathon at Henley, and 10k at Woodcote (both hilly)]. I hope this bodes well for my new PB's on the flat in the coming year. Good runs posted today fellow-forumites. Long runs in the cold require a special sort of mental stamina [known as madness ]. Read you all next week... KK
Happy New Year everybody. some serious running going on here, folks, hats off to all. well done on the PB, KK - great work in those conditions.
what: 20 hilly miles in 2:24
why: first long run of New Year, though popped a quick 15 miles on New Year's Day, "start as I plan to go on" kind of thing. now it's back to Horwill plan A - though I notice the old fella's been thoroughly discredited around these parts while I've been away. what's going on?!
Just performed a quick calculation, and based on my time for this race last year, I can expect sub 35:30 in a local flat race (the Shinfield) in the coming year. Now I dont reall expect sub 35:30, but sub 37:00 would be nice...
Thank god you're back Achilles, it's hard when as a mere mortal you have your training pulled down in flames by a sub 2.30 marathoner!
sfh legs, glad your first outdoor run went well, I may be sniffy about gyms but it's obviously kept your fitness going, well done. Ironwolf, am very jealous of your snow - do you do xcountry skiing? KK - very well done, that's a brilliant result and plenty consolation for yesterday I would have thought.
Wee piglet - I will look out for runner with MP3 player and curly tail? Of course you have to pick the right music, sorry wrong thread.
What: Hereford county XC (and league match) Minus 2, going firm to permafrost, beautiful clear, sunny day. Actually not ideal on this course as you can see just about all of the route all of the time and there are four laps. Cautious because of my bad back so I ran a steady effort for the first three laps and pushed the last one. Limited stride length and flexibility, I couldn't have sprinted if you'd paid me. Suprised myself by running 20 seconds faster than last year on a (very slightly) longer course this year. I also beat a clubmate I've never beaten before (shouldn't matter really, but it does!)
I feel a bit like KK - if only.., what if?.. But there's no way I'm going to run a 10k pb tomorrow - hats off to you KK.
I don't actually know my position because I went off for a hot chocolate with the mrs after seeing the rest of the runners in, and forgot to go back to find out! ( I think it was about the 30 mark though).
Next rest: tomorrow, maybe the bike in the gym and a sauna. Next hard: we'll see how the back is.
PM- What: Full Body Strength Session plus 15min bike (181 kcals, high rpms) Why: Weights helps guv', plus it counts towards my quality tim quota with me ol' dear. Rest as above... very good gym sesh actually, esp. given this morning.
KK, good result today. Sub 36 min 10k is well within your current capabilities, specially if you remember to taper before it! (taper means not hard)
What: 22 hilly miles in 3hrs & 2 secs. Why: long run + it was such a good day for a run, apart for the icy roads. At this rate I'll be lucky to go under 1:30 at Helsby! Last hard day: probably Wednesday Last rest day: yesterday
Can't wait for the track to reopen as I am badly in need of some quality speed sessions.
Laura - yes, on departure morning from the Lakes yesterday it was beautifully clear with fresh snow over all the hills. Fantastic and we had to leave !! C'est la vie. But at least today was great here - running up Long Walk to Windsor castle with frosty grass all around was A1 fab.
'Not hard'??? Whats that? Only going twice the race distance @ projected race pace -20secs/mile? Or running only with a 50kg backpack instead of a 70kg the day before? Good run today Drew, 22 miles for half marathon training! Sounds like the school of Horwill. Cant wait for our track to re-open either mate. Having said that, I live in Reading, & our only track has been closed for the last 2.5 years, so whats new...
World's longest standing headcold stopped me getting up and going to 10km Regents park this morning (5 pints and 2 gins - gin never drink the stuff???) didn't help - took the missus for a pub lunch then went for a 7.30pm easy 3 miler (very guilty & hate missing races) - it's a bit cold out - and i had a pants run.
Well done to everyone who raced or ran long today. Cold but relatively nice today - make the most of it as I gather the wind chill is due to return later this week....
what: to Caldy CC once more & 6 planned laps of the grounds became 5 when I realised how little I still had in my legs after Friday. 12.9 miles only, in 101:18
why: Sunday long run
last hard day: Fri last rest day: Sat
Temperature about -1C - went out in my specs expecting it to be crystal clear - on such mornings in winter, you can trot along Hoylake prom and see snowy peaks in Snowdonia ahead of you; look right and slightly backwards and some of the peaks of S Cumbria (Black Combe?) are visible also.
But nothing doing - low level mist on the sea obscured things.
Not much in the legs at all - decided to omit the 6th lap of Caldy as I was plodding round the grounds in various states of partially/totally frozen quagmire.
600m from home and getting ever slower, passed a woman standing on the pavement watching her dog cr@p on the grass verge (on a lead). Passed her on the far side of the dog; which nonetheless completed its business & decided it fancied a bit of slow-moving black Lycra. I'm delighted to say that in taking evasive action I somehow managed to knee the mutt firmly in the throat......
