18 carat 18K

Big run due as I've been doing mostly 10K's and also I had a very lazy week this week so I needed to make amends. Cool day at about 6C with a little wind from the East. First 5K was 25:10 and it was at a pace that recognised I was going longer. I was OK at the top of the Hedgehog and continued onto Ohain and the next hill.

My left thigh felt a bit stiff for the next 3-4K but it eventually eased or was replaced by knee pain. At the 11K timing point at Butte Du Lion I'm there in 59:20 and was really happy I'd dipped under the hour mark for the first time this year.

This spurred me on and I tried to concentrate on keeping the pace up and soon enough I was at the farm turn back to Lasne around 2:18 which I knew was close to my best for the year at this point.

I kept trying to keep the pace going and I felt great on the flats and uphill sections. As ever the downhill sections give me problems. The final climb up the last steep hill was difficult but I felt great cardio wise and was only carrying some tiredness in my legs. I decided to kick for the end with about 800M to go and kept a really quick pace up all the way to the end. I think the shorter faster training has helped my ability to up the pace a bit. I finished in 1:35:40 which is the quickest time for that route for me this year.

I was really puffing at the finish and after a shower and a drink I had a wee 40 winks rest on the couch watching Fabian Cancellara burst a gut and scoop the Paris-Roubaix after taking Tour de Flanders last week.It wasn't as exciting as last year but he is just in a league of his own at the moment. Boonen didn't have an answer to the sprint with just 50K to go.

We're out for dinner tonight and I think I deserve it after a great shift. Weight after the run is back at 76.3KG and was 76.6KG pre run.