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Sunday 15 November 2015

Autumn leaves

Monday -  No running!

Tuesday - club tempo session 3.7 miles @ 5:56 min miles

Wednesday - AM 7.4 mile commute @ 7:23 min miles, PM 7.4 mile commute @ 7:39 min miles

Thursday - AM commute 7.4 miles @ 7:34 min miles, PM commute intervals 15 mins warm up, (6 mins on 2 rec, 2 mins on 1 rec) x 3

Friday - No running!

Saturday - intervals - inverted pyramid,10,8,6,4,2,4,6,8,10 strava link here - https://www.strava.com/activities/432398983

Sunday- steady run 16 miles @ 7:14 min miles



I was out at the previous weekend running, noticing the wet leaves under my feet. I was running on the cycle path surrounded by trees. All before me and above me I noticed all the leaves falling from the trees. What once were bright and colourful and full of life, then this time of year, it gets colder, the weather gets rubbish, things dry up, wither away and die. This happens not only in nature but in peoples lives. It gets cold and its harder for them to get out the door and running. The fitness they have built over the spring and summer dries up, withers away and dies. People out on weight, eat and drink more, and they have to work so much harder when the spring and good weather comes to get their fitness and well being back.

Im not doing that this year. I'll continue to work hard and consistent over the winter, when spring comes I'll be fitter and faster than I was during the summer. I'm sticking to 3 speed sessions a week, 2 shorter and one longer. I know its the way to get faster and with view to that I've made a few sessions up that I'll share as I do. Saturday was the first, reverse pyramids with 10 minutes on, 2 rest, 8 mins on etc. On the way back up I had only 1:30 rest, I done this purely because I k ew it woukd be more  painful, than a kick in the baws when I was starting to tire, and this had the desired effect. I had aimed to keep my intervals under 6 min miles and I failed on the last 10 mins. A further breakdown below.

Those who have started to follow will notice I ended my runstreak at about 33 days or so.  I did intend to keep it going longer but a hefty week and work and getting held on until the wee small hours meant I opted out. Not the best option but I felt my legs needed it. I may do a long runstreak at some point, but its not for everyone and I feel the benefit of taking a day off now and again. 70 miles in 5 running days this week shows I dont need to run every day to get my desired miles in too.

Anyway I'm rambling, and an easy recovery week for me this week to rehydrate with some beer in germany with my good lady, 4 days off running and then back down to nusiness on my return. Have a good week and run hard, don't forget - speedwork hurts and is hard but nothing that's easy  is worth doing,  is it?

Sunday 1 November 2015

More miles = better legs

Monday - AM commute 7.3 miles (7:10 min miles) PM  commute easy paced 7.4 miles (7:55 min miles)

Tuesday - warm up the  8 x 300m, cool down

Wednesday -20 miles easy paced (you tube video link here https://youtu.be/l0EEY3Kl6j0 )

Thursday - solo intervals 4 x 1 mile (5:46 6:00,5:58,6:04)

Friday - recovery 6.1 miles (8:08 min miles)

Saturday - solo intervals 6 x 800m ( https://www.strava.com/activities/423687696 ) PM - commute 7.4 miles (7:39 min miles)

Sunday - AM commute home 6.5 miles (8:10 min miles) PM - easy 4.7 miles (7:55 min miles)

Weekly total - 79 miles elevation 2,379 feet

This week was all about increasing the miles but also keeping in with my 3 promised speed sessions a week. A good start to the week with an easy commute each way, the focus on my commute is usually only getting the miles in unless I am using is as a speed session. The good thing about Monday morning was that I finally managed a more decent pace, I'm usually death marching from the start. Onto Tuesdays club session. Of all the sessions they do this is my least favorite. It's just too short and I feel like I dont benefit from it, I just can't get my heart rate to a decent level, with a maximum of 173. Next time I'll stay on and batter out 12 reps and see if this makes things any better.

Wednesdays 20 miler with Willy was a cracker, easy paced and we took in the 4 football stadiums in Glasgow. I had the camera so we messed about with that (youtube link above) and the easy pace reflected in my average heart rate of 136 bpm. My legs felt good after this and I felt little fatigue - until I attempted mile reps on Thursday! I always find it hard doing higher intensity alone but imagining footsteps behind chasing you is a good way to keep it going, but my legs weren't playing so that led to an easy Friday.

Saturdays 800s were also solo, I didn't note the times of each rep but averaged about 5:25 ish pace per mile. I should be doing my mile reps quicker than that but I'll take that this week, the track I used is really slippy and not maintained at all, I'll stick to the road from now on.

A commute in at night and then home in the morning, followed by an easy run in the afternoon finished the week nicely, leaving my legs fresh to attack the speedwork this coming week, I've one homemade session to try. Jelly legs here I come!



Rewarded by a nice sky on my commute home after nightshift