Phoenix from the flames

Cooler and a bit blustery with wind coming from the west. Feeling much better today and felt more like something approaching normal. Same 10K route as last 2 runs. I started quick and stayed quick. First 5K clocked off in 23:45 and felt OK at the top of Hedgehog hill.

I struggled a little concentration wise on the run in and found my pace occasionally dropping off due to me not thinking about my speed. Run in was nearly all straight into the wind for the return 5K.

Finished in 49:49....so big jump in performance from last 2 outings with nearly 30 seconds per km quicker over the whole 10K.

Lungs felt like space hoppers and I couldn't really get out of breath despite coming in fast in the last 1.5K, legs felt more tired than my cardio side which is my normal situation....Recovery was also very quick and I was perfect by the time I'd walked the 500M back to the house.

10K Deja Vu

Same weather, same distance and same route. 5K in 25:24 and 10K in 54:25. I was gubbed again going up the hill at 5K but didn't need a walk this time although it was very hard going.

I'm still coughing all the way round and clearly it takes me longer to recover from a chesty cough than a week. I definately feel the pace cardio wise and thats not something I've had problems with at anytime in my training to date.

Cough Cough Splutter

Been suffering a cough and chest infection for the last week so getting up and down the stairs has been enough of a challenge. I managed a 10K run last night and it was a tough outing. Legs were fine and my pace was quick at the start but I ran out of puff pretty quick and Hedgehog hill at the 5K mark was a killer in 24:59. I finished in 54:29 including 2 minutes walking as I was so wiped out. Felt great after the run though and was on a real upper the rest of the night. Its very sunny and warm here today so I might try another 10K tonight. Clearly though still some after effects.

The long and tiring road - Kilomathon England 26K

5K run on Friday night with Brownie round Leamington shows me that the hamstring still wasn't quite right yet. I used a heat pad and two or three glasses of Borolo for the whole night after the run to try and help it recover.

I think after the run that we definately need to see Brownie out training more to try to get him up to full match fitness.The goal being a group run later in the year with Stu,Chico and Dougie.

The big day arrives. Stu and I manage to swerve the dangers of too many beers at Brownies and keep our consumption during the Scotland-England match down to 4 pint's and a gallon of Soda and lime each. Pasta bake from Jacqui then bed at 10:30pm on Saturday night for an ungodly rise at 5:30am to get to Nottingham from Leamington Spa.

5:30am Falling out of bed to the beeping alarms the thoughts were not positive...What was I thinking about coming all this way to get up in the middle of the night to torture myself on a 26K run....too late now.

We got there without incident in about 50 minutes thanks to Stu's GPS and managed a few snacks in the car on the way.

Start took ages and we were standing about freezing for not a lot short of and hour and a half. The wind was brisk and the temp was about 4 Degrees C. Occasional glimpses of sun warmed the weary runners.

Off at 9am. About 5500 runners and all pretty orderly for the first 5K which dropped off in 25 mins exactly. At 8K I could feel my hamstring a bit and a muscle pain from a thigh cramp I'd had during the night on Friday. At 10K I was feeling OK and time was 53 mins. Wind now right into my face as we headed from Nottingham out to Derby. Directly into the wind for about 9K, and it was bloody freezing. I ran with a long sleeve compression top, short sleeved running top and a running rain jacket. I had my leggings on under my shorts and my hat on. Still pretty cold.

Stu pulled away after about 10K and was in my sights till about 14K. I was in the same group for a lot of the race. As we started quite near the front I saw only a small handful of people falling back but was overhauled by what felt like was the whole of Nottingham.

Plenty of support from the locals and I needed all the encouragement I could get. At half marathon distance I was 1:53 so hardly blistering pace but not actually that bad for first run of the season. That 21K distance actually felt quite short and stopping then would have been very agreeable and I'd have felt good. Still 13 minutes slower than my previous personal best for the half marathon distance.

The additional 5K to 26K doesn't sound like much but I found it very hard going and my legs and feet were pretty sore for the rest of the run. At 23K I got the run in boost and knew then I'd be OK but had to keep my mind off the pain. I had to shorten my stride length a bit as my hamstring was sore on longer strides but I finished in a cold and painful 2:26. About 16 mins slower than I estimated when I signed up after Glasgow marathon last year.

However with just 3-4 weeks of real training its a pretty good result. Stu came in with a very nice 2:13 time and is showing that clearly his legs are as young as his boyish coupon.

A good distance and a great weekend, however I'm as proud of avoiding a big session during the Rugby game as I am at finishing...both were very difficult.

Chapeau to Family Brown for the usual tip top hospitality. Next time I'm over I'll not be running, unless its to the bar and back.

