I really did not feel like going for a long run today so I made sure I went as in 4 weeks I will not have a choice.

It was not that bad really, probably 25% on snow and ice – the rest was clear.  Lots of standing water and fairly strong wind.  Did not push it and ran the second half faster than the first.  It was about 1 degree C.

Lots of cyclists out going in all directions on the main roads.  Got beeped at 3 miles (Jay Buxton), 16 miles (Darren and T) and 19 miles (Digger).

20 Miles in 2:29:26, AvHR 143.

Don’t know why but on the A614 the snow was a foot deep in places on the path so ran on the road but occasionally had to try to run in the show when the road got busy.

1) – 1m – 7:58(7:58/m) – 151bpm avge – 174bpm max – 73cal
2) – 1m – 7:25(7:25/m) – 159bpm avge – 172bpm max – 110cal
3) – 1m – 7:06(7:06/m) – 149bpm avge – 159bpm max – 93cal
4) – 1m – 7:17(7:17/m) – 144bpm avge – 152bpm max – 94cal
5) – 1m – 7:37(7:37/m) – 147bpm avge – 153bpm max – 105cal
6) – 1m – 7:46(7:46/m) – 141bpm avge – 149bpm max – 89cal
7) – 1m – 7:35(7:35/m) – 139bpm avge – 146bpm max – 82cal
8) – 1m – 7:42(7:42/m) – 139bpm avge – 148bpm max – 79cal
9) – 1m – 7:43(7:43/m) – 139bpm avge – 147bpm max – 83cal
10) – 1m – 7:54(7:54/m) – 134bpm avge – 154bpm max – 65cal
11) – 1m – 7:37(7:37/m) – 138bpm avge – 149bpm max – 72cal
12) – 1m – 7:27(7:27/m) – 138bpm avge – 148bpm max – 71cal
13) – 1m – 7:33(7:33/m) – 140bpm avge – 149bpm max – 71cal
14) – 1m – 7:22(7:22/m) – 141bpm avge – 152bpm max – 69cal
15) – 1m – 7:12(7:12/m) – 144bpm avge – 153bpm max – 77cal
16) – 1m – 7:04(7:04/m) – 145bpm avge – 154bpm max – 73cal
17) – 1m – 7:14(7:14/m) – 146bpm avge – 154bpm max – 81cal
18) – 1m – 7:19(7:19/m) – 145bpm avge – 154bpm max – 73cal
19) – 1m – 7:04(7:04/m) – 148bpm avge – 160bpm max – 80cal
20) – 1m – 7:26(7:26/m) – 147bpm avge – 156bpm max – 76cal

Wednesday 20 March – Rest day.

Thursday – Functional movement class with circuits followed by 2.35 mile warm up, 5 miles of steady state (6:48 min miles AvHR 151) and 1.36 mile warm down.  The first 2 miles of the session were quite tough but then I found my stride and finished well.

1) – 1m – 6:56(6:56/m) – 145bpm avge – 154bpm max – 105cal
2) – 1m – 7:13(7:13/m) – 150bpm avge – 159bpm max – 110cal
3) – 1m – 6:49(6:49/m) – 150bpm avge – 157bpm max – 103cal
4) – 1m – 6:32(6:32/m) – 156bpm avge – 160bpm max – 103cal
5) – 1m – 6:32(6:32/m) – 157bpm avge – 160bpm max – 103cal

Friday – 4.2 mile recovery run in the snow:

1) – 1m – 7:29(7:29/m) – 150bpm avge – 174bpm max – 55cal
2) – 1m – 7:40(7:40/m) – 141bpm avge – 161bpm max – 97cal
3) – 1m – 7:10(7:10/m) – 138bpm avge – 146bpm max – 97cal
4) – 1m – 7:28(7:28/m) – 136bpm avge – 143bpm max – 94cal
5) – 0.2m – 1:29(7:26/m) – 144bpm avge – 150bpm max – 21cal

Saturday woke up to about 10cm of snow so I decided to postpone my long run.  I did 30 minutes on my elliptical cross trainer followed my 15 minutes the rowing machine.  I then did 6 miles on the town fields in the soft snow.  I felt this was a good all round session of about an hour and a half.

1) – 1m – 7:36(7:36/m) – 129bpm avge – 144bpm max – 93cal
2) – 1m – 7:54(7:54/m) – 141bpm avge – 153bpm max – 107cal
3) – 1m – 8:10(8:10/m) – 139bpm avge – 147bpm max – 111cal
4) – 1m – 7:59(7:59/m) – 144bpm avge – 150bpm max – 116cal
5) – 1m – 8:15(8:15/m) – 140bpm avge – 148bpm max – 109cal
6) – 1m – 7:58(7:58/m) – 142bpm avge – 149bpm max – 106cal

Recovery run on Sunday, 5.29 miles @ 7:22 pace, AvHR 139.  15 minutes on rowing machine.

