Scorchio !!!

Phew 25C today and nice and sunny...Another typical day en Belgique....:O)....Been stuck in front of PC screen most of the day and then caught second half of a surprisingly boring Brasil-Portugal match. Between the heat, the poor game and the sitting about I was feeling a bit lethargic. A little bit of evening cloud was taking away the worst of the sun so a quick 10K to start the weekend with a bang rather than a whimper.



First 5K were testy to say the least and I felt I started out a bit quick and was having to pull myself in. I was at the top of Hedgehog hill and panting in 25:31. So pretty average. The hill drained me a fair bit and I took a while to recovery. Sweat nipping my eyes just adding to the discomfort. I got to 7.5K in about 40 minutes. I tried to kick a bit but i was really struggling and it was as much as I could do to keep one foot following the other. Finished in 53:12 which is hardly olympic standard. Glad I did it though and its another 10K in the Bank Baby ......

Back on the Chain gang

10K Sunday run. Started off slower than Saturday and was at 5K in 25:35 with little stress at the top of the hill. Its amazing how much difference 1 minute makes when running 5K. I managed to keep my concentration better for the last 5K than on Saturday and overall it felt much less ragged round the edges.

I caught sight of a guy in the distance with about 3K to go and tried to up my pace to ctacxh him. I made up about half the distance but never quite caught him. I had a few moments of back pain on the last 2K and it felt like it was coming from my hip. Not sure if its serious but it was painful but only for a few seconds at a time. I finished in 51:38...so not a lot of difference.

Feet still sore and I have blisters on my blisters.....

10K deja vu

10K run on Saturday, same route as normal. I started off quite fast as I felt I lagged it a bit the other day as I wasn't timing myself. I was 24:20 for 5K at the top of Hedgehog hill which is quite pacy and I was feeling it. Although it wasn't too warm I had a long sleeve top on and that was keeping things at the top end of the thermometer.

Once up the hill and on the flat I recovered reasonably quickly and just kept plodding along. I did notice that my mind was wandering a lot to things other than running. I think as you run more you manage to keep your mind much more focussed on run itself, rather than on solving the problems of the world.

I finished in 51:26 which is pretty average for me. Sore feet at the end and the startings of a few small blisters on the middle of my right foot and on my toes. Again I think due ot lack of match practice :O)

10K....

Been travelling all week and also picked up a bad head cold and sore throat. Tried a 10K last night in the early evening. Team K manager been out pounding the pavements building up my guilt. I had picked up new headphones for my MP3 player as the old ones had quit working on one side. Pretty good design MX680 Sports by Adidas/Sennheiser.

Small wing thing folds into your ear and holds them tight into the ears. Quite loud too :)

10K was fine and a lot easier than I though it would be.

14K Phew

Hot hot hot...18K that I cut short to 14K as it was too hot. Legs were dying and its due to lack of stamina. Felt like I hadn't eaten enough but that wasn't true. Clearly your body builds up energy stores as you get fitter and my stores are dropping as I get less fit.....

Hat Tip to Philippe for finishing Rapperswil Ironman in Switzerland again on Sunday. 30C+ heat so must have felt like forever out there. Running down past the train lines through the high rise buildings must have been like an oven...Well done :O) and yes I'm jealous.