On Monday we got back from North Yorkshire, I purposely did not take my running shoes!  Beautiful scenery and would have been great to do some fell running but wanted to have a couple of days off running.

Anyway, I considered going over to Oxspring to run the Trunce but I felt quite drained and talked my self out of that idea and went for a 10 mile run mid afternoon.  7:36 minute miles, was a bit disappointed with this and found it tough from 4 miles.  I could have cut it short but decided to finish the run.

Tuesday was training with the Doncaster Pacers group, we did a simple out and back run with the group along the red path (Bessacarr).  We all ran out for 20 minutes and then ran back so everyone ran a different distance but we all got 40 minutes in.  As I was one of the group leaders I was running between the front and back runners so I put some bits of tempo running in between chatting to the group members.   Total distance run was 4.5 miles and this averaged out at 10 minute miles pace, so a dead steady recovery run for me.

Wednesday I tried a new route out, I was working in Edlington and I ran a 2.9 mile loop twice with 1 minute recovery.  The first loop was run at 7:12 minute miles and the second 7:09 minute miles.  The run had long gentle hills.

Thursday was speed training with the Doncaster Pacers, Paul Brown introduced us to a great loop about 500m long on grass and we ran a relay event as fast as we could, I averaged 5:30 min miles for 6 legs.  To finish we did 4 x 100m hill climbs flat out with jog back down to recover (6:10 minute miles).  This session would be suitable for any runner who is looking to improve, the sessions are just as tough as track sessions.  We have been doing specific speed work every Thursday.  All the Pacers group that run the parkrun have been seeing their times tumbling down by minutes after doing this session!

Friday I went out to do some long intervals with jog recovery in Sandall Beat / on Armthorpe pit for the hills.  Total was 10k run at 7:15 minute miles.  I was delighted to get some KOM’s back on Strava which is always a good sign!  If you have not signed up yet why not?

Saturday I volunteered at the Doncaster Parkrun, I took photographs and processed the results.  24 Doncaster Athletic Club athletes took part and the course records are getting close to being broken.

I went for a long steady run in the afternoon with Richard Chandler, we did 11.5 miles @ 8:18 minute miles.  Hoping to make this a regular long run of varying distances and pace.  Great to get out running with running buddies again.

Sunday we went out on a run with the Doncaster Pacers, as part of running the group we have committed to putting on Sunday runs at various locations across Doncaster.  Today was 50 minutes running along the River Don from Hexthorpe Park, this was done at 11:47 minute miles.

I used this as a long warm up and I ran home which was 5km @ 7:01 minute miles.

Summary

So this week I have done 8.24 miles with the Pacers nice and steady.

2 miles of very high intensity work with the Pacers.

15.2 miles of quick threshold.

10 miles of slow threshold

11.5 miles of recovery

+ Other bits gives me a total of 48 miles for the week!  Lots of nice variety which is exactly hat I need right now.