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.

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.

Inspiration at lunchtime

Lunchtime run, I've been inspired by Stuart's fantastic 44 minute Polaroid 10K in Helensburgh. I set out for a flat out 10K. My previous best for 10K is 47:38 . My plan is to blast out the 10K and I'll walk the rest(1.8K) to the house.

Its pretty warm and just a light-medium breeze so not bad conditions. First 3K and I'm feeling the pace as I finish the first long hill. I knock off 5K in 21:28 but I'm absolutely dying on my feet at the effort so I know thats as good as it gets and I'll be well over 43 minutes. I get to 7K and I almost stop twice on a long hill I'm so burned out. I've decided that I'm definately not built for speed. However I somehow keep going.

If I thought I was tired at 7K I was absolutely wiped out at 8K and then at 9K it was just the fact it was mostly downhill and I could smell the finish that kept me going..I know where the 10K line is but I must have checked my watch 6 or 7 times wishing the distance to magically get shorter.

I end the 10K in a new personal best of 45:00,08. Its as hard as run I have done and certainly the fastest training session. Sadly I didn't have my Heart Rate belt with me to see how much cardio effort I put in but I've attached the speed,time and altitude stats above.

Thanks to Stu for the inspiration. I'm just leaving you enough of a gap to get to the bar first and get the beers in, so nothing new in that. I look forward to the results from the Clydebank race, let me say now, a sub 40min 10K will be an absolutely huge achievement. Get in there.