Threshold run on Monday, 8.01 miles @ 6:59 pace, AvHR 150. 15 minutes on rowing machine.

Took my resting heart rate when I woke up on Tuesday, 47 bpm.

Arrived at the time trials and did 1 lap warm up, not surprisingly my legs felt tired.  I still had a good run, lap 1 in 10:00, lap 2 in 10:20 and lap 3 in 10:27.  My HvHR was 161 in my tempo zone.  I ran my third fastest time of the series in about 30:47.  10 minutes on rowing machine.

1) – 1m – 6:17(6:17/m) – 163bpm avge – 181bpm max – 37cal
2) – 1m – 6:12(6:12/m) – 161bpm avge – 166bpm max – 101cal
3) – 1m – 6:21(6:21/m) – 162bpm avge – 165bpm max – 105cal
4) – 1m – 6:35(6:35/m) – 160bpm avge – 165bpm max – 107cal
5) – 0.84m – 5:20(6:20/m) – 161bpm avge – 165bpm max – 87cal

Wednesday rest day.

I had planned to run a tempo run on Thursday but I felt tired so ran with Mark Higham who was also running a steady one.

Friday rest day.

Saturday did a long run – 20 miles in 2:26:17 – AvHR 145  7:19 minute miles.  My target time was 2:30:00 so that was ok.  I was feeling quite good at 11 miles so I decided to run from the roundabout on High Common Lane (A614) to Blaxton roundabout (A614) – 3.3 miles length at my planned marathon pace.  This is quite flat and boring so I was pleased to have a go and I managed to keep it at about 6:42 minute miles.

Struggled a bit for the last 3 or 4 miles but I kept the pace at 7:15 for the last 2 miles.  Drank all my 1.5l of water and took 2 gels.

It was breezy and at times drizzling with areas of standing water.

I am about to loose another toe nail on my right foot.

today’s kit

1) – 1m – 7:36(7:36/m) – 159bpm avge – 175bpm max – 98cal
2) – 1m – 7:16(7:16/m) – 143bpm avge – 162bpm max – 103cal
3) – 1m – 7:19(7:19/m) – 145bpm avge – 155bpm max – 101cal
4) – 1m – 7:17(7:17/m) – 145bpm avge – 158bpm max – 95cal
5) – 1m – 7:33(7:33/m) – 146bpm avge – 151bpm max – 104cal
6) – 1m – 7:25(7:25/m) – 144bpm avge – 158bpm max – 96cal
7) – 1m – 7:20(7:20/m) – 141bpm avge – 148bpm max – 86cal
8) – 1m – 7:37(7:37/m) – 142bpm avge – 149bpm max – 89cal
9) – 1m – 7:18(7:18/m) – 140bpm avge – 150bpm max – 77cal
10) – 1m – 7:23(7:23/m) – 142bpm avge – 145bpm max – 90cal
11) – 1m – 7:12(7:12/m) – 136bpm avge – 149bpm max – 60cal
12) – 1m – 6:39(6:39/m) – 150bpm avge – 161bpm max – 89cal
13) – 1m – 6:45(6:45/m) – 151bpm avge – 159bpm max – 99cal
14) – 1m – 6:42(6:42/m) – 152bpm avge – 157bpm max – 101cal
15) – 1m – 7:42(7:42/m) – 143bpm avge – 153bpm max – 77cal
16) – 1m – 7:35(7:35/m) – 141bpm avge – 145bpm max – 65cal
17) – 1m – 7:33(7:33/m) – 145bpm avge – 153bpm max – 80cal
18) – 1m – 7:32(7:32/m) – 146bpm avge – 151bpm max – 80cal
19) – 1m – 7:16(7:16/m) – 147bpm avge – 153bpm max – 84cal
20) – 1m – 7:15(7:15/m) – 148bpm avge – 153bpm max – 86cal

If I keep it up I will smash 200 miles this month (never done that before).

I decided to have a rest day on Saturday, did not do much apart from walk the dog and shoot off to Asda at the last minute to get Rose some mothers day presents from Caroline and Sophie.

Up at 7am, normal breakfast and set off at 8:15.  Got my number and ran a 2 mile warm up with Paul Cooke (who went on to smash his PB by 14 minutes).

Set off near the front with Steve McGuire, Jenny Blizard and Dave Tune.  They were running at about the pace I wanted to achieve and were kind enough to act as “wind breaks”.  It was about 2 degrees and quite windy but overall the conditions were quite good.  At times I felt like letting my running companions go but other times I felt quite strong.  I loved the undulating profile, just my sort of race (no bad hills).

I finished with a PB of 1:23:48 ish which is about 50 seconds quicker than my previous best which was Sheffield 2 years ago.  My AvHR was 158, bottom half of my tempo zone.

I went through 10k in 38:57 and10 miles in 1:03:34 (12 seconds slower than my 10 mile PB).