Lichfield 10K warmup

Did a quick hour round Lichfield including two circuits of the big pond. I didn't measure it but I was out for just under 1 hour. A lovely run on a nice evening. My hamstring was a bit sore on the last 2K , especially on the uphill section but it was just a pain not really slowing me down. I finished and felt just like I'd had a warm up so legs felt like they had distance in them. Hamstring still a little bit tender this morning but again its just a sensation. I've had this once before during a football game but it was on my right leg and was when I stretched for a ball. I'll see if I can get a hot water bottle to put on it at my Auntie Jacqui's tonight.

Cut you in two - Part Deux (18K)

Sun and blue sky above Belgium. It looked like a fantastic day from inside the house. One step outside and I thought I'd been transported a la Mr Benn to Siberia. Check out the first episode HERE. This was what I watched as a very very young kid. As a teenager we'd discuss the fact that Mr Benn never went to work and that he was obviously a businessman who was signing the dole but not wanting to let his neighbours know. A fallout from living through Mrs Thatcher's unemployment regime of the early 80's....

The wind was very strong and painfully steady from the East and it was as cold a wind as I can remember, certainly as cold a wind as I can remember when I was out with shorts on and not a pair of skis in sight.

The first 5K to the top of M.Hedgehog is almost exclusively straight into the wind and all my extremities are really feeling the cold. Eyes streaming and fingers numb and oddly above only blue sky and the bright bright sun.

5K drops off in 25:45 so reasonable enough and I was still feeling a little tight in the legs. Up the cobbles and down to Butte Du Lion and 11K in 1:00:18...just shy of getting under the hour.

I really started to wind up the pace down the N5 and was pushed along at a great clip by Runrig singing this old favorite I felt my legs really loosening up and my pace felt extremely fast without actually feeling any cardio strain.

The turn at the farm back down home leaving about 3.5K put me straight into the wind again and I felt my legs starting to ache but I kept up a reasonable pace until I felt a tweak at the back of my leg on the downhill section. At first I thought I'd caught a hair on my leg but it got worse and as I running downhill and was stretching my strides I was sure it was a hamstring problem. I stopped for a minute and a quick stretch and massage and it felt better. I dropped the pace as I only had 1.5K to go and as it was mostly uphill after that my strides were naturally shorter so less stress on the back of my leg.

No permanent damage done and despite the stop my finish time was 1:36:32, still had a bit left in the tank at the end as I was taking it easy on the run in.

Current running music playlist highlights

Difficult for Weirdos
Made in Germany
100MPH
She's Alright FANTASTIC To Run To
This is the last time
Black Burning Heart

oohhhh aahhhh oohhh aahhhh

Sore feet and legs today, just feels like I've been training hard. I'll do nothing this evening and look for one more long run either Saturday or Sunday. My plan is to try to also fit in a couple of 10K sessions before the race on Sunday but I'm travelling next week so opportunities for this will be limited. I probably won't run after Thursday morning. I need to go to Derby on Saturday and pick up my race gear and then its an 8:15am gate closure on Sunday morning in Nottingham for a 9am race start.

Cut you in two oot there - 18K

Sunny and blue skies all day. Tempting me out for an early evening run. As soon as I stepped outside I was blasted with a very cold North-East wind. Running straight into it for the first 5K, 26:10.

I was quite tired and my legs were weary at the top of Hedgehog hill and I put this all down to the wind. At 11K I was 1:03:10 which is about the same as Monday and a finish in 1:40:58 was just over a minute quicker than Monday morning and half the run was into the teeth of a biting wind. I picked the minute up in the last 7K.

Glad to be finished and legs were pretty sore after my shower. A couple of blisters on my toes but feet holding up well to a big week of training and no injuries.

10K Easy Run

I'm staying at Lumley Castle in the UK, just drove up from Birmingham in what felt like a Trabant but was well disguised as a Nissan Note 1.4. Legs a bit stiff but 2hrs 40 min is a good time for that distance, if only I could run it as fast.

Gear on and out down the riverside past Chester-Le-Street Cricket ground and along the riverside path. a fantastic run as the sun was setting. Quite chilly as I only had a couple of tee shirts to wear so the wind cut right in. I wasn't sure of the distance but I was out for 58 minutes and tried a sprint finish up the hill back to the hotel. Will be 10K or so.

A very nice area to run in and a nice setup for a mega dinner since lunch was only a pork pie and a fruit smoothie. :O)

Early Doors 18K

So up and out very early for another 18K fun run.....out the door and feeling a bit stiff but nothing terminal. First 5K and up M.Hedgehog at 26mins so time is fine. 11K in 1:03 and feeling a lot better than Saturday. Finished in 1:42:08 which is 6 minutes faster than Saturday. So 20 seconds per KM quicker...a fair improvement in a short time but I had at least eaten :o)