Accountability

Monday - 4 miles easy off road (7:13 min/miles)

Tuesday - solo 6 x 800 m https://www.strava.com/activities/416685773

Wednesday - 6.4 miles steady (7:04 min miles)

Thursday - club session 4 x 1200m https://www.strava.com/activities/418185143

Friday - steady 7.6 (7:53 min miles)

Saturday - morning commute 7.5 miles at 7:58 min miles

Sunday - AM commute 7.5 miles (7:29 min miles) PM - commute 7.5 (7:02 min miles) including 3 mins hard, 1 min recovery x 9 (I think)

Weekly miles 59 elevation 2310 ft

Well that's another week in the bag. I said last week I was going to cut down the milage and do 3 speed sessions. Tuesdays speed session was done aoone and I always struggle to put in a full effort when there is no one to be chased, or indeed chasing me but it was better than another steady run, which I've been doing a lot off recently. My legs were really tired the following day so another steady run anyway. The club session was good on Thursday, my legs were still tired and I didn't go as fast as I liked but I still managed a decent effort.

I'm getting back to feeling good with increased speed, I just need to stick to the plan and good things will come. I managed a cheeky wee lunchtime beer on friday and managed to out a not too bad effort in after that, with a decent small climb involved I felt better tnan on any hills I have for a while, maybe I need to drink more beer before runs!

A run to work on Saturday morning was met with a horrific headwind blowing the rain into my face the entire journey, but these are the good runs and the ones that matter come the sunshine and warm days. I can still barely move in the mornings and it's a bit of a shuffle but it's better than an extra hour in bed. Same on Sunday, albeit with better weather.

I had promised 3 speed sessions and I couldn't bear the thought of working hard on the way home from work, but I knew if I went for the easy option Willy Robertson would give me a hard time. It was his idea to have an accountability partner and if it wasn't for that this would have been another steady run. So onwards I went fuelled by knowing I wouldn't be getting a cheeky text from him. Willy has some great ideas and this is worth while trying out. You don't need to train with them, just tell them your weekly plan and they will make sure you stick to it. We are all accountable for our own actions but it helps to surround yourself with positive people who will make you stick to the plan, even when its 5am and you don't really feel like running. And if it's too cold, put on an extra layer - problem solved.

Oh and probably the best bit of the week, a new garmin arrived!

Right now where's my phone to give Willy a few cheeky texts about his week...😂😂😂

Return of the speedwork

Monday - AM easy 4 mile run (7:31 min miles) PM - easy 6.8 miles (7:18 min miles)

Tuesday - warm up, 6 x 800 m, cool down (5:28 min miles for the 800s) https://www.strava.com/activities/412356512

Wednesday - easy 4 mile run (7:40 min miles)

Thursday - warm up, 3 x 1 mile (5:18,5:33,5:33) https://www.strava.com/activities/413670789

Friday - easy 8 miles (7:46 min miles)

Saturday - easy 2.8 miles (7:23 min miles)

Sunday - steady 8 miles (7:15 min miles)

Weekly total 51 miles

So this week looked a lot different than it was supposed to, I had planned 75 miles but as soon as I started the speedwork I knew my legs would n't be up to the faster stuff and long miles, I'm still a few weeks away from that. Tuesdays speed session was the first for a while, although I did manage to keep to my taget but it was hard work. On Wednesday my legs just didn't have it so it was a short recovery before Thursdays club session. 3 x 1 mile I started too quickly at 5:18 and then suffered the next 2, limping home in 5:33 each time. That's the only 2 good sessions I had this week, I felt like I was just wasting miles on the other runs. I  need to get back on the foam roller, its the obvious reason my legs suffered all week.

Anyway onwards and upwards and lessons learnt for the coming week.

Broken car and garmin

Monday - steady 9.4 miles (7:03 min miles)

Tuesday - intervals on the sand. 15 mins warm up, 9 x 1:30 on, 1:30 recovery ( https://www.strava.com/activities/407529796 ) total 5.6 miles

Wednesday - AM - commute 7.3 miles (7:58 min miles) PM - commute 7.4 miles (6:52 min miles)

Thursday AM - Commute 7.4 miles (7:22 min miles) PM - intervals, same as Tuesday but with a 6 min interval (strava link here https://www.strava.com/activities/408863880 )

Friday - steady 3.8 miles (6:41 min miles)

Saturday -  11.5 miles off road (8:45 min miles)

Sunday - easy 4 miles

Weekly miles - 64, elevation 3,225 ft

This week was a bit of mix and match, I started off the week with a decent 9 miler with a small climb in it. I'm still feeling any sort of incline and it's a right struggle so far.Tuesdays speed work I done on the sand which isn't the greatest idea but it is good fun and tough on the legs. I made a mess of the session and accidentally skipped the 6 minute interval. A wee bonus! I then discovered the car didn't have an mot so I had to run to work, I still really struggle in the mornings but it's better than nothing and a good way to get the miles in without spending much time away from home.

Thursday was terrible with a broken garmin!

I repeated the interval session without skipping the 6 minute interval and managed a mile in it, so a good improvement from last week but still a lot to get back to where I was a few months ago. My weekend wasn't great with loads of beer getting drank, but I managed to keep the October streak going. Weekly milage was better and the arrival of new trainers meant there was something good out the week!

https://www.strava.com/athletes/542398