Snow snow snow

Well this week was all about getting back into the start of some proper mileage, instead of just messing about.The week started as normal with Horseshoe Monday, which this week was an easy 10 miles. Unbelievably,  my legs were still hurting slightly from the Trossachs trail race the Wednesday before, so it was good to ease them off.

On Tuesday the snow started but at this point it wasn't very deep. I had planned a hill repeats session. This is one of my weaknesses and I've not ran a hill repeat session for years. I had every excuse ready not to do it and to do an easy run instead. It's too slippy, it's getting dark, I've only slept for 3 hours, the list goes on. But I keep looking at this picture

and I don't want to be this disappointed again. So off I go. 10 reps of running through treacle while my legs are on fire. I'm not sure I was even running at some points moving up the hills but i got the job done and it was good to finally get a leg burner in the bag.

As I continue to work on my weaknesses (the biggest of which is hills obviously) I'm doing all my easy runs that I can on hills. By this time the snow had hit and I was constantly been rewarded by views like this

                                       



The hills even at an easy pace are still working my wee legs hard, but no one is going to give me the ability to run up hills fast, it's not going to magically appear so the only thing I can do is get up them every day. In many ways I feel like a beginner again at this. But I continue on and on, and it's made slightly easier by it getting slightly easier. So already feeling the benefit, and next weeks hill session will be a good bit tougher.

An 18 miler on Friday was pretty miserable. Freezing, icy and pouring rain but I got the job done and my legs at the end felt as fresh as when I'd started, Bonus!

I ended up on 70 miles for the week, pretty much my go to mileage, with 6500ft of climbing. The highlight of the week for me, was running around Balloch Park with my eldest daughter. She didn't ask to go sledging, or go make a snowman, she insisted on going out running with me in the heaving snow. Running can be such a selfish sport, and I often worry that I'm spending too much time away from home, too much time away from the kids when I should be doing other things. But I'm living in hope that it teaches them the dedication and sacrifice that you don't get from book learning. To work hard when you don't feel like it. If you only work hard on the days you feel good, you'll never get anything done.

                       
                                                              My favorite miles

I have to say, I am super impressed with Inov8s latest X Talons. Fortunately for me, these come in the team colours of black n red. With all the ice, snow, mud I've ran in this week, I haven't slipped or fallen once! Much better than the previous versions I've used and I've had total confidence in them doing speed work and decending quickly!! You can check them out at the link below here -

                                                              

The finish line photo

Finish line photos are great. To catch people's immediate emotions as they cross the line of whatever race they are doing as they meet their targets, achieve what they once thought they would never be able to do as they are cheered and applauded on by crowds of family, friends and strangers. I love being at the finish line watching people cross the line and reach their goals. For me it's one of my favorite parts of race day. However sometimes we aren't always happy. Which is shown in my Stirling Marathon finish line photo. I think it sums up just about every ounce of disappointment I felt that day.

Stirling was the only 'proper' race I had on this year. Due to great planning, my marathon training was due to start the week my baby was born, so I got off to a flyer by taking a rest week to hang about with the newest addition. The next 9 weeks or so involved the soon to be Mrs Shaw allowing me to run whenever I wanted, however the appeal of home life was far too great and my training was littered with missed runs and runs that were cut short so I could get home to my growing family. I did turn up on race day hopeful as ever but my lack of decent training showed and I ended up finishing with what I feel was my most disappointing performance to date, despite me having  huge pool of underwhelming performances to choose from. It is still my favorite finish line photo I've had, and it will take a lot to beat for many reasons.

Moving swiftly on and I didn't have any races at all over the summer. What I did have was pretty much non stop beer drinking just about every day. Doesn't really help the running in any way but it did help me sleep through the night while my soon to be wife won at wifeing for me and the kids. Who knows how I would survive without her doing everything for me and supporting me everywhere.

In September the soon to be Mrs Shaw finally became Mrs Shaw...woooop woooop! Then I had a cheeky 5 weeks off work, which was felt with a bang when I went back to work and run the Kielder Marathon in a little over 3:30.

For those who are wondering, the above picture is what it looks like to drink constantly for months, do zero training and then run a marathon. It hurt a good bit. But it doesn't take me too long to get back into it and with a solid 2 weeks training under my belt, and some days off the beer I managed a PB at the Lochaber half marathon in 1:20 with a good bit less pain in my face and body.

So it aint all bad! 2018 will be a bit different. Back to the proper racing with a middle sized ultra and hopefully another 24 hour race, that's where it's at! I didn't achieve much running in 2017 but I did extend my wee family to 1 more daughter, and upgraded my number 1 supporter to my wife, so I can safely say it's my best year I've had yet. Different, but I've never looked this happy in a finish line photo...

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