In the Long Run....

I was lumping around the house most of yesterday morning feeling a bit lethargic. I knew that I needed a run but really didn't feel like it. After multiple snacking sessions and toilet visits I ran out of excuses.

I set out with a 20K target but my mindset wasn't right and I was feeling very tired and tight around the legs. At the 5K line I was 25:32 and although Hedgehog hill wasn't a real problem I felt like I never had any real energy stores.

At 10K I was still OK but I knew my legs were not as strong as usual. The strong westerly wind right into my face for the next 4K didn't really help much. At the turn down the N5 the wind was then just cutting across me but it was certainly much less of a problem.

Straight down the N5 to the farm turn at 1:37. I was down the dip and up the final hill and finished in 1:52:59 so slower than my last run a couple of weeks ago. It was a much colder day and I was happy for a hot shower after the run. This is the first time I've felt this for months as its been pretty warm here over the summer.

However 20K under the belt.

10K and 10K

Yesterday we did a brick session with a mountain bike cycle for 10K and then a 10K run over the same route. I was out for 26 mins on the bike and 52 on the run.At the end of the cycle leg I was in perfect condition. I was OK at the end of the run and could have ran on without too much trouble but I was a bit tight in the thighs this morning. Clearly not used to the cycling.

Team Kennedy manager did the same session as me and so we're getting ready for the big race on 11th Sept. I'm hoping to get a big run in this weekend.

oohh I do love to be beside the seaside...

We're down at the Belgian coast this weekend. I did around 12K-13K run on Sunday. Along the coast from Knokke-Heist to close to the Dutch border and back. Straight out down the coastal path then back through the nature parks and into the back of town. Sunny with a nice wind and I ran alongside Team Kennedy and the Clan van der Walle who were all on their bikes.

This kept my pace up and steady and they all had a good time laughing at my huffing and puffing while they cruised on shiny bikes. A nice run for me to get me back in the swing of it and killing off my final jetlag. A good way to keep the pace high and your motivation up for the whole run since you are being watched every step. I was running for 1:08:22.

Indoor Brick Session

Did 30 minutes on bike and covered 11 miles(16KM) over mixed terrain and then 30 minutes running over mixed terrain managing 3.5 miles(5.5km). It was very hot inside and hilly sections on treadmill were up to 13.5% incline, so quite difficult. Good session and my calfs were painful at the start of the run.

5K at the gym

Travelling in the US this week, up early and into the gym. Quick 5K in 25 minutes and I was dying. I can't run inside....I just cook.

Return to Belgium - 20K

Back home after what felt like a very long week on the road. My run today means I've ran in France, England and Belgium all in the last six days. Have trainers will indeed travel.

Work been pretty hectic recently and I've been travelling a lot but I've managed to keep up a pretty reasonable discipline in my running distance and frequency, naturally with much encouragement from Team Kennedy manager.

I wanted to go long today just to build up my mental toolkit a bit as I've been doing a lot of shorter runs to build up my fitness. Its always good to know if you are feeling the pace in a race or a training session that you've definately got the distance in your legs, if only so you can get your head round it. That way when it starts to feel hard you can pretty honestly talk yourself out of the low point by using the previous memory of running a good half marathon in training.

First 5K was away in 25:30 and just felt like I was loosening up. At 12K I'd dropped off 3 pretty big hills and was still feeling good. I knew though I still had one big hill right at the end to knock off.

16.5K and I'm at the turn at the farm in 1:27 and I'm thinking I'm not so far away from a 1:40 finish which would be close to my personal best for the half marathon distance of 21K in 1:40:55. However with over 3.5K to go its not a reality with the hilly finish that I have. I'm up the last hill but trying to keep the pace up is starting to kill me and I'm finally starting to fade.

My strides get shorter as the hill takes it toll and it takes me about 500M after the top of the hill to get my breath back to something like normal. My legs feel like they've been drained of blood. I try for a sprint finish over the last 750M but its not overly impressive. I finish in 1:46:05 and so just outside the 1:45's.

However a very good session and a nice start to the week. Time wise its not bad with 5 weeks to go till FirstMonster. I've still not been on the bike yet though. I did blow the tires up yesterday and Team Kennedy manager was out on it for a trial run.

Lichfield 12K

Running gear got lost by Air France on the way from Paris to Birmingham so no run last night. Long long day at work today in the same single meeting all day.I even got the chance to speak German for half an hour and do a quick organisational presentation in German. Probably shouldn't have as it makes me want to move back again.

All new stuff for me in the meeting and lots to take in so my head was burst by the time I got back to the hotel. I lay up on the couch for a while with my running gear on. Eventually Team Kennedy manager's lazy bell must have rung and she told me to get off my backside and get out as it would make me feel better.

1:05 minutes later I'm in and feeling great, really smooth run and I really felt like I could go on and on. No aches or pains all just well oiled and it felt like I was skating rather than running. A really nice session that even with some fast sections I couldn't really get tired. Might have been the Lucozade Energy drinks I was drinking today to keep me alert....

The weather was dry and cool so I didn't get a chance to put on my new birthday present which was a Gore running jacket. I'm sure living in Belgium will offer me up plenty of opportunity to get good use of it.

15K in Paris

Out for 1:28 along the Seine from Billancourt. Hot here so this was always going to be a testy run. I prepared well on train from Belgium by drinking two bottles of water and eating a piece of Quiche and a packet of fizzy colas.

I turned round at 35 minutes with the goal of being back under 1 hour but as ever I got lost and had to run through a big park with massive big hills. Fairly took it out of my legs but it was a great session. I deserve a beer tonight....

Post Birthday weigh in

Still at 79KG.....need to drop at least 3kg and hopefully 5Kg in next 6 weeks....

Surprise visitors

Brownie makes a surprise birthday visit with the gang. I'm very pleased and Team K manager has again excelled herself with her organisational flair. A magnum of Barollo between us on Saturday night does not bode well for Sunday. We're up and a small but perfectly formed 5K with Brownie kicks the day off well, so well that we head to the 3 Ducks for lunch and we have a nice bottle of Pomerol....back home for a well earned siesta....Birthday weekends are like that.