Jenny was first lady to finish, Dave Sedgwick ran a PB and finished 8th and Steve McGuire looked strong through out, finding his form again. Dave Tune earns a bottle.

The website I upload my runs to makes the following prediction based on this run which will do nicely!:

Splits:

1) – 1m – 6:06(6:06/m) – 171bpm avge – 191bpm max – 32cal
2) – 1m – 6:10(6:10/m) – 163bpm avge – 172bpm max – 95cal
3) – 1m – 6:13(6:13/m) – 164bpm avge – 176bpm max – 101cal
4) – 1m – 6:22(6:22/m) – 161bpm avge – 173bpm max – 103cal
5) – 1m – 6:23(6:23/m) – 160bpm avge – 167bpm max – 104cal
6) – 1m – 6:30(6:30/m) – 158bpm avge – 178bpm max – 105cal
7) – 1m – 6:24(6:24/m) – 157bpm avge – 165bpm max – 102cal
8) – 1m – 6:32(6:32/m) – 157bpm avge – 182bpm max – 102cal
9) – 1m – 6:29(6:29/m) – 157bpm avge – 173bpm max – 108cal
10) – 1m – 6:34(6:34/m) – 152bpm avge – 170bpm max – 84cal
11) – 1m – 6:34(6:34/m) – 160bpm avge – 171bpm max – 72cal
12) – 1m – 6:22(6:22/m) – 147bpm avge – 168bpm max – 79cal
13) – 1m – 6:25(6:25/m) – 156bpm avge – 172bpm max – 12cal
14) – 0.14m – 44(5:12/m) – 176bpm avge – 188bpm max – 1cal

Went for a steady recovery run after work, found it quite tough but ok,

6.06 miles in 45:15, 7:28 minute miles AvHR 141 which is the middle of my recovery zone.

Pleased to report that I have no blisters, no niggles that are causing me any worry and my cold is very mild at the moment.

Sophie runs with DAC for the first time tomorrow so hopefully she will enjoy it.

Feeling quite good after a rest day yesterday (felt like running but held back).

2.43 mile warm up and 2.03 mile warm down.

The session went well with consistent times – pleased to run the last one fastest overall chasing Mick Page.  Great turnout and good group:

1) – 0.52m – 3:00(5:45/m) – 147bpm avge – 161bpm max – 40cal
2) – 0.54m – 2:58(5:33/m) – 152bpm avge – 164bpm max – 44cal
3) – 0.53m – 2:59(5:39/m) – 152bpm avge – 172bpm max – 40cal
4) – 0.53m – 2:56(5:33/m) – 158bpm avge – 175bpm max – 24cal
5) – 0.53m – 2:56(5:33/m) – 159bpm avge – 171bpm max – 37cal
6) – 0.53m – 2:59(5:38/m) – 155bpm avge – 169bpm max – 41cal
7) – 0.52m – 2:57(5:39/m) – 155bpm avge – 169bpm max – 37cal
8) – 0.53m – 2:58(5:34/m) – 153bpm avge – 167bpm max – 38cal
9) – 0.52m – 2:56(5:36/m) – 154bpm avge – 170bpm max – 39cal
10) – 0.52m – 2:54(5:33/m) – 157bpm avge – 168bpm max – 38cal

This was the end of what was probably my most ever intense 4 days of training back to back totaling 46 and a bit miles.

Woke up with a bit of a head cold, toyed with the idea of not doing the race but it was such a nice day and Rose was running so I thought I should give is a go.

I did about 1.37 miles of warm up (my legs felt quite stiff) and to start with this was dead slow.

Headed over to the start not really thinking about how far back I was, this was probably the worst starting position I have ever had.  I passed about 200 people in the first mile.  I did not really push myself to hard on the climbs but I really went for it on the down hill bits.  I finished in 67th place with a time of 58:49 AvHR 157 (which is just into my threshold pace) – 6:31 min miles.

Really good turnout from DAC with some new faces.

thanks to clare spencer / stevelow dens for this photo on facebook

Rose did well to finish in a time of 78:50.

My splits were:

1) – 1m – 6:27(6:27/m) – 145bpm avge – 162bpm max – 81cal
2) – 1m – 6:17(6:17/m) – 159bpm avge – 163bpm max – 99cal
3) – 1m – 6:27(6:27/m) – 160bpm avge – 163bpm max – 102cal
4) – 1m – 6:40(6:40/m) – 158bpm avge – 161bpm max – 105cal
5) – 1m – 6:24(6:24/m) – 159bpm avge – 167bpm max – 98cal
6) – 1m – 6:50(6:50/m) – 159bpm avge – 166bpm max – 106cal
7) – 1m – 6:45(6:45/m) – 157bpm avge – 170bpm max – 101cal
8) – 1m – 6:41(6:41/m) – 158bpm avge – 162bpm max – 102cal
9) – 1m – 6:12(6:12/m) – 158bpm avge – 165bpm max – 94cal