Comments
What: 13 Mile Long Run which loops back to my house just over half Way. Sadly, the temptation of abandoning the run was too great so gave up after 1 hour and 7 miles.
It was too slippy and icy to keep going as I'd nearly fallen over about 4 times.
No injuries at the moment so could be set for a good training week (I'm leaning on wood as I type this).
What: off now for 10 miles at a nice steady pace
Why: a cold frosty morning with a bit of sun to enjoy
Last hard: yesterday's track work
Last rest: Friday's swim
what : 7 miles run at half marathon pace (8m45s/mile). well it's half marathon pace for me anyhow.
why : schedule says so and to celebrate maybe winning a test match
last hard : today
last rest : weds
word of warning from experience this morning - snow covered grass can also mean snow covered dog sh!te ;-}.
I headed down to the sea to avoid the worst of the slippery conditions. Plus it's flat, my legs & feet couldn't manage hills today after yesterday's xc.
It took quite a few miles to get comfortable & the hill up to my house finished me off.
Back in the warm & staying here for the rest of the day.
Last hard: Yesterday
Last rest: Fri
What: 19 miles steady in 2 hr 25
Why: due for a long one & its a nice day !
Last hard : Thur
Last rest : Sat
Big change from last week on hols in the lakes - bleak winds and lots of hills !! Managed 3 x 10 milers & 2 x 6 milers in the week there - just did'nt like the 300 ft climb in the last mile back to where we were staying. Oh, and black ice on a hilly road is a real *£$(%)& - but only fell once. Hill walking was great too.
Big Tim, did you really do 16 miles in 1 hr 30?? After yesterday, that sounds superhuman, OK it sounds super human anyway. Have a good rest now.
Hope you're all enjoying your long runs in the same weather we've got here today. KK, hope you get a good time in your 10K to make up for yesterday.
Mike - yes, we must be ready for Helsby now! wee piglet - there's a few people with 1.45 target, maybe we could pace each other ( I lose the power of speech at that pace by the way...) Your running environment sounds great.
What: 35 mins recovery off road.
Why: needed to recover. Actually wanted to go further but domestic commitments got in the way; we're going for a hill walk this p.m. so I'll still get my fix of the winter weather.
Last hard: yesterday
Last rest: Fri
It's taken more out of me than I thought.
It sould be 16M in 2hrs.
Off to lay down for a bit!!!!!!!!
Somersert: blue sky, sunny, crispy & icy!
What:1h30 min, I guess/hope ~13k
Last Rest: yesterday
Big Tim, great report from yesterday. Laura L, you sounds llike you are doing very well!
Today route description:
1st 30 mins: road undulated
2nd 30 mins: along canal/river
3rd 30 mins: kind of Off Road(the mud & grass was rock hard). On some part of the
grass, the ice was breaking and there were water under. Even tought today was icy and dry, went back home with wet muddy trainers!
What: 8m easy(66.05)
why: cos training plan said so
last hard: n/a
last rest: Friday
1st week of training for me.......bask in the groove and loving every minute of it!!!
Excellent stuff Big Tim, I could visulise the scene! Great achievement.
KK-well done even though you weren't happy. Next time!
WP-well done also on racing yesterday. Your woods sound wonderful to run in!
I look forward to reading the Helsby race report when you lot doing it have done so
What: Slob out.
Why: 13 miles yesterday and I hurt!
Hard: Yesterday. Easy pace but, as a non- Tim, that counts as blooming hard in my book!
Rest: Friday.
Right, I'm off to check out the injuries section about one of my exciting new niggles......
Sometimes I really wish at least one of our local trails didn't go uphill! But I console myself with the thought that it's all good training.
Rest day - I feel so tired now, it will probably be tomorrow!
Well today was the day to test my left knee on a real run outside - non of the comforts of the gym for me today. Local fun run league 7.5k of varied terrain, including a fair stretch of ankle grabbing stuff - temperature about freezing and think fog clutching the foot of the downs. first run for 5 weeks! Also first time in hat, gloves and tights.
Started steadily, slight niggle in the knee but decided to press on anyway. The incline on the first 3 laps was no real problem and the sludge was fun (but wet) and i kept my shoes (a past failing). Misjudged the distance - thought I'd got another lap to do at the end so finished with a flattering sprint (so the tannoy man described my increase in pace). Averaged just over 7min/mile at slightly lower avg HR than a 10K so probably not lost too much fitness.
Time will now tell how my knee reacts - its feeling a little achy as I type but no real pain.
good luck all others
Well done to everyone on today's runs
Laura - the pacing idea sounds good to me. I also lose the power of speech at anything approaching 1:45 speed, and will have to use my MP3 player to supply endorphins for the difficult bits, but it would be good if those of us aiming for the same time could somehow help each other with pace. It's only 2 weeks today! That's come round v. fast.
Why: To alleviate annoyance of yesterdays XC, and to see if my improving XC form is carrying through to my road performances.
Last Hard: Today & Yesterday (naughty me!)
