Running away

Thanks Alan 😊



Been quiet here since but I'm still ticking over, though I'm off the back of a pretty poor week last week but hopefully I'll get back on track this week.

Feb 20th - Feb 26th (Week 8 of 2023)

Monday: usual easy + strides, short 30min while the youngster does drumming class.

Tues: Easy hour (6.5m @ 9:46)

Wed: Threshold, 2 * 2k @ 7:45, 7:32 + 1 x 1k @ 7:12 - all in correct HR range though varying ends of the range!

Thurs: Rest

Fri: 30' @ HM effort - 7:52 pace

Sat: 10m long run

Sun: Rest

Feb 27th - March 5th (Week 9 of 2023)

Monday: as per every Monday - 30 mins easy incl. strides

Tues: Easy hour (5.2m @ 10:15)

Wednesday: Threshold 2 * 12' @ 7:39 & 7:27

And that's a wrap on that week, I didn't get out again. Same old story that I'm always moaning about 🙈 feel like I'm walking on a tightrope and if anything at all crops up outside of the normal then the tightrope wobbles. Last week one of my kids had orthodontist & physio appointments and the two committees that I'm secretary on had reason to call meetings at short notice on two consecutive evenings... The combination of those 4 "extras" in my week wobbled the tightrope. Normally, I'd make it up at the weekend but I was away on Saturday (in London to The Lion King - fantastic show I'd highly recommend it to anyone when it comes to Dub later this year) and my other half was away for the full weekend so Sunday was a write off too and so that was that, onwards & upwards and it's new shoe week!! A pair of Glideride 3 arrived to my door last week so I am looking forward to trying them out this week.



I wore them last night for a 30min run incl. some strides. Very comfy shoe, I felt like I was gliding along at easy pace and I was definitely quicker for the same effort (although I hadn't run since last Wed so fresh legs may also have been a factor in that). Nothing special on the strides so I don't think I'd use them for faster sessions except for longer steady efforts. They'd be perfect for those FRR long endurance runs with some faster miles or progression thrown in 😉

Thanks. I have 2 races lined up initially in May anyways but they're just a week apart though so we'll see how it goes, I probably won't taper much for the first one seeing as it's more of a tune up race, though possibly a bit close for a tune up really. I was listening to some podcasts this week and the same theme came up twice - that people tend underestimate what they can do in the long term and over estimate what they do in the short term - I felt like they were speaking to me 🙄 So maybe I'll go with a A goal of sub 22 and a B goal that I'd be extremely happy with of a PB of any size.

March 13th - March 19th (Week 11 of 2023)

Monday: Usual 30mins easy incl some strides

Tuesday: Very easy hour

Wed: Rest

Thursday: 2 * (6' threshold, 2' rec, 4 * 1'/1' on/off).

The threshold intervals were done on HR as usual but came in @ 7:30 & 7:28 respectively. The 1' were around 6:50-6:58 (3k pace at a guess). This was done in torrential rain - it was bouncing off the roads and the roads were flooded due to so much rain falling in a short space of time, it was also dark which meant it was hard to really push the pace as I was watching through the sheets of rain & floods for potholes and uneven road surface, was very surprised at the paces really considering, not enjoyable but good to get it done.

Friday: Easy run. Pace came in at moderate (5m @ 9:19) but HR was very similar to Tuesday which was significantly slower. Had also done strength on Thursday morning so was surprised to be buzzing like this.

Saturday: 4.35 miles in all. Parkrun @ Easy Tempo pace (8:25 - 8:45) - HR was sub threshold for this, I'd say this is around my 'Steady' pace/effort.

Sunday: 8miles easy with 6 * 1min surges

33 miles for the week

We certainly can put limits on ourselves. And we are lucky here there is inspiration all around - people hitting big milestone times but also other people patiently chipping away at PBs or patiently training away for target races months down the line. Yes I'd like to be brave and go after big goals but i also don't want to over look the achievements on the journey, especially PBs of any size! Some day they will be a thing of the past so i think we should celebrate any at all while we can! In my situation, I'd love to run sub 22 and I want to chase that, but what if I don't, what If i run 22:20 in May? That is still be a huge PB and a step closer to my goal, so I don't want to walk away disappointed because I am too focussed on some arbitrary goal. There's a fine line between setting big goals and appreciating any achievement, at the end of the day they are all a bit arbitrary unless its a Boston Qualifier or scoring for a team etc.

That's my thoughts for today anyways, that could change tomorrow 😉

The qualifying times for women aren't too bad I don't think 😉

Ended up signing up for those V and I'm regretting it already! I can already hear myself cursing you mid race, try not to take it personally if your ears are burning 😂😂

March 20th - March 26th (Week 12 of 2023)

Monday: Rest/Didn't do my usual run

Tuesday: Awful night but got 50mins very easy done - got soaked to the bone and blown all around the place for my sins

Wednesday: Squeezed a lunchtime run of 3 * 1k & 4 * 100m EIM reps

Thursday: Repeated last week's session except I got dizzy half way through it and pulled the plug. No reason for the dizziness, HR was the same as last week, paces if anything were a bit slower but it felt quite humid, I was definitely over-heating a bit.

6' thr @ 7:29

4 * 1' @ 7:25, 6:46, 6:52, 7:00

4:50 thr @ 7:31 ( was supposed to be 6 mins and another 4 * 1')

Fri: Easy + Strides - the run I usually do on a Monday. Also did a Dexa scan earlier in the day, interested to see the results. When I did the LT Test in December it turned out I was 7kg lighter than when I did my last LT Test (2019). I didn't think I had lost weight - certainly not body fat and definitely not that much, maybe 1-2kg, so I am a bit concerned about bone density loss and being the age I am my GP agreed that it's good to get a baseline.

Sat: Rest

Sun: Another EIM run - 10k moderate with surges every km, 10 miles all in with w/u & c/d.

31miles in total

So it seems I have gone from having 2 5k races at the end of May to signing up for 6 weekly races starting in less than 4 weeks time. Not much time to train so I guess I will race myself fit - if I don't race myself into the ground doing it! I have no clue what any of the courses are like so I may have to kindly ask @ReeReeG to pick her brother's local knowledge to see if there's any of the races I should target more specifically for a PB 😊 I don't plan to taper for them and they coincide with leg day in the gym also I expect it will be a tough few weeks but I'm excited (and petrified) to do a 5k after a 4 year hiatus! I may not do them all, I'm sure there will be some clashes.