Last Rest: Friday
Tough course! If anyone has done this course they'll know what I mean. Its downhill for the first half (sounds good), but then is nothing but UPHILL for the second half (ou learn a lot about yourself in the 2nd half, for instance, I learnt that I really know how to work up-hills!). As you know, you gain less downhill than you lose uphill. Having said that I had a great run! Given the said tough course, I ran 38:24 (a new 10k pb for me). This landed me 6th place (a new placing pb for me also!), 2 places ahead one of our runners who beat me at the XC yesterday, so some sort of consolation there [sorry Ed! ].
Strange thing, all my PB's have been set in rubbish conditions [Marathon @ 80 degrees temp, 1/2 Marathon at Henley, and 10k at Woodcote (both hilly)]. I hope this bodes well for my new PB's on the flat in the coming year.
Good runs posted today fellow-forumites. Long runs in the cold require a special sort of mental stamina [known as madness ].
Read you all next week...
KK
what: 20 hilly miles in 2:24
why: first long run of New Year, though popped a quick 15 miles on New Year's Day, "start as I plan to go on" kind of thing. now it's back to Horwill plan A - though I notice the old fella's been thoroughly discredited around these parts while I've been away. what's going on?!
last rest: Monday
last hard day: yesterday
What: 6 miles
Why: ease back in after 2weeks off
Last rest: yesterday, the day before, day before that......
Last hard: today!!
Why: Endurance stuff
Last hard: Tuesday
Last rest: Monday
Well the run started slowly, 11 miles at 9.15/mile pace then 3 miles at 7.20/mile with a 10 min/mile cool down.
Day off tomorrow.
sfh legs, glad your first outdoor run went well, I may be sniffy about gyms but it's obviously kept your fitness going, well done.
Ironwolf, am very jealous of your snow - do you do xcountry skiing?
KK - very well done, that's a brilliant result and plenty consolation for yesterday I would have thought.
Wee piglet - I will look out for runner with MP3 player and curly tail? Of course you have to pick the right music, sorry wrong thread.
Why: weekly long run beginning to increase distance for April 13 marathon
Last hard day: Friday tempo run
Last rest day: Monday
Simon
Minus 2, going firm to permafrost, beautiful clear, sunny day. Actually not ideal on this course as you can see just about all of the route all of the time and there are four laps.
Cautious because of my bad back so I ran a steady effort for the first three laps and pushed the last one. Limited stride length and flexibility, I couldn't have sprinted if you'd paid me. Suprised myself by running 20 seconds faster than last year on a (very slightly) longer course this year. I also beat a clubmate I've never beaten before (shouldn't matter really, but it does!)
I feel a bit like KK - if only.., what if?.. But there's no way I'm going to run a 10k pb tomorrow - hats off to you KK.
I don't actually know my position because I went off for a hot chocolate with the mrs after seeing the rest of the runners in, and forgot to go back to find out! ( I think it was about the 30 mark though).
Next rest: tomorrow, maybe the bike in the gym and a sauna.
Next hard: we'll see how the back is.
What: Full Body Strength Session plus 15min bike (181 kcals, high rpms)
Why: Weights helps guv', plus it counts towards my quality tim quota with me ol' dear.
Rest as above... very good gym sesh actually, esp. given this morning.
What: 22 hilly miles in 3hrs & 2 secs.
Why: long run + it was such a good day for a run, apart for the icy roads. At this rate I'll be lucky to go under 1:30 at Helsby!
Last hard day: probably Wednesday
Last rest day: yesterday
Can't wait for the track to reopen as I am badly in need of some quality speed sessions.
Laura - yes, on departure morning from the Lakes yesterday it was beautifully clear with fresh snow over all the hills. Fantastic and we had to leave !! C'est la vie. But at least today was great here - running up Long Walk to Windsor castle with frosty grass all around was A1 fab.
Good run today Drew, 22 miles for half marathon training! Sounds like the school of Horwill.
Cant wait for our track to re-open either mate. Having said that, I live in Reading, & our only track has been closed for the last 2.5 years, so whats new...
Nevermind i'll do a longer one tomorrow
Cold but relatively nice today - make the most of it as I gather the wind chill is due to return later this week....
what: to Caldy CC once more & 6 planned laps of the grounds became 5 when I realised how little I still had in my legs after Friday. 12.9 miles only, in 101:18
why: Sunday long run
last hard day: Fri
last rest day: Sat
Temperature about -1C - went out in my specs expecting it to be crystal clear - on such mornings in winter, you can trot along Hoylake prom and see snowy peaks in Snowdonia ahead of you; look right and slightly backwards and some of the peaks of S Cumbria (Black Combe?) are visible also.
But nothing doing - low level mist on the sea obscured things.
Not much in the legs at all - decided to omit the 6th lap of Caldy as I was plodding round the grounds in various states of partially/totally frozen quagmire.
600m from home and getting ever slower, passed a woman standing on the pavement watching her dog cr@p on the grass verge (on a lead). Passed her on the far side of the dog; which nonetheless completed its business & decided it fancied a bit of slow-moving black Lycra. I'm delighted to say that in taking evasive action I somehow managed to knee the mutt firmly in